CHAPTER XIV.
CALIFORNIA IN EARLY TIMES.
We had succeeded much better than we had anticipated in making our ownrepairs, so that our object in making for the port of Santa Barbara wasmore to obtain fresh water and provisions than anything else.
Our passage to this little port was attended by some rough weather, buton the whole we had not much to complain of throughout our entirePacific Ocean experience. We made two prizes on the way. One of them wasa British brig from the Columbia River of tolerable value; the other wasa rich whaler from Acapulco, on her way to the northern whale-fields,but already half-full of excellent sperm; and we also captured aschooner, but as she had nothing in her hold but ballast we permittedher to pursue the even tenor of her way--not thinking her of sufficientvalue to warrant our depleting our company by another prize-crew.
We arrived at Santa Barbara in the early part of January--just at theclose of the rainy season, and came to anchor close under the town, forthe harbor is deep.
California in the time of which I treat was far different from now. Withthe exception of a few Mexican settlements along and near the coast, itwas nothing but wilderness. There was probably not a house where thepresent fine and populous city of San Francisco stands, and very fewsettlements in that neighborhood of the coast--the northern part ofwhich was but little known.
Santa Barbara was nothing but a collection of fifty or sixty adobehouses, with a larger structure called (I could never understand why)the Fort, in which the Mexican commandant of the place made hisresidence. The coast range of the Rocky Mountains comes down close tothe water here and, back of the town, we could see lofty peaks upliftthemselves grandly (though not so lofty as in the case of Valparaiso),some of them covered with perpetual snow. But their lower slopes arefertile and sunny, and the natives had done a good deal in the raisingof vineyards upon them--terracing the steeps to prevent the soil fromwashing down by the rains or the melting of the snows above.
Ships very seldom made a port of entry of Santa Barbara in those days,and the arrival of the Queer Fish was quite an event among theinhabitants, who treated us with uniform kindness.
As with the other inhabitants of Spanish America, hospitality is aruling and virtuous feature of the poor, ignorant Mexicans. Long afterthe time I speak of, I traveled much among them, and was ever receivedwith the open arms of hospitable friendliness by even the most ignorantand indigent among them.
We got excellent water at this place, as well as plenty of grapes andother fruit.
As we remained here several weeks, we had many adventures on shore. Oneof the most interesting of these occurred shortly after our coming to ananchorage.
Old Bluefish and myself had obtained permission for a day on shore toenjoy ourselves hunting, and having each of us procured an excellentmustang, set off at a brisk pace in the early morning. We were not longin getting through the mountains--wherein we saw several grizzlies whichwere too far off to be attacked--and soon emerged from the defiles uponthe level plains that lie to the westward.
We halted for refreshments at a little town called San Fernandino, if Iremember rightly, and then proceeded on our way, through a colony ofmarmots or prairie-dogs, intending or hoping to kill some antelopefarther on.
We had a first-rate day's sport, considering that we were sailors. Wekilled three antelope and about a dozen of the large hares, which havesince won the name of jackass-rabbits. The name is not altogetherinappropriate--so far as it applies to the animal's ears, which are ofextraordinary length and size. The animals themselves are of the harespecies. They do not jump as a rabbit, but run as a fox, and withsurprising swiftness withal. They are very large, much larger than theEnglish hare, and are excellent eating.
It was growing late in the afternoon when we concluded to relinquish ourhunt, and return homeward. So we slung our game across the necks of oursteeds, and proceeded westward, over the faintly-distinguished trailwhereby we had come.
We had not traveled many miles before we witnessed a singular and novelsight.
Old Bluefish called my attention to a great dust in our advance, whichwe soon perceived to be caused by four Mexican hunters in pursuit of agrizzly bear. We took our stand on a little eminence, and waited to seethe sport.
The bear could run almost as fast as the horses of his pursuers, and onthey all came at a terrific pace, the Mexicans shouting at the top oftheir lungs and brandishing their lassoes at a great rate. We now sawthat their intention was to take his bearship alive.
Just as the grizzly came opposite our point of observation, one of theCalifornians let his lariat fly, and, catching Bruin by the hind pawtripped him up, while the rest of the horsemen began to circle round thebeast on their wild steeds, swinging their lariats, and watching for achance to noose the monster.
The latter rose up on his hind feet, clutched the line which held him,and began to draw his entrapper toward him--horse and all. I never saw amore striking instance of the great muscular strength of the grizzlythan this. He seemed to draw the horse and rider toward him with themost perfect ease.
We expected to see the Californian draw his knife and cut the lineimmediately, thus releasing himself from his unpleasant predicament. Buthe did nothing of the kind. He retained his seat with the most perfectcoolness--exhibiting his exquisite horsemanship in so doing; for,although the horse which he bestrode gave tokens of the utmost fright,the horseman kept him in perfect subjection to his will, and calmlyallowed the bear to pull him forward inch by inch.
I was almost ready to yell out with excitement when I saw the fearlesshorseman dragged up to within a few feet of the ferocious beast. But, atthis instant, whiz went another lariat through the air, and Bruin wascaught around the gullet and choked so taut that he could hardlybreathe. This caused him to release his hold on the line of his firstcaptor and make at the new assailant. But another noose quickly followedthe second, catching him by one of his forepaws, while his remaininghind-foot was quickly caught up by the remaining hunter.
Poor Bruin was fairly in the toils, for his prodigious strength couldnow avail him nothing.
The horsemen commenced circling around him on their swift andwell-trained steeds, in such a manner as to wind their long, stoutlariats of hide repeatedly round the body and limbs of their prey. Whenhe was no longer capable of effective exertion, the horsemen dismounted,and completed their work by a few ingenious knots, so that the bear wascompletely powerless.
A light wagon or cart, which had been waiting in the distance, then cameup, and, after a great deal of pulling and hauling and leverage, themonster was safely loaded.
We now made our appearance, and made friends with the hunters, as wellas imperfect knowledge of their language would admit of. We weresurprised and gratified to learn that the bear had been entrapped for ashow--a bear and bull fight--which was to take place at Santa Barbara ina few days.
So, as we all had one destination, we started homeward together, andarrived at the town shortly after dark.