I 
62 SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
deserts with the hunger and thirst incident to travelling over 
them, had wild and exciting charms for him. On these his 
giant frame had obstacles to contend with worthy of its 
powers; suffering and even old Death himself to take by 
the throat and vanquish. These and the open air by a pro¬ 
jecting rock, with the dry sand or the green sward for a 
hearth and couch, a crackling pine knot fire blazing against 
the cliffs, and roasting a buffalo hump or the sirloin of an 
elk, after the day’s hunt had ended, constituted the life he 
was fitted to enjoy. 
He had forced his way over the Rocky Mountains and 
located himself in Upper California. This country was 
suited to his tastes. Its climate allowed him to sleep in the 
open air most of the year; an abundance of native animals 
covered the hills, and nature was spread out luxuriantly 
everywhere, in wild and untrodden freshness. 
As I have said, this brave man resided near the mission of 
San Juan. He had erected there a rude dwelling, and a dis¬ 
tillery. On the neighboring plans he herded large bands of 
horses, mules and cattle. To this fine old fellow Alvarado 
made known his peril and designs ; whereupon the foreign¬ 
ers assembled at Graham’s summons, elected him their cap¬ 
tain, an Englishman by the name of Coppinger, lieutenant, 
and repaired to San Juan. A council was held between the 
clerk and the foreigners. The former promised, that if by 
the aid of the latter he should successfully defend himself 
against the acting governor, and obtain possession of the 
country, it should be declared independent of Mexico; and 
that the law, which incapacitated foreigners from holding 
real estate, should be abrogated. The foreigners agreed, on 
these conditions, to aid Alvarado to the utmost of their 
power. The next morning the united forces, fifty foreigners 
and twenty-five Californians, marched against Monterey. 
' They entered the town in the afternoon of the same day, 
and took up their position in the woods, one hundred rods in 
the rear of the castello or fort. No event of importance 
