M O N 
other trees. The Spaniards have begun to carry- on a fur- 
trade with China; in this refpett following the example 
of the Ruffians, who for this purpofe had availed them- 
felves of their fettlements on the north-weftern coalt of 
America; whilft their fettlements in California furnilhed 
them with an abundant fupply of (kins, chiefly of the fea- 
otter, as it is called by the Spanilh writers, the fur being 
black, and equal to the fineft beaver. The manner of 
catching the fea-otters is fo peculiar to the Indians, that 
the Englifh, Dutch, and Spaniards, have not been able to 
imitate their Ikill. In linall canoes, conftruCted of wood, 
or a kind of flag, and capable of holding only one perfon, 
they venture out to fea; and, provided with a long rope 
furnilhed with two hooks, the boatman advances towards 
the otter, the females being furrounded with their young, 
whom they teach to fwim. On the approach of the canoe, 
the female plunges under water, and the Indian fixes the 
hooks in the foot and leg of one of the young. He then 
retires and gives out rope, which he occafionally pulls, 
and then, giving pain to the young animal, it roars fo as, 
to bring the dam to its afliftance, who, in endeavouring 
to extricate the young one, is often herfelf entangled by 
the hooks; upon which the hunter arrives and kills her 
by a fharp blow on the head. See California, vol. iii. 
p. 6io, i. 
The bay of Monterey,formed by New-Year’s Day (An¬ 
no Nuevo) Point to the northward, and Cyprefs or Fir 
(Pinos) Point to the fouthward, is eight leagues acrofs 
at its entrance in that direction, and near!)' fix in depth 
to the eaftward, where the lands are low and landy. The 
lea rolls in to the very foot of the eminences of fluid, 
with which the coaft is lkirted, with a noife which may 
be heard at about the diftance of a league. The lands to 
the northward and fouthward of this bay are elevated and 
covered with trees. Ships intending to put in here mult 
keep thefouth ftiore abroad; and, after doubling Fir Point, 
which ftretches out to the northward, they will fee the 
prefidio, and may drop anchorin ten fathoms water within, 
and behind this point, which lhelters them from the fea- 
breezes. The Spanilh fliips that flay for a long time at 
Monterey, approach within one or two lengths of a cable 
to the Ihore, in fix fathoms water, where they moor to an 
anchor buried in the fand of the beach : they are thus 
lheltered from the fouth winds, which are fometimes very 
ftrong, though not dangerous, as they blow' off fhore. 
At full and change of the moon it is high water at half 
paft one, and the tide rifes feven feet. The whales in 
this bay are very numerous, and, as Peroule fays, very 
familiar. They were continually blowing at the diftance 
of half a piftol’s Ihot, and occaiioned a very difagreeable 
fmell in the air. 
The erections for the accommodation of the governor 
and garrifon are the fame that w’ere built on the firft 
eftablilhment of this port, in the year 1770, without hav¬ 
ing undergone the lealt improvement or alteration lince 
that period. The buildings of the preftdio form a paral¬ 
lelogram, or long fquare, comprehending an area of about 
300 yards by a5c, making one entire enclofure. The ex¬ 
ternal wall is of the fame magnitude, and built with the 
fame materials; except that the officers’ apartments are 
covered in with a fort of red tile made in the neighbour¬ 
hood : the whole prefents a lonely uninterefting appear¬ 
ance 5 like the eftablilhment at San Francifco, the feveral 
buildings for the ufe of the officers, foldiers, &c. and for 
the protection of ftores and provifions, are ereCted along 
the w'alls on the infide of the inclolure, which admits of 
but one entrance for carriages, or perfons on horfeback. 
