USA > California > Merced County > History of Merced County, California with biographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 4
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1.450
Santa (lam
1.800
300]
1.500
1.2001
15,001 3,100
Nın Jose. . .
Dodur's de San Franefy'e. .
50
5.000
1,000
200
San Rafael,
1,250
San Francisco Salah ..
1,300
:00
4,0 M)
Tostain
Jag .
80,00 4.450 914, 00 2010) 3200 5. 20.321,500,11,0 123,000
COLONIZATION PARTY.
1834 .- During the year 1834, one Jose Maria Hijar was dis- patched from Mexico with a colonization party, bound for Upper California. The ship touched at San Diego, and here a portion of the party disembarked. The remainder proceedel to Montercy, and, a storm arising, their ship was wrecked upon the beach. Hijar now presented his credentials, and was aston- ished to find that a messenger overlaml from Mexico had already arrived, bringing news of Santa Ana's revolution, together with dispatches From the new president revoking his (Hijar's) appointment; and continuing Figueroa in office.
In the bitter discussion that followed, it came out that Hijar had been authorized to pay for his ship, the Natalia,* in mix- sion tullow; that the colonists were organized into a company, duly authorized to take charge of the missions, squeeze ont of them the requisite capital, and control the business of the terri- tory. The plan had miscarried by a chance, but it showed the missionaries what they had to expect.
With the euergy born of despair, eager at any cost to ontwit those who sought to profit by their ruin, the mission fathers hastened to destroy that, which through more than half a cen- tury. thousands of human beings had spent their lives to accumulate.
GREAT SLAUGHTER OF CATTLE.
Hitherto, cattle had been killed only as their meat was needed for use; or, at long intervals perhaps, for the hides and tallow alone, when an overplus of stock rendered such action neces- sary. Now they were slaughtered in herds. There was no market for the meat, and this was considered worthless. The creature was lassoed, thrown, its throat cut; and while yet writhing in the death agony its hide was stripped and peggel upon the ground to dry. There were no vessels to contain the tallow, and this was run into great pits dng for that purpose, to be spaded out anon, and shipped with the hide> to market.
" The blentical vessel in which Napoleon escaped from the Isle of Ells, -1st3.
-
1,9001
1,. 0
1.20 m)]
14,NMH
7:00
San Miguel.
10,1 00;
Misalon del Chrmel .
3.000
100KM)
7,000 10(RM)
1.000
San lanis Key
3.440
*\'100.1 .. 4 4,00) 14,VR)
San Juan Capistrano
San Fernando.
NI MAKR
1/ 11 ...
13.000
1,100
22
FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE MISSIONS.
Whites and natives alike revelled in gore, and vied with each other in destruction. So many cattle were there to kill, it seemed as though this profitable and pleasant work must last forever. The white settlers were especially pleased with the turn affairs had taken, and inany of them did not scruple uu- ceremoniously to appropriate large herds of young cattle wherewith to stock their rauches. Such were the scenes being enacted on the plains.
MISSION BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
At the missions a similar work was going on. The outer buildings were unroofed, and the timber converted into fire- wood. Olive groves and orchards were cut down; shrubheries and vineyards torn up. Where the axe and vandal hands failed, fire was applied to complete the work of destruction. Then the solitary hell left hanging ou each solitary and dis- mantled church, called their assistants to a last session of praise and prayer, and the worthy padres rested from their la hors.
When the government administrators came, there was but little left; and when they went away, there was nothing.
MISSIONS ORDERED ABANDONED.
1845 .- A proclamation of Governor Pico, June 5, 1845, provides :--
1. That the governor should call together the neophytes of the following-named missions: Sau Rafael, Dolores, Soledad, San Miguel and La Purissima; and in case those missions were abandoned by their neophytes, that he should give them one month's notice, by proclamation, to return and cultivate said missions, which if they did not do, the missions should be de- clared abandoned, and the Assembly and governor dispose of them for the good of the Department.
2. That tho missions of Carmel, San Juan Bautista, San Juan Capistrano and San Francisco Solano, should be consid- ered as pueblos, or villages, which was their present condition; and that the property which remained to them, the governor, after separating sufficient for the curate's honse, for churches and their pertinents, and for a municipal house, should sell at public auction, the product to he applied, first to paying the debts of the establishments, and the remainder, if any, to the benefit of divine worship.
3. That the remainder of the missions to San Diego, inclu- sive, should he rented at the discretion of the governor.
SALE OF THE MISSIONS.
