, still heavier spurs, a dagger
and pistols in his belt, and a staff in his hand, was a good
personification of an adventurer of the olden time. He assured us that
we could not be too cautious, since we should pass through a part of the
country inhabited by "_los Indianos bravos_:" we therefore also made a
plentiful provision of arms, and were ready, as soon as the first beams
of morning glimmered on the tops of the mountains, to set forward in our
barcasse for the mission of St. Gabriel, lying on the northern shore of
the bay, whence our land journey was to commence.

The weather was beautiful, the wind perfectly still, and the air
enchantingly mild. An Indian named Marco, whom Estudillo had brought
with him, served us as pilot; for the Spaniards here, incapable, either
through indolence or ignorance, of discharging that office, always
employ an experienced Indian at the helm.

Don Estudillo, although advanced in life, was a very cheerful companion,
and one of the most enlightened Spaniards I have met with in California.
He piqued himself a little on his literary acquirements, and mentioned
having read three books besides Don Quixote and Gil Blas, whilst, as he
assured me in confidence, the rest of his countrymen here had hardly
ever seen any other book than the Bible. Marco had grown grey in the
mission: on account of his usefulness, he had been in many respects
better treated than most of the Indians: he spoke Spanish with tolerable
fluency; and when Estudillo endeavoured to exercise his wit upon him,
often embarrassed him not a little by his repartees. This Marco affords
a proof that, under favourable circumstances, the minds even of the
Indians of California are susceptible of improvement; but these
examples are rare in the missions.

Don Estudillo spoke with much freedom of the affairs of California,
where he had resided thirty years: like most of his comrades, he was no
friend to the clergy. He accused them of consulting only their own
interest, and of employing their proselytes as a means of laying up
wealth for themselves, with which, when acquired, they return to Spain.
He described to us their method of conversion. The monks, he said, send
dragoons into the mountains to catch the free heathens, that they may
convert them into Christian slaves. For this species of chase, the
huntsman is provided with a strong leathern noose fastened to his
saddle, long enough to throw to a great distance, and acquires such