At each corner of the fquare is a fmall kind of block- 
houfe, raifed a little above the top of the wall, where 
fwivels might be mounted for its protection. On the 
outfide, before the entrance into theprefidio, which fronts 
the fliores of the bay, are placed feven cannon, four nine 
and three three-pounders, mounted ; thele, with thofe 
at St. Francifco, one two-pounder at St. Clara, and four 
nine-pounders difmounted, form the whole of their artil- 
M O N 731 
lery. Thefe guns are planted on the open plain ground, 
without any breaft-work or other fcreen for thofe em¬ 
ployed in working them, or the leaft cover or protection 
from the weather. The four difmounted cannon, toge¬ 
ther with thofe placed at the entrance into the preiidio, 
are intended for a fort to be built on a fmall eminence 
that commands the anchorage. A large quantity of tim¬ 
ber is at prefent in readinefs for carrying that defign into 
execution; which, when completed, might certainly be 
capable of annoying veflels lying in that part of the bay 
which affords the greateft fecurity, but could not be of 
any importance after a landing was accomplifhed, as the 
hills behind it might be eaiily gained; from whence the 
affailing party would foon oblige the fort to furrender: 
nor can Monterey be confidered a very tenable poft with¬ 
out an extenfive line of works. The number of foldiers 
who compofed the garrifon was about 100, including 
the non-commiflioned officers. From this body, detach¬ 
ments are drawn for the protection of the neighbouring 
miffions ; the remainder, with their wives and families, 
refide within the walls of the preiidio, without feeming 
to have the leaftdefire for a more rural habitation; though 
garden-ground, and many other comforts, might eafiiy 
be procured, at no great diftance from the feat of the 
eftablifhment. 
The coafts of Monterey-bay are covered by alrnofl 
eternal fogs, which render it difficult of approach, 
though in other refpeCts there fcarcely exifts a bay more 
eafiiy entered. The fea is covered wfith pelicans, which 
never go above five or fix leagues from land; and, there¬ 
fore, navigators who perceive them during a fog, will be 
certain that they are within that diftance. Thefe birds 
are very common on the w'hole coaft of California, and 
are called by the Spaniards alcatras. M. Monneron, who 
vifited this harbour in December 1786, obferves that the 
land about it, though dry, feems adapted for advantageous 
cultivation. European grain grows here both fine and 
abundant, and the butchers’ meat is of the belt quality. 
It is therefore certain, he adds, confidering the commodi- 
oufnefsof the harbour, that, if this fettlement fliould ever 
flourifh, a better port for veflels could not be found in any 
part of the w’orld. 
MONTERO'SO, a town of Sicily, in the valley of Noto: 
tw'enty miles north-north-weft Noto. Lat. 36. 58. N, 
Ion. 14. 55. E. 
MON'FES CLA'ROS, a plain of Portugal, in the pro¬ 
vince of Alentejo, near Villa Viciofa. 
MONTE'SA, a town and fortrefs of Spain, in Valencia, 
Near the town is a mountain, terminating in a pointed 
rock, on which flood the convent belonging to the military 
knights of the order of Montefa. On the 23d of March, 
1748, a dreadful earthquake overturned this rock, demo- 
lifhed the convent, and buried its inhabitants under the 
ruins. An unfortunate man endeavouring to make his 
efcape through a crevice of the rock, it fiuddenly clofed, 
and crufhed him in fo terrible a manner, that, when the 
body was afterwards found, there were hardly any re¬ 
mains feen of the fkull or bones. It is remarkable, that 
in a chain of hills oppofite to Montefa, there is a fteep 
hill, with an old Moorifh caftle on its furnmit, which 
never has fuffered from earthquakes, though frequent in 
Valencia; owing, perhaps, to its very perpendicular pofi- 
tion. It is nine miles louth-weft of St. Felipe. 
MONTESQUIEU' (Charles de Secondat, Baron de), 
an eminent magiflrate and writer, defcended from a dif- 
tinguifhed family in Guienne, was born in 1689. At a 
very early period in life he manifefted a propenfity to 
deep and folid thinking; and in his twentieth year he 
began to make collections for his molt celebrated work, 
the Spirit of Laws. He was appointed to the office of 
prefident a mortier in the parliament of Bourdeaux in 
1716 ; and in 1722 he was deputed by that body to make 
remonftrances on account of a new impoft, when he em¬ 
ployed his eloquence with fo much force as to obtain its 
luppreffion. He had already publifhed his “ Periian Let¬ 
ters,” 
