PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
385 
Arroyo, however, maintained that it was a corruption of colofon, which, CHAP, 
in the Spanish language, signifies resin, in consequence of the pine- 
trees which yield that material being so numerous. The first settlers, 
he said, at the sight of these trees would naturally exclaim “ Colofon,” 
which by its similarity to Californo (in the Catalonian dialect, hot 
oven), a more familiar expression, would soon become changed. 
Our travellers, after taking leave of the hospitable and amusing 
priest the preceding evening with the intention of proceeding early in 
the morning, experienced much delay in consequence of the refusal of 
the guard to start without hearing mass and receiving the benediction 
of the priest; but at length they quitted the plain of San Juan, and 
ascended w'ith difficulty some steep hills commanding a view of the 
spacious bay of Monterey. Then winding among valleys, one of which 
was well wooded and watered, they entered an extensive plain called 
“ Llano del Rey, which, until their arrival, was in the quiet possession 
of numerous herds of deer and jackals. This tract of land is bounded 
on the north, east, and south-east, by mountains which extend with a 
semicircular sweep from the sea at Santa Cruz, and unite with the 
coast line again at Point Pinos. It is covered with a rank grass, and 
has very few shrubs. In traversing this plain, before they could arrive 
at some ranchos, named Las Salinas, where they proposed to dine, the 
party had to wade through several deep ditches and the Rio del Rey, 
both of which were covered with wild ducks. The cottages called Las 
Salinas are on the farm of an old Scotchman, to whom the land was 
granted in consequence of some services which he rendered to the 
missions. They rested here, and to the provision they had brought 
with them very gladly added some pumpkins, procured from the 
Indians. Here, also, they were surprised with the novel occurrence 
of having water brought to them in baskets, which the Indians weave 
so close, that when wet they become excellent substitutes for bowls. 
The remainder of the plain over which they passed toward Mon- 
terey was sandy, and covered with fragrant southernwood, broken here 
and there by dwarf oaks, and shrubs of the syngenesious class of plants. 
As they approached the town, pasture lands covered with herds of cattle 
succeeded this wild scenery ; and riding onward, trees of luxuriant growth, 
3 D 
