138 
CALIFORNIA ILLUSTRATED. 
offered, to go and lasso Brain, for their amusement. Now, 
said Brain had been a quiet neighbor, and had taken nothing 
excepting the appurtenances of said rancho , and had a most re¬ 
ligious aversion to any additional ties between himself and 
neighbors. When said neighbors approached and attempted to 
present the subject, Bruin, as dignified people will do, stood up 
and looked them in the face. Six lassos were simultaneously 
thrown. He caught three of them, and, hand over hand, hauled 
the horses in, and with one stroke took off from one of them his 
entire haunch. The rider’s cut their lassos, and, without bid¬ 
ding his bearship good-day, took the longest kind of steps to¬ 
ward the mission-house. Brain is now supposed to be in his 
dotage, still he is said to relate this occurrence to his family 
circle with.the greatest satisfaction. 
Those interested in the prevailing fashions, are referred to 
the accompanying Plate. Ladies’ hats are dispensed with; a 
scarf or parasol is used instead. Gentlemen wear white pants, 
over which is a pair of black velvet, open at the sides of the 
leg, the edges trimmed with bell-buttons. A short jacket of 
the same is also worn, trimmed with bell-buttons over which 
is thrown a serapa or poncho. A heavy sombrero , with a black 
glazed covering, is worn on the head; this is trimmed with brass 
ornaments, and a band with long ties serving as a streamer. 
In passing down from Santa Barbara the scenery is fine; a belt 
of fertile land stretching along the coast with mountains in the 
back ground. 
After taking on board several passengers, a few head of cat¬ 
tle, and a small supply of vegetables, we again weigh anchor 
and stand out to sea; the weather is delightful, the sea rolls 
sluggishly, and our steamer speeds her way through the waters 
like a thing of life; now rushing through a school of porpoises, 
and now a school of flying-fish are driven from their element; 
now a whale throws a column of spray into the air; the sea¬ 
gulls collect around but soon disperse and flit along “gaily over 
the sea;” the albatrosses are floating about lazily; while Mother 
Carey’s chickens display as much spirit as if the old lady had 
just let them from the coop. 
As we approached St. Lucas we noticed that peculiarity of 
the sky for which the Pacific coast is celebrated. (.See Plate.) 
