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Show 102 PERSONAL ADVENTURES He is still led, however, by the hackamore, the object of putting on the bridle being merely to accusto1n him to it. In this way so1ne horF3es may be tamed in a month, whilst others will take two or three. Others, again, can never be broken in sufficiently for any ordinary rider t~ mount them without danger. Of the wild horses subjected to this process of training, at least one fourth are killed, and a still larger proportion serious!~ injured. The wild mules are still more difficult to break in; the mode of training is, however, pretty much the same, with this exception, that it is more violent and of longer duration. 1-Iorses, mules, billiards, and 1nonte, I found to be the all-engrossing subjects of conver· sation; and it \Vas not without some little difficulty that I could obtain sufficient data to enable ' 111e to form a correct idea of the domestic habits of the better classes. It n1ay be readily supposed that the Californians could not be very well affected towards those who had come, as it were, to conquer and appropriate their country ; and the military IN CALIFORNIA. 103 were, of course, particularly obnoxious. The garrison had long been apprehensive of an attack; and, shortly previous to my arrival, a report had reached Colonel Mason, that a body of men under General Castro, a gentleman of good family and great personal influence, was marching upon Monterey with hostile intentions. The Americans were kept, night and day, under arms, and a severe .conflict was anticipated. . The General, however, came to the conclusion, that the attempt on Monterey would be unsuccessful, and ·wisely wrote to the American Governor to say, that, if the latter would ensure the safety of his person and property, he would abandon all further designs against him. He subsequently rode into the town, attended by only two or three persons; and, in an interview 'vith Colonel Mason, expressed hin1self in such amicable and friendly terms, that the latter treated him with kindness and liberality, granting him all that he had demanded, and sec.uring to hin1 the full enjoyment of his personal liberty. |