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The building occupies a large square, of at least eighty or ninety yards each side; forming an extensive area, in the centre of which a fountain constantly supplies the establishment with pure water. The front is protected by a long corridor, supported by thirty-two arches, ornamented with latticed railings, which, together with the fine appearance of the church on the right, presents an attractive view to the traveller; the interior is divided into apartments for the missionary and mayordomos, store-rooms, workshops, hospitals, rooms for unmarried males and females, while near at hand is a range of buildings tenanted by the families of the superintendents. There is also a guard-house, where were stationed some ten or a dozen soldiers, and in the rear spacious granaries stored with an abundance of wheat, corn, beans, peas, &c.; also large enclosures for wagons, carts, and the implements of agriculture. In the interior of the square might be seen the various trades at work, presenting a scene not dissimilar to some of the working departments of our state prisons. Adjoining are two large gardens, which supply the table with fruit and vegetables, and two or three large ranchos' or farms are situated from five to eight leagues distant, where the Indians are employed in cultivation and domesticating cattle.

The church is a large stone edifice, whose exterior is not without some considerable ornament and tasteful finish; but the interior is richer, and the walls are adorned with a variety of pictures of saints and scripture subjects, glaringly coloured, and attractive to the eye. Around the altar are many images of the saints, and the tall and massive candelabras, lighted during mass, throw an imposing light upon the whole.'-pp. 23-25.

The professed object of these establishments is the good of the Indians, and to ascertain, though we fear a very limited extent, this may be effected. Both in the indulgences granted and in the restraints imposed, there is a singular disregard of some of the most obvious principles of our nature, on which alone the civilization of a people can be effected. Self support and self respect are clearly of this order, and yet the whole tendency of the system, as detailed by our author, is adapted rather to repress, than to favour their growth. The system is indeed essentially erroneous. It is one of force, rather than of instruction, and ends in mere formalism and wretchedness. We are not, therefore, surprised, when told that :

Mass is offered daily, and the greater portion of the Indians attend; but it is not unusual to see numbers of them driven along by alcaldes, and under the whip's lash forced to the very doors of the sanctuary. The men are placed generally upon the left, and the females occupy the right of the church, so that a passage way or aisle is formed between them from the principal entrance to the altar, where zealous officials are stationed to enforce silence and attention. At evening again, 'El Rosario' is prayed, and a second time all assemble to participate in supplication to the Virgin.

The condition of these Indians is miserable indeed; and it is not to be wondered at that many attempt to escape from the severity of the religious discipline at the mission. They are pursued, and generally taken; when they are flogged, and an iron clog is fastened to their leg, serving as additional punishment, and a warning to others.'-pp. 25, 26.

Such is the folly with which civilized man has commonly sought to reclaim the savage. He is first reduced to a state of vassalage, if not of personal slavery, and is then punished, if he attempt to recover his former liberty. The result of all this is the semblance, the mere outward form of civilization and religion. Bodily attitudes may easily be imitated, and these are supposed to represent the energy and holiness of religion, however vicious the passions which are cherished, or the practices indulged in. Let the following description of what was seen at St. Gabriel be taken as an illustration :

In the morning, at six o'clock, we went to the church, where the priest had already commenced the service of the mass. The imposing ceremony, glittering ornaments, and illuminated walls, were well adapted to captivate the simple mind of the Indian, and I could not but admire the apparent devotion of the multitude, who seemed absorbed, heart and soul, in the scene before them. The solemn music of the mass was well selected, and the Indian voices accorded harmoniously with the flutes and violins that accompanied them. On retiring from the church, the musicians stationed themselves at a private door of the building, whence issued the reverend father, whom they escorted with music to his quarters; there they remained for a half hour, performing waltzes and marches, until some trifling present was distributed among them, when they retired to their homes.