1845 .- On the 28th of October, of the same year (1845), Governor Pico gave public notice for the sale to the highest bidder of five missions, to wit: San Rafael. Dolores, Soledad, San Miguel and La Purissima; likewise for the sale of the
remaining buildings in the pueblos (formerly missions) of San Luis Obispo, Carmel, San Juan Bautista, and San Juan Capis- trano, after separating the churches and their appurtenances, and a eurate's, municipal and sehool-houses. The auctions were appointed to take place, those of San Luis Obispo, Puris- sima and San Juan Capistrano, the first four days of December following (1845); those of San Rafael, Dolores, San Juan Bau- tista, Carmel, Soledad and San Miguel, the 23d and 24th of January, 1846; meanwhile, the Government would receive and take into consideration proposals in relation to said missions.
The final disposition of the missions at the date of 1845 will be seen in the following:
TABLE SHOWING THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF MISSIONS.
NO.
NAMIK OF MISSION.
How DISPOSED OF BY THE GOVERNMENT.
123
San Diego.
SuId to Antonio Cot and Andres Pico, May 13, 1846.
Salı Luis Rey
Pueblo, and remainder sold to John Fuster and James
San Juan Capistrano.
MrKinley, December 6, 1845.
Sold to Julian Workman and Hugo Reid, June 18, 1846.
4
San Gabriel.
Rented to Andres Pico, for nine years from December, 1845, and sold to Juan Celis, June, 1846.
0
San Buenaventura
Sold to Joseplı Arnaz.
7
Santa Barbara.
Rented to Joaquin Carrillo.
9
La Parisimna
10
San Luis Obispo ..
11
San Miguel.
Uncertain.
13
Soledad.
14
Carmel de Monterey
Pueblo.
15
San Juan Bautista
Pueblo.
16
Santa Cruz ....
Vacant.
17
Santa Clara ..
In charge of priest.
18
San Jose.
In charge of priest.
Dolores, (San Francisco). .
Pueblo.
20
San Rufael
Mission in charge of priest.
21
San Francisco Solano ..
Mission in charge of priest.
LAWS FOR THE COLONISTS,
We make the following extracts from laws sent the colonists and bearing date Monterey, March 23, 1816 :-
" All persons must attend mass, and respond in a loud voice, and if any persons should fail to do so, without good cause, they will be put in the stocks for three hours."
" Living in adultery, gaming and drunkenness will not he allowed, and he who commits such vices shall he punished."
Another order required every colonist to possess " two yoke of oxen, two plows, two points or plow shares (see engraving of plow), two hoes for tilling the ground, and they must pro- vide themselves with six hens and one cock."
MUST COMPLY WITH PROMISE.
Government Order, No. 6, issued from Monterey, July 20, 1798, is "to cause the arrest of Jose Arriola, and send him un- der guard, so that he be at this place during the coming Sun- day, from there to go to Santa Barbara, there to comply with his promise he made a young woman of that place to marry her."
The records do not inform us whether Jose fulfilled his agree- ment with the young lady or not!
Rented lor nine years, from June 8, 1846, to Nich's Den.
Santa Ynes
Sold to John Temple, December 6, 1845.
Pueblo.
San Antonio
Vneant.
House and garden sold to Sobranes, January 4, 1846.
San Fernando,
Sold to Santiago Arguello, June 8, 1846.
23
AGRICULTURE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS
Extract from a letter dated Monterey, June 5 1799 :-- " I send you by the wife of the pensioner, Josef Brabo, one piece of cotton goods and one ounce of sewing silk. There are no combs, and I have no hope of receiving any for three years.
HERMENEGILDO SAL, " Military Governor."
Just think of the colonists being without country for three years ;
A. Bernal, by special license, March 6, 1799, " is permitted to drive to Branciforte, from San Jose, a few cattle and sheep belonging to his father, that the former may be able to take care of them."
Agriculture in Early Times.
FARMING in California was in a very primitive state up to its ocenytion by the Americans, What farming the Californians did was of a very rude description; their plow was a primitive contrivance, their vehicles unwieldy. Such articles of hus- Imuudry as reapers, mowers and headers had not entered their dremmus, and they were perfectly independent of their advan- tages.
