208 CALIFORNIA. 



for a considerable space around. Instead of its being a festival, it 

 turned out to be the general washing-day of the village ; and the long 

 lines, trees, bushes, &c, were all hung with the many-coloured 

 garments, which, with the crowds of men, women, and children, and 

 some cattle, seen moving to and fro, or gathered in small groups, gave 

 the whole quite a pleasing effect. I was told that the pueblo of San 

 Jose had a larger number of inhabitants than any other in Upper Cali- 

 fornia ; but as we rode into it, it seemed almost deserted, and I would 

 willingly have gone back and amused myself with the scene on the 

 green, if Don Miguel had not represented to me, that his standing would 

 be very much affected if we did not at once proceed to the alcalde's. 

 We accordingly rode up to his house, a very pretty two-storied edifice, 

 of a light-cream colour, in the centre of the main street, and directly 

 opposite a new church that they are erecting. The alcalde gave us a 

 cordial reception. His first appearance was that of a French pastry- 

 cook, with his white cap and apron. He was a short, dapper, rosy- 

 cheeked man, by birth a Frenchman, but had been now twenty years 

 settled in the pueblo ; was married, and had eleven children, who 

 looked as healthy and as dirty as one would wish to see them. The 

 moment he understood who his visiters were, he did us the honour to 

 doff his white cap and apron ; and shortly after appeared in a round- 

 about, very much ornamented with braid, &c. The only name I heard 

 him called by, was Don Pedro. He spoke his native language imper- 

 fectly, using a great many Spanish words with it, and told me that he 

 had nearly forgotten it. From him I learned that the pueblo contained 

 six hundred inhabitants, about forty of whom were whites. He described 

 himself as the " sous-prefet," and said that he administered justice, 

 inflicted punishment, and had the ability to make the inhabitants happy, 

 as he thought they should be. On my asking, by what laws he admi- 

 nistered justice, his answer was, — by what he thought right. He had 

 very little trouble, except guarding against the attacks of the Indians 

 and preventing them from stealing horses, of which he had great fears ; 

 he had, therefore, provided for the safety of his own by keeping them 

 in a small shed attached to his house, and within a locked gate. 



He considered the pueblo as in danger of attacks from the Indians, 

 who were now in great numbers within striking distance, and had 

 become very troublesome of late in driving off horses, of which they 

 had lost three or four hundred, and he said that pursuit was impossible, 

 as they now had no troops. I was not satisfied that the alcalde was 

 the bravest man in the world, or that he thought much of the interests 

 of those over whom he had sway. Don Miguel gave him the character 

 of being a good customer, and generally punctual in his payments. He 



