386 CHAPTER XIV. GLANCES INTO CALIFORNIA. SAILORS ON SHORE AS SOLDIERS.-THE BEAR FLAG.-CAPT. FREMONT AND HIS ARMED BAND.-DEPARTURE OF ADMIRAL SEYMOUR.-SAN FRANCISCO.— ASPECTS OF THE TOWN.-HABITS OF THE PEOPLE. THE GOLD-DIGGER.SPIRIT OF SPECULATION.—GAMBLING.-EFFECTS OF THE GOLD MINES.— PAST AND PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. The peak where burns the blush of morn, The glen in which a torrent rolled, The crater where the Deil was born, Are hemmed and stratified with gold; Thursday, July 16. The Cyane warped out of her berth this morning, and we warped into it. Our ships are now moored in line, command the anchorage, and present a very warlike appearance. This afternoon a large ship was discovered rounding Point Pinos. She entered the harbor under a cloud of canvas, and proved to be the Collingwood, bearing the broad pennant of Admiral Seymour. She came to anchor outside the Congress and Savannah. Our band greeted her with "God save the Queen," which she returned with "Hail, Columbia." She is an 80 gun ship, and looks majestic on the wave. The Admiral was greatly surprised to find Monterey in possession of the Americans. Commodore Sloat, having received information at Mazatlan, through the public press, that our advanced posts on the Rio Grande had been attacked by a Mexican force, sailed immediately for this port. On his arrival the town was taken without any conflict, the flag run up and saluted with twenty-one guns from each ship of the squadron. A proclamation was then issued by the commodore, informing the inhabitants of the bases of his proceedings, and invoking quietude as the condition of security and repose; while our own men, who had been stationed on shore, were strictly enjoined not to molest the citizens in their lawful occupations. FRIDAY, JULY 17. The bay of Monterey circles up broad and deep into the coast. It is far from being land-locked, and yet the southern bend is sufficiently sheltered to afford a safe and quiet anchorage. The town is built within a circling range of forestfeathered hills, and on a plain that descends in easy slopes to the strand of the bay. A more inviting picturesque location for a city never entered a poet's dream. The buildings are reared of adobes, covered with a white layer of lime; they are seldom over one story and a half, and are ornamented with porticoes running the entire front. The streets are broad but irregular, and the hills around connect themselves with the gleaming walls of cottages which as yet ex ist only in your imagination. The U. S. sloop-of-war Portsmouth, J. B. Montgomery commander, is at San Francisco; the Warren, J. B. Hull, commander, is at Mazatlan. Our flag is now flying over Monterey, San Francisco, Sonoma, and Sutter's Fort. No formidable attempt has been made by the Californians to recapture any of these positions. The great body of the inhabitants seem but little inclined to take up arms. They have no great affection for Mexico, or reverence for the military chieftains whom she has sent to govern them. Our marine guard, commanded by Lieut. Zelin, and fifty sailors under the command of Lieut. Tilghman, left our ship to-day for duty on shore. It is amusing to see Jack with a carbine in his hand; he don't know what to do with it, whether to carry it in one hand or both, at his side or on his shoulder. When posted as a sentinel, he always forgets the countersign of course, and if a man looks pretty honest, allows him to pass; but if he comes in some mysterious shape, he may expect to be shot. One on an outpost last night, hearing a rumpling sound among the dry leaves, and catching glimpses, by the pale moonlight, of a form gliding behind this bush and that, instead of hailing, "Who comes there?" cried out, "A bloody Indian!" and let off his carbine. The guard, hearing the report, rushed immediately to the spot, where they found a bullock, which had narrow |