Grain was ent with a short, stumpy, smooth-edged sickle; it was threshed by the tramping of horses. One of their few evils was the depredations of the will Indians, who would sometimes steal their horses, and then the cattle would have to perform the work of separation. The cleaning of grain was performed by throwing it in the air with wooden shovels and allowing the wind to carry off the chaff.
lu a work published in London in 1839, by Alexander Forbes, are some interesting descriptions of the country about the Bay of Monterey, and the condition of farming as witnessed by him in 1835.
FLOW USED BY CALIFORNIANS.
The plow used at that time must have been of great antignity. It was composed of two principal pieces; one, called the main piece, was formed out of a crooked branch of timber eut from a tree of such a natural shape. This plow had only one handle, and no mould-board or other contrivance for turning over the furrow, and was, therefore, only capable of making a simple cut equal on both sides,
The only iron about the plow was a small piece fitted to the point of the stile. and of the shape seen in the detached part of the engraving. The beam was of great length, so as to reach the yoke of the oxen. This beam was also composed of a nat- ural piece of wood, cut from a tree of proper dimensions, and had no dressing except taking off the bark. This beam was inserted into the upper part of the main piece, and counceted with it by a small upright piece of wood on which it .slides, and is fixed by two wedges: by withdrawing these wedges the beam was elevated or lowered, and depth of furrow regulated.
The long beam passes between the two oxen like the pole of a carriage, and no chain is used. A pin i- put through the point of the beam, and the yoke is tied to that by thongs of rawhide. The plow-man goes at one side, holding the handle. with his right hand and managing the good and cattle with luis left. The manner of yoking the oxen was by putting the yoke (a straight stick of wood) on the top of the head close behind the horns aud tied firmly to their roots and to the fore- head by thongs, so that, instead of drawing by the shoulders, as with us now, they drew by the roots of the horus und fore- head. They had no freedom to move their heads, and went with the nose turned up, and seemed to be in pain
With this plow only a sort of a rut canbl be mile. and the suit was broken by successive crossing and reevosing many times. Plowing couldl only be done after the rains enmme, and an immense number of plows had to be employed.
MODERN FARMING TOOLS UNKNOWN.
The harrow was totally unknown, and a bush was drawn aver the field to cover in the seed; but in some places a long,
heavy log of wood was drawn over the field, something of the plan of a roller, huit dragging without turning round, so as to carry a portion of the soil over the seed.
INDUSTRIES OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS,
The Californians were not without their native mannfar. tures, and they did not, as is generally supposed, rely altogether upon the slaughter of cattle and the sale of hides and tallow. The missionaries had taught them the cultivation of the grape and manufacture of wine. Hemp, flax, cotton and tobacco were grown in small quantities. Soap, leather, oil, brandy, wool, salt, soda, harness, saddles, wagons, blankets, ete, were mann- factured.
Of California it may be truly said, that before the admission of foreign settlers, neither the potato nor green vegetables were cultivated as articles of food,
DAIRYING IN EARLY TIMES.
The management of the dairy was totally unknown. There was hardly any such thing in use as butter and cheese. The butter was an exeerable compound of sour milk and cream mixed together; the butter being made of the cream on top of the inilk, and a large portion of the sour, beat up together by hand, and without a churn. It was of a dirty gray color and very disagrecable flavor, and always rancid.
24
GOLDEN AGE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS.
They had an awkward way of milking, as they thought it absolutely necessary to use the calf to induce the cow to give milk : so they let the calf suck for some time alone, and then lay hold of the teats a, they could while the calf was still sucking, and by a kind of stealth procured a portion of the milk.
The supereargo of a British ship from India, bound for the coast of Mexico, informed Alexander Forbes* in 1832, that on making the coast of California they touched at the Russian settlement, called La Bodega (Sonoma county), and which borders on the Spanish territory-or rather of right belongs to it, and although the part which the Russians possess is sterile in comparison to the fine plains occupied by the Spaniards,
- yet they found immediately on their arrival a present sent on tward by the Russian Clovernor, of most excellent butter, fat miton, and good vegetables, all things most desirable to people arriving from a long voyage. They soon proceeded to Monterey, the capital of Spanish California, where they could - find nothing Init bull beef: neither bread, butter, cheese, or -
vegetales could be procured, As late as 1834 Monterey was supplied with butter and cheese from the Russian settlement at. Bodega,
PRIMITIVE THRESHING SCENE.
