43*
Dccbmbàr, ,BlVinff ,lea* eaeh o f thefe eflâb'lïflïments a great abundance of very good
v— v--- 1 Kme-ftone, excellent earth for-bricks and tiles, and-flag-ftones for paving.
. Thefe valuable materials give the buildings at thefe places a manifeft fu-
periority over thofe that are ereâed with fubftances lefs fit for the pur-
pofe ; but, to balance this- advantage, it appeared that their labours in
hufbandry, efpecially in railing European grains and pulfe, were not'
rewarded by that abundant return which we had found at Sta Glara. The
average produce o f their feed does not yield more than twenty-three
for one in wheat, barley, and oats ; ths quality o f which is.notb y any
means equal to the fame fort o f corn grown in the more northern fet-
tlements. This inferiority is attributed more to the want o f rain than to
the comparative difference o f the foil ; fince, although the foil and climate
of the latter appeared to be more fuitableto the agriculture o f the
open fields, yet the garden o f Buena Ventura far exceeded anything o f
that defeription I had before met with in thefe regions, both in refpecl
o f the quality, quantity, and variety o f its excellent productions, not
only indigenous to the country, but appertaining to the temperate as
well as torrid zone ; not one fpecies having yet been fown, or planted,
that had not flourilhed, and yielded its fruit in abundance, and o f excellent
quality. Thefë have principally confifted o f apples, pears, plumbs,
figs, oranges, grapes, peaches, and pomgranates, together with the
plantain, banana, cocoa nut, fugar cane, indigo, and a great variety o f
the neceffary andufeful kitchen herbs, plants and roots. All thefe-were
flourilhing in the greateft health and perfeaion, though feparated from
the fea-fide only by two or three fields o f corn, that were cultivated
within a few yards o f the furf. The grounds, however, on which they
were produced, were fupplied, at the expence o f fome labour, with a
few final! ftreamsj which; as ocoafion required, were conduced to the
crops that ftood moft in need o f water. Hère alfo grew great quantities'
o f the Indian fig, or pricklypear ; but Whether cultivated for its
fruit only, or for the cochineal, I was not able to make myfelf thoroughly
acquainted.
The miffion is not cohfpicuous from fituation, nor does it command
an extenfive profpeft ; in thefe refpefts that o f S1“ Barbara has fome advantage
;
vantage ; its Prefidio likewife excels all the others in neatnefs, clean- »793•
linefs, and other finaller, though effential, comforts ; it is placed on an .DgCl:.mber'.
elevated part o f the plain, and is raifed fome feet from the ground by
a bale-meat ftory, which adds much to its pleafantnefs.
• The Prefidio-of St. Diego feemed to be the leaft of the Spanilh efta-
blilhments'with which we were acquainted. It is irregularly built, on very
uneven ground, which makes it liable to fome inconveniencies, without
the obvious appearance o f any objefit for! fele&ing fuch a fpot. The
fituation of it is dreary and lonefome, in the midft of a barren uncultivated
country, producing fo little herbage, that, excepting in the fpring
months, their cattle are fent to the diftance o f twenty or thirty miles
for pafturage. ■; During that feafon, and as long as the rainy weather may
continue, a Sufficient number are , then brought nearer for the ufe o f the
Prefidio and million; and fuch as have not been wanted are again lent
back to the interior country when the dry weather commences ; which,
although moreproduaive in point o f graft, -is not very prolific in grain,
pulfe, fruits, roots, or other culinary vegetables. I underftood that they
are frequently obliged to refort for a fupply o f thefe articles to the miffion
o f St. Juan Gapiftrano, which abounded in vegetables and animal pro-
duaions, confifting o f great herds o f cattle, flocks of Iheep, and goats ;
and I was affured . it was one o f the moft fertile eftablifhments in the
country.
T h e . pueblos differ materially from either the millions or the Prefidios,
and may be better,expreffed by the-nameof villages, being unfupported by
any other protefiion, than that of the perfons who are refident in them,
Thefe,-are principally old Spanilh, or creole, foldiers ; who, having
ferved their refpe&ive turns o f duty in the millions? or in the Prefidios,
become entitled to .exemption from any further military fervices, and
have permiffion either to return to their native country, or to pafs the
remainder of their lives in thefe'villages. Moft of thefe foldiers are married,
and have families ; and when the retirement of the pueblos is preferred,
grants; of-land, with fome neceffary articles, are .given them to commence
their new occupation .of .hufbandry, as a reward for their former
fervices, and as an incitement to a life o f induftry; which, with the
afliftapee