memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第8章

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　and　their　down　is　equal　to　that　of　the　swan。　　At　last　Cape　Horn　and　its　swelling　seas　were　left　behind；　and　we　reached　Valparaiso　in　about　sixty　days　from　Rio。　　We　anchored　in　the　open　roadstead；　and　spent　there　about　ten　days；　visiting　all　the　usual　places　of　interest；　its　foretop；　main…top；　mizzen…top；　etc。　Halleck　and　Ord　went　up　to　Santiago；　the　capital　of　Chili；　some　sixty　miles　inland；　but　I　did　not　go。　　Valparaiso　did　not　impress　me　favorably　at　all。　　Seen　from　the　sea；　it　looked　like　a　long　string　of　houses　along　the　narrow　beach；　surmounted　with　red　banks　of　earth；　with　little　verdure；　and　no　trees　at　all。　　Northward　the　space　widened　out　somewhat；　and　gave　room　for　a　plaza；　but　the　mass　of　houses　in　that　quarter　were　poor。　　We　were　there　in　November；　corresponding　to　our　early　spring；　and　we　enjoyed　the　large　strawberries　which　abounded。　　The　Independence　frigate；　Commodore　Shubrick；　came　in　while　we　were　there；　having　overtaken　us；　bound　also　for　California。　　We　met　there　also　the　sloop…of…war　levant；　from　California；　and　from　the　officers　heard　of　many　of　the　events　that　had　transpired　about　the　time　the　navy；　under　Commodore　Sloat；　had　taken　possession　of　the　country。

All　the　necessary　supplies　being　renewed　in　Valparaiso；　the　voyage　was　resumed。　　For　nearly　forty　days　we　had　uninterrupted　favorable　winds；　being　in　the　〃trades；〃　and；　having　settled　down　to　sailor　habits；　time　passed　without　notice。　　We　had　brought　with　us　all　the　books　we　could　find　in　New　York　about　California；　and　had　read　them　over　and　over　again：　Wilkes's　〃Exploring　Expedition；〃　Dana's　〃Two　Years　before　the　Mast；〃　and　Forbes's　〃Account　of　the　Missions。〃　　It　was　generally　understood　we　were　bound　for　Monterey；　then　the　capital　of　Upper　California。　　We　knew；　of　course；　that　General　Kearney　was　enroute　for　the　same　country　overland；　that　Fremont　was　therewith　his　exploring　party；　that　the　navy　had　already　taken　possession；　and　that　a　regiment　of　volunteers；　Stevensons；　was　tofollow　us　from　New　York；　but　nevertheless　we　were　impatient　to　reach　our　destination。　　About　the　middle　of　January　the　ship　began　to　approach　the　California　coast；　of　which　the　captain　was　duly　cautious；　because　the　English　and　Spanish　charts　differed　some　fifteen　miles　in　the　longitude；　and　on　all　the　charts　a　current　of　two　miles　an　hour　was　indicated　northward　along　the　coast。　　At　last　land　was　made　one　morning；　and　here　occurred　one　of　those　accidents　so　provoking　after　a　long　and　tedious　voyage。　　Macomb；　the　master　and　regular　navigator；　had　made　the　correct　observations；　but　Nicholson　during　the　night；　by　an　observation　on　the　north　star；　put　the　ship　some　twenty　miles　farther　south　than　was　the　case　by　the　regular　reckoning；　so　that　Captain　Bailey　gave　directions　to　alter　the　course　of　the　ship　more　to　the　north；　and　to　follow　the　coast　up；　and　to　keep　a　good　lookout　for　Point　Pinos　that　marks　the　location　of　Monterey　Bay。　　The　usual　north　wind　slackened；　so　that　when　noon　allowed　Macomb　to　get　a　good　observation；　it　was　found　that　we　were　north　of　Ano　Nuevo；　the　northern　headland　of　Monterey　Bay。　　The　ship　was　put　about；　but　little　by　little　arose　one　of　those　southeast　storms　so　common　on　the　coast　in　winter；　and　we　buffeted　about　for　several　days；　cursing　that　unfortunate　observation　on　the　north　star；　for；　on　first　sighting　the　coast；　had　we　turned　for　Monterey；　instead　of　away　to　the　north；　we　would　have　been　snugly　anchored　before　the　storm。　　