member of congress from
Ohio of that name,--a native of Dayton, Ohio,--a gentleman of
intelligence, keen wit, and a most accomplished officer. The officers
of our navy are our representatives in foreign countries, and they are
generally such representatives as their constituents have reason to
feel proud of. Their chivalry, patriotism, gentlemanlike deportment,
and professional skill cannot be too much admired and applauded by
their countrymen. I shall ever feel grateful to the naval officers of
the Pacific squadron for their numerous civilities during my sojourn on
the Pacific coast.

Among the novelties presented while at San Francisco was a trial by
jury--the second tribunal of this kind which had been organized in
California. The trial look place before Judge Bartlett, and the
litigants were two Mormons. Counsel was employed on both sides. Some of
the forms of American judicial proceedings were observed, and many of
the legal technicalities and nice flaws, so often urged in common-law
courts, were here argued by the learned counsel of the parties, with a
vehemence of language and gesticulation with which I thought the legal
learning and acumen displayed did not correspond. The proceedings were
a mixture, made up of common law, equity, and a sprinkling of military
despotism--which last ingredient the court was compelled to employ,
when entangled in the intricate meshes woven by the counsel for the
litigants, in order to extricate itself. The jury, after the case was
referred to them, were what is called "hung;" they could not agree, and
the matters in issue, therefore, remained exactly where they were
before the proceedings were commenced.

I attended one evening a _fandango_ given by Mr. Ridley, an English
gentleman, whose wife is a Californian lady. Several of the senoras and
senoritas from the ranchos of the vicinity were present. The
Californian ladies dance with much ease and grace. The waltz appears to
be a favourite with them. Smoking is not prohibited in these
assemblies, nor is it confined to the gentlemen. The _cigarita_ is
freely used by the senoras and senoritas, and they puff it with much
gusto while threading the mazes of the cotillion or swinging in the
waltz.

I had the pleasure of being introduced, at the residence of Mr.
Leidesdorff, to two young ladies, sisters and belles in Alta
California. They are members of an old and numerous family on the
Contra Costa. Their names are singular indeed, fo