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Show 68 PERSONAL ADVENTURES The population, as far as I could judge, is chiefly composed of the Spanish and the Indian races, the women being generally both handsome and good-natured, with a weakness for the Americans. I saw very few negroes. The climate is said to be healthy, and the country produces abundance of vegetables, amongst which are potatoes of the finest kind I have ever tasted. We weighed anchor next morning with scarcely two-thirds of our number· on board, and thrice was the vessel compelled to lay-to, in order to enable the absentees to cotne up with her. I also learned that, during the night, the steward and two Frenchmen, his countrymen, who had joined our expedition, had deserted. We continued our voyage without any event occurring worth recording, save the death of one of our companions, whose constitution harl been shattered by excessive dissipation. On the 14th of February we came in sight of the promised land ; and, though its hills were barren, we hailed them with joy, as the har· IN CALIFORNIA. 69 bingers of comfort and abundance in store for ue, after the endurances of so n1any hardships and privations. But we \Vere doomed to disappointment, for the wind sudden]y changed ; and soon comiug on to blow a terrific gale, we were obliged gradually to take in every stitch of canvass, and finally to run before it under bare poles, at the rate of twelve knots an hour. Our little vessel gallantly breasted the huge seas, and rose on their foaming crests buoyant as a swan, then dipped into the ya\vning abyss of green \vaters beneath, to be presently tossed up in their mighty artns, high, high up, as a giant w·ould fling up a feather to the 'vinds. Her timbers creaked and groaned, and every rope strained at its work; the wind whistled throuQ'h her cordaae and LJ 0 ' buffeted the sails as they lay snugly clewed up in crabs, as if challenging them to a contest with it, now that it \vas in the pride of its fierce strength; still the taut little craft held on her course, yielding to the force of her potent master, but only biding her time to come off victorious. At last the o·ale lulled · 5 ' |
