If you bring the
saddle back safe, they care but little what becomes of the horse.
Mounted on our horses, which were spirited beasts, and which, by the
way, in this country, are always steered by pressing the contrary rein
against the neck, and not by pulling on the bit,- we started off on a
fine run over the country. The first place we went to was the old
ruinous presidio, which stands on a rising ground near the village,
which it overlooks. It is built in the form of an open square, like
all the other presidios, and was in a most ruinous state, with the
exception of one side, in which the commandant lived, with his family.
There were only two guns, one of which was spiked, and the other had
no carriage. Twelve, half clothed, and half starved looking fellows,
composed the garrison; and they, it was said, had not a musket apiece.
The small settlement lay directly below the fort, composed of about
forty dark brown looking huts, or houses, and two larger ones,
plastered, which belonged to two of the "gente de razon." This town is
not more than half as large as Monterey, or Santa Barbara, and has
little or no business.
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