As is usual on all their 'dias de fiesta,' the remaining part of the sabbath is devoted to amusements, and the Indian generally resorts to gambling, in which he indulges to the most criminal excess, frequently losing all he possesses in the world-his clothes-beads, baubles of all kinds, and even his wife and children! We saw them thus engaged, scattered in groups about the mission, while, at a little distance, quite an exciting horse-race was going on; the Indians betting as wildly on their favourite animals as upon the games of chance, which found so many devotees.'-pp. 31, 32.

The Indian population has for some years past been rapidly declining. That of Alta California was estimated in 1829 at upwards of 30,000, but now scarcely reaches a third of that number, whilst the white population is about 8000. Until recently very little encouragement was given to immigration, and the catholic missions had interests unfriendly to the settlement of foreigners. A wiser policy, however, is now pursued, and several hundred Americans are, in consequence, already located within

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the territory. Their industrious habits,' says our author, 'have procured for them many very promising settlements, where the lands, under judicious management, produce abundance, and contribute greatly to the beauty of the surrounding country.'

The general tone of morals is such as might have been anticiThe women, pated, so far, at least, as the men are concerned. we confess, judging from our author's description, are better than we looked for :

The men are generally indolent, and addicted to many vices, caring little for the welfare of their children, who, like themselves, grow up unworthy members of society. Yet, with vice so prevalent amongst the men, the female portion of the community, it is worthy of remark, do not seem to have felt its influence, and perhaps there are few places in the world, where, in proportion to the number of inhabitants, can be found more chastity, industrious habits, and correct deportment, than among the women of this place. This observation may be applied to the country generally; which is rather surprising, when we consider the want of distinction observed between those of virtuous and immoral habits: for it is not unusual to see at public assemblages the most perfect familiarity between the two classes. This often misleads strangers, who form, in consequence, incorrect opinions. In time, when the country becomes more settled, a necessary distinction will prevail among the various classes; and society will be found more select, as in places of greater civilization. Their adherence to the faithful observances of the church, as in all Catholic countries, is truly firm; and the most trifling deviation from its commands is looked upon with abhorrence. The extreme veneration shown towards the holy teachers of their religion, and the wonderful influence exercised by them, even in the affairs of their every-day life, may account for any virtue they may exhibit. The friar's knowledge of the world, and bis superior education, give him a station far above the unenlightened state of the laity, and place him. in a sphere to inculcate good or disseminate evil. Fortunately, however, for the country, the original founders of Christianity in California were truly pious, excellent men, and their successors, generally, have endeavoured to sustain their honourable character.'pp. 73, 74.

The greatest atrocities are practised almost with impunity, so feeble is the Mexican government, and so imperfect its executive administration. The following speaks volumes, and would effectually prevent our envying the inhabitants of California:

Whilst G and myself remained as temporary residents on shore, no particular occurrence transpired, excepting an occasional robbery, or murder, at the south; for still the missions in that quarter were unsettled, and hardly a day passed without some new act of violence occurring.

A white man was stabbed by a black fellow; but this being con

sidered only an ordinary occurrence, no notice was taken of it. A sergeant of artillery who had cut the throat of his comrade, was put on board the barque Leonor, bound to St. Blas. There being no constituted tribunal here to take cognizance of the deed, the villain was sent to Mexico, where, the probability is, he was promoted, and will be ordered back to commit more murders! This has been too often the case, and the assassin, emboldened in consequence, hesitates not to kill, when he feels it indispensable to his purpose. What is most astonishing is, why the Indian does not take example from his Mexican brethren, and like them, kill and plunder.'— p.152.

The national amusements of a people betray much of their character. They are a mirror, in which the inner man is reflected, and on which, therefore, a thoughtful observer will gaze with far more interest than the sport itself can minister.

Knowing what has been fashionable in Europe, and the recent authorities which may be quoted in defence of the wholesale destruction of animal life, for the mere purpose of amusement, we must not hastily draw a too unfavourable conclusion from such scenes as the following, which our author witnessed at the mission of Santa Barbara :—

'No other incident worthy of notice occurred during my journey, and I returned to Santa Barbara, after a pleasant trip, in time to witness a bull and bear bait that was to take place at the Mission, the day following.

