356 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
White Inhabitants. —The policy of the Catholic priests 
who conquered these countries, and who held absolute sway 
over their destinies until the Mexican Revolution, was to dis¬ 
courage settlements. The reasons for this course on their 
part were, that the Indians could be more easily controlled 
by them, in the absence of other persons claiming larger free¬ 
dom than they themselves were then fitted to enjoy. In order 
to carry out these views, therefore, they used all their influ¬ 
ence with the Vice-regal Government of Mexico to prevent 
emigration thither, and were ever watchful to enforce upon 
the soldiers of the Missions that law of Spain which prohibits 
them to marry without the express consent of the crown. 
And hence it is that from 1769 to 1843 only six free vil¬ 
lages or towns have been founded in the Californias. And 
the free white and half-breed inhabitants of these extensive 
territories number at this day less than six thousand. 
Their character is quite peculiar. The half-breed, as might 
be expected, exhibits much of the Indian character; the dull 
suspicious countenance, the small twinkling piercing eye, the 
laziness and filth of a free brute, using freedom as the mere 
means of animal enjoyment. This class of Californians usu¬ 
ally compose the soldiery of the Presidios, and the herdsmen 
of the Ranches or plantations, and in these capacities perhaps 
perform their duties as well as their white relatives do theirs. 
However, it should here be stated that as soldiers it makes no 
kind of difference in the exhibition of their bravery, whether 
their guns have either lock, stock, or barrel; for never, in a 
single instance, since the country was settled, have the Cali¬ 
fornian troops been so wanting in courage as to fire at an 
enemy, unless he were in a helpless condition, nor so wanting 
in discretion as to wait to be fired at, when there was a 
chance to run away in safely. 
The intelligence of these meztizos, as they are called, is 
quite limited ; and what little they do possess, is of very 
doubtful utility. For it seems to be used chiefly in directing 
their choice of shade trees, under which they shall spend the 
