CALIFORNIA. 207 



not pull the other fruit. Only a certain number are allowed to work in 

 the garden, and the whole is placed under the constant superintendence 

 of a gardener. It would be almost impossible to protect the fruit other- 

 wise. They have fruit of all kinds, both of the tropical and tem- 

 perate climate, which they represented as succeeding admirably well. 

 A few barrels of wine are made, but nothing can be more rude than 

 their whole process of manufacturing it. The tillage is performed 

 with ploughs that we should deem next to useless ; they are nothing 

 but a crooked piece of timber, four to six 

 inches square, somewhat in the shape of our 

 ploughs, which merely serves to loosen 

 ground to a depth of three or four inches ; but in such a soil, and in 

 this level land, this rude implement answers the purpose, and produces 

 crops on an average of from sixty to eighty for one. The ploughs are 

 drawn by oxen, and are well adapted to the Indians, who more readily 

 learn to use them than they would more complicated machines. 



After spending some time in the garden, we were recalled to dinner ; 

 and if we had cause to complain of the slightness of the breakfast, the 

 dinner made ample amends, every variety of dish being abundant and 

 admirably prepared. Don Miguel congratulated himself and us that 

 the administrador was not in a fit state to prevent us from enjoying it, 

 by the everlasting narration of his adventures. Senora Aliza had quite 

 surpassed even her usual good feasts in this dinner, which called forth 

 much praise from our companion. 



At the missions throughout the country four meals are daily taken : 

 at an early hour, chocolate; at eleven o'clock, breakfast; at two, 

 dinner ; and at seven, supper. The dinner and supper are the principal 

 meals, and at them the Californians indulge to a great extent. 



After our meal was finished, Don Miguel, having some business at 

 the Pueblo of San Jose, about a league from Santa Clara, he invited us 

 to accompany him thither. After some difficulty in procuring horses, 

 we set out on sorry nags, and on leaving the mission entered an avenue 

 lined on each side with large trees. These I understood had been 

 planted at an early day, by one of the padres, in order to protect the 

 people from the sun during the celebration of the church festivals, and 

 to leave no excuse to the inhabitants of the pueblo for not visiting the 

 mission church. 



Just before arriving at the pueblo, we crossed over one of the tor- 

 tuous branches of the Rio Guadaloupe, some twenty feet wide, and had 

 a view of the pueblo. It seemed as if this were a gala-day, and as if 

 every one were abroad celebrating it on the banks of this river, or 

 rather creek ; the overflow of which had served to keep the grass green 