'Old Bruin was first, however, to be caught, and about a dozen vaqueros, with their mayordomo, started off to entrap him. On such occasions, a bright moonlight night was always selected, and their usual mode of securing him was as follows. In some remote spot which the bears most frequented, a bullock was slain and his carcase left exposed. At an early hour the Indians repaired to some neighbouring concealment where they watched the bear's approach, which was announced by the howling of wolves, and the noise of immense numbers of coyotes. He usually crept along suspiciously towards the bait, and while eagerly engaged in consuming it, the Indians suddenly pounced upon him from their ambush, and with their lassos thrown around his neck, tumbled him to the ground. Oftentimes at the approach of his pursuers he would rise on his hind legs, prepared for defence, when the lassos were either broken or forced from the rider. The expert vaquero, however, generally succeeded, and poor Bruin, foaming with rage, gagged, and secured with a dozen lassos, was drawn to the Mission; either upon a low, two-wheeled cart, or a large bullock's hide.

'Success had attended them on this occasion, and at sunrise a large grey bear was secured to a tree in front of the Mission. It was past noon when I rode up and dismounted to look at the poor condemned brute, who, almost exhausted with heat and rage, seemed hardly competent to the trial that awaited him. Persons were

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At

standing around, thrusting pointed sticks into his sides, till the madness of the infuriated animal knew no bounds. A sailor, rather the worse for aguardiente,' reeled up to take part in the fun, and with his recklessness and wit added infinitely to the amusement. length an unfortunate stagger brought him within reach of Bruin's paw, who seized him by the leg and drove his teeth quite through the calf. With extreme difficulty, they rescued him from his danger, and a skillful practitioner happening to be near, the wound was immediately sewed up.

'The time arrived for the sport to commence, and every one repaired to a large square, formed by the junction of the long corridor with a temporary fence of poles. The bear, still encumbered with his fastenings, was first brought in, and then the bull came plunging into the enclosure, as if a match for a dozen such opponents. A lasso was fastened to the hind leg of the bear, leaving his fore paws at liberty for defence, and connecting with one of the bull's fore legs, so contrived as to give them a scope of about twenty feet for manoeuvring. This being accomplished, the other fastenings were removed, and the two terrified creatures remained sole occupants of the square. The bull roared, pawed the earth, flung his head in the air, and at every movement of his opponent seemed inclined to escape, but the lasso checked his course, and brought them both Bruin, careless of the scene with a sudden jerk to the ground. around him, looked with indifference upon his enemy, seemingly too exhausted to bear the struggle, but the jerk of the lasso aroused him as if to a sense of danger, and he rose up on his hind legs, in the posture of defence. At this moment, the bull rushed upon him, and with his sharp horns seemed to have gored him through; but not so, for a mournful bellow told his situation. The bear had seized upon him by the nose, whilst his paws clung around his horns. A sudden exertion, however, liberated the bull from this embrace, and a second plunge drove his horns half way through his enemy's side, and tossed him high in the air, whence he fell powerless to the ground. One or two more successful attacks decided the fate of Bruin, and he was dragged from the arena, covered with numerous and ghastly wounds. The conflict in this case had been short, owing to the exhausted condition of the bear; but, on some occasions, it was continued even to the exhausting of a second bull; this was rare, however, and more frequently a strong bull was able to cope with two such adversaries.

On this occasion every body attended, as is customary in all their amusements, and men, women, and children took part in the discussions relative to the fight. Such exhibitions served for a topic of conversation amongst all classes for months afterwards, and the performance elicited as much applause as is usually bestowed on the triumph of some great actor in the theatre of our own country.— pp. 102-105.

Judged of by their public sports, the Californians will bear an honourable comparison with their Spanish progenitors, for whilst their origin may be traced through the medium of their