When the crops were ripe they were ent with a sickle, or any other convenient weapon, and then it became necessary to thresh them. Now for the modus operandi. The floor of the corral into which it was enstomary to drive the horses and cattle in order to lasso them, Trom constant nse had become hardened. Into this inelosure the grain would be piled, and upon it the outrathe, or band of mares, would be turned loose to tramp out the grain. The wildest horses would be turned adrift upon the pile of straw, when wonkl ensne a scene of the wildl- est confusion; the excited animals being driven, amidst the velling of the roqueros and the cracking of whips, here, there, and everywhere, around, across, and lengthwise, until the whole was trampled, leaving naught but the grain and chatf.
The most difficult part of the operation, however, was the separating of the grain from the chaff. Owing to the length of the dry season, there was no urgent haste to effect this; therefore when the wind was high enough, the Indians, who soon fell into the ways of the white pioneers, more especially where they were paid in kind and kindness, would toss the trampled mass into the air with large wooden forks, cut from the adjacent oaks, and the wind carried away the lighter chaff, leaving the heavier grain. With a favorable wind several bushels of wheat eould thus be winnowed in the course of one dav.
How insignificant this scene appears when contrasted with a San Joaquin farmer's ontfit of a 24-horse reaper and thresher combinul, which is fully described further on in this work and represented in several engravings.
GOLDEN AGE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS.
Mr. William Halley, says; From 1833 to 1850 may be set down as the golden age of the native Californians. Not till then did the settlement of the rancheros become general. The missions were breaking up, the presidios deserted, the popula- tion dispersed, and land could be had ahnost for the asking. Never before, and never sice, did a people settle down under the blessings of more diverse advantages.
The country was lovely, the climate delightful; the valleys were filled with horses and cattle; wants were few, and no one dreaded dearth. There was meat for the pot and wine for the cup, and wild game in abundance. No one was in a hurry. "Bills payable" or the state of the stocks troubled no one, and Arcadia seems to have temporarily made this her seat. The people did not, necessarily, even have to stir the soil for a livelihood, because the abundance of their stock furnished them with food and enough hides and tallow to procure money for every purpose. They had also the advantage of cheap and docile labor in the Indians, already trained to work at the missions. And had they looked in the earth for gold, they could have found it in abundance.
They were exceedingly hospitable and sociable. Every guest was welcomed. The sparsity of the population made them rely on each other, and they had many occasions to bring them together.
SCENES OF FESTIVITY AND GAYETY.
Church days, bull-fights, rodeos, were all occasions of festiv- ity. Horsemanship was practiced as it was never before ont of Arabia; dancing found a ball-room in every house, and music was not unknown. For a caballero to pick up a silver eoin from the ground at l'ull gallop, was not considered a feat; and any native youth eould perform the mustang riding which was lately accomplished with such credit by young Peralta in New York. To fasten down a mad bull with a Turint, or even subdue him single-handed in a corral, were every-day per- formances. The branding and selecting of cattle in rodeos was a gala occasion,
While the young men found means to gratify their tastes for highly wrought saddles and elegant bridles, the women had their fill of finery, furnished by the Yankee vessels that visited them regularly for trade every year. Few schools were estab- lished, but the rudiments of education were given at home. The law was athininistered by Alcaldes, Prefects, and Governor. Murder was very rare, suicile unknown, and San Francisco was without a jail.
FAVORITE NATIVE LIQUOR.
Wine was plentiful, and so was brandy, There was a native liquor in use that was very intoxicating. It was a sort of cognac, which was very agreeable and very volatile, and went
Now u resident of O.chland. See page SI.
RES. OF ROBERT EARL, 5 MILES EAST OF PLAINSBURG, MERCED CO. CAL.
"TEXAS RANCH, RES.OF THOMAS GIVENS,2 MILES EAST OF HORNITOS, MARIPOSA CO. CAL.
INDUSTRIES AND HOMES OF CALIFORNIANS.
like a flash to the brain It was expensive, and the selling it made a large profit. This liquor was known as aquestionte. and was the favorite tipple until supplanted by the whisky of the Americanos. It was mostly made in Los Angeles, where the better part of the grapes raised were used for it.
THE ADOBE RESIDENCES.
1
The walls were fashioned of large sun-dried bricks, made of that black foam known to settlers in the Golden State as a lot soil, mixed with straw, with no partienlarity as to species, measuring about eighteen inches square and three in thickness; these were cementel with mad, plastered within with the same substance, and white-washed when finished. The rafters and jointe were of rough timber, with the bark simply pected off and placed in the requisito position; while the residences of the wauthier classes were roofed with tiles of a convex shap, plusdl so that the one shout Foverlap the other, al thus make a water shed; or, later, with shingles, the poor contenting them- selvre with a thatch of file, fastened down with thongs of bullock's hide. The former modes of covering were expensive, and none but the opulent could afford the luxury of tiles. When completed, however, there and dwellings will stand the brunt and wear aul trar of many decades, as can be evidenced by the number which are still occupied.
