CHAPTER VII. 
An Incomparable Wilderness—A Strange Period—Phrenzy—An Indian 
Fire—Gentlemen by the Grace of God versus Gentlemen by the Grace of 
Pelf—A Sight of a Great Sea—The first Voyage around the Earth—A Sur¬ 
render—Victims— Fleet—Voyage—Another Voyage—Murder—Mas¬ 
sacre—Another Voyage—Shipwreck—Beaten to death in the surf—The 
Dead and their Requiem—Gathered at their Ancient Altars—A Return— 
Another Voyage—An Arrival from a Ten Years’ tramp among the Sav¬ 
ages—An Expedition by Sea and Land—Death of the Discoverer of 
California. 
Any part of the earth with its forests, its native grasses, 
herbs, flowers, streams and animals, unmolested by the trans¬ 
forming powers of that race which derives a livelihood from 
agriculture, commerce, and their attendant handicrafts, is a 
spectacle of great interest. The seasons as they come and 
go—the spring with its rich blossoms and leaves—the sum¬ 
mer with its fulness of vigor—the autumn with its dropping 
fruits—and the winter, that Sabbath of the year, when na¬ 
ture rests from her toil—all bring to the old wilderness un¬ 
numbered charms. But who can portray them ? They are 
so closely grouped, so richly tinted, so mellow, so sacred and 
grand, that a long life is required to perceive them. And I 
often think, if we should study the ancient woods and tower¬ 
ing rocks, and the countless beauties among them, through 
all our days as we do in childhood, we should be drawn nearer 
to virtue and to God ! 
. California is an incomparable wilderness. It differs from 
that which overhung the Pilgrims of New England. That was 
a forest broken only by the streams and the beautiful lakes in 
which the Indian angled for his food. This is a wilderness 
of groves and lawns, broken by deep and rich ravines, sepa- 