There were occasional political troubles, but these did not much interfere with the profound quiet into which the people had settled. The change from a monarchy into a republic dearcely produced a ripple. The invasions of the Americans did not stir them very profoundly. But they received such a shark in their slumber- that they, too, like their predecessors. the Indians, are rapidly passing away.
SPANISH OX-CART.
The form of the ox-cart was as rude as that of the plow. The pole was of very largedimensions, and fastened to the yoke and oxen the same as the plow. The animals had to bear the weight of the load on their heads. This added greatly to the dlistre's uf the poor animals, as they felt every jerk and twist of the enrt in the most sensitive manner; and as the roads were full of ruts and stones, it is a wonder that the animals' heads were not twisted off.
-
The wheels of this eart were of the most singular construc- tion. They had no spokes and were made of three pieces of timber. The middle piece was hewn out of a large tree, of size to form the nave and middle of the wheel, all in one. The other two pieces were made of timber bent and joined by key's of wood. There does not enter into the construction of this cart a particle of iron, not even a nail, for the axle is of wood and the lynch-pin of the same material.
Walter Colton says: "The ox-cart of the Californian is quite
unique and primitive. The wheel are cat transversely froin the butt eud of a tree, and have holes through the center for a huge wool axle, as seen in our engraving. The oxen draw by the head anl horns instead of the chest; and they draw enormous loads
" On gala days it was swept out and covered with mit: a dep body is pit on, which is arche ] with hoop-poles, and over these a pair of sheets are extended for a covering Into this the ladies are tmnbled with the children, and they start ahead."
.An old settler writes to ns that " Many of our people will recollect the carts used in early days by the Californians. They usually traveled from place to place on horseback ; but when the family desired to visit a neighbor or go to town, the family coach was called into use. That vehicle consisted of two immense wooden wheels, cut or sawed off'a log, with holes as near the center as convenient for the axle-tree. with a tongue lashed to the axle with rawhide thongs. Upon this a frame as wide as the wheels would permit, un ! from seven to twelve f:et in length, was placed, upon which was securely fastened one or two rawhide- with the flesh side down, and a rude frame
OLD FASHIONED SPASISO OX-CAKI.
over the top, npon which to stretch an awning, with rawhide thongs woven around the sides to keep the children Tram tuinbling ont.
" The female portion of the family, with the small children, would seat themselves in the eart, t> which was attached a pair of the best traveling oxen on the ranch. An In lian would drive, or rather lead the oxen (for he usually walked ahead of them). In this simple, rude contrivance the family wouhl travel ! twenty or thirty miles in a day with as munch comfort, appar- ently, as people now take in riding in our mo lern vehicles. Sometimes several families would ride in a single cart, and visit - their friends, gu to town for the purpose of shopping, or to attend church, etc."
SPANISH GRIST-MILL ..
Wheat and corn were generally ground or pounded in the common hand stone mortar; but in larger settlements horse- power was used in turning or rolling one large stone upon another, as shown in the engraving on page 27.
Water-power mills for grin ling flour in Upper California were but few, and of the most primitive description; but none better are to be found in the other parts of Spanish America,
26
THE RUSSIANS OCCUPY CALIFORNIA.
not even in Chili where wheat abounds. These mills consist of an upright axle, to the lower end of which is fixed a horizontal water-wheel placed under the building, and to the upper end of the mill-stone ; and as there is no intermediate machinery to increase the velocity, it is evident that the mill-stone can make only the same number of revolutions as the water-wheel. This makes it necessary that the wheel should be of very small diameter, otherwise no power of water thrown upon it could make it goat a rate sufficient to give the mill-stone the requisite velocity. It is therefore made of very small dimensions, and is construeted in the following manner: A set of what is called cucharas (spoons) is stuck in the periphery of the wheel, which serve in place of float-boards; they are made of pieces of timber in something of the shape of spoons, the handles being inserted into mortises on the edge of the wheel, and the bowls of the spoons inade to receive the water, which spouts on them laterally and forces the small wheel around with nearly the whole velocity of the water which impinges upon it. Of this style of mill even there were not more than three in all Califor- nia as late as 1835.
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