But　the　southeaster　abated；　and　the　usual　northwest　wind　came　out　again；　and　we　sailed　steadily　down　into　the　roadstead　of　Monterey　Bay。　　This　is　shaped　somewhat　like　a　fish　hook；　the　barb　being　the　harbor；　the　point　being　Point　Pinos；　the　southern　headland。　　Slowly　the　land　came　out　of　the　water；　the　high　mountains　about　Santa　Cruz；　the　low　beach　of　the　Saunas；　and　the　strongly…marked　ridge　terminating　in　the　sea　in　a　point　of　dark　pine…trees。　　Then　the　line　of　whitewashed　houses　of　adobe；　backed　by　the　groves　of　dark　oaks；　resembling　old　apple…trees；　and　then　we　saw　two　vessels　anchored　close　to　the　town。　　One　was　a　small　merchant…brig　and　another　a　large　ship　apparently　dismasted。　　At　last　we　saw　a　boat　coming　out　to　meet　us；　and　when　it　came　alongside；　we　were　surprised　to　find　Lieutenant　Henry　Wise；　master　of　the　Independence　frigate；　that　we　had　left　at　Valparaiso。　　Wise　had　come　off　to　pilot　us　to　our　anchorage。　　While　giving　orders　to　the　man　at　the　wheel；　he；　in　his　peculiar　fluent　style；　told　to　us；　gathered　about　him；　that　the　Independence　had　sailed　from　Valparaiso　a　week　after　us　and　had　been　in　Monterey　a　week；　that　the　Californians　had　broken　out　into　an　insurrection；　that　the　naval　fleet　under　Commodore　Stockton　was　all　down　the　coast　about　San　Diego；　that　General　Kearney　had　reached　the　country；　but　had　had　a　severe　battle　at　San　Pascual；　and　had　been　worsted；　losing　several　officers　and　men；　himself　and　others　wounded；　that　war　was　then　going　on　at　Los　Angeles；　that　the　whole　country　was　full　of　guerrillas；　and　that　recently　at　Yerba　Buena　the　alcalde；　Lieutenant　Bartlett；　United　States　Navy；　while　out　after　cattle；　had　been　lassoed；　etc。；　etc。　　Indeed；　in　the　short　space　of　time　that　Wise　was　piloting　our　ship　in；　he　told　us　more　news　than　we　could　have　learned　on　shore　in　a　week；　and；　being　unfamiliar　with　the　great　distances；　we　imagined　that　we　should　have　to　debark　and　begin　fighting　at　once。　　Swords　were　brought　out；　guns　oiled　and　made　ready；　and　every　thing　was　in　a　bustle　when　the　old　Lexington　dropped　her　anchor　on　January　26；　1847；　in　Monterey　Bay；　after　a　voyage　of　one　hundred　and　ninety…eight　days　from　New　York。　　Every　thing　on　shore　looked　bright　and　beautiful；　the　hills　covered　with　grass　and　flowers；　the　live…oaks　so　serene　and　homelike；　and　the　low　adobe　houses；　with　red…tiled　roofs　and　whitened　walls；　contrasted　well　with　the　dark　pine…trees　behind；　making　a　decidedly　good　impression　upon　us　who　had　come　so　far　to　spy　out　the　land。　　Nothing　could　be　more　peaceful　in　its　looks　than　Monterey　in　January；　1847。　　We　had　already　made　the　acquaintance　of　Commodore　Shubrick　and　the　officers　of　the　Independence　in　Valparaiso；　so　that　we　again　met　as　old　friends。　　Immediate　preparations　were　made　for　landing；　and；　as　I　was　quartermaster　and　commissary；　I　had　plenty　to　do。　　There　was　a　small　wharf　and　an　adobe　custom…house　in　possession　of　the　navy；　also　a　barrack　of　two　stories；　occupied　by　some　marines；　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Maddox；　and　on　a　hill　to　the　west　of　the　town　had　been　built　a　two…story　block…house　of　hewed　logs　occupied　by　a　guard　of　sailors　under　command　of　Lieutenant　Baldwin；　United　States　Navy。　　Not　a　single　modern　wagon　or　cart　was　to　be　had　in　Monterey；　nothing　but　the　old　Mexican　cart　with　wooden　wheels；　drawn　by　two　or　three　pairs　of　oxen；　yoked　by　the　horns。　　A　man　named　Tom　Cole　had　two　or　more　of　these；　and　he　came　into　immediate　requisition。　　The　United　States　consul；　and　most　prominent　man　there　at　the　time；　was　Thomas　O。　Larkin；　who　had　a　store　and　a　pretty　good　two…story　house　occupied　by　his　family。　　It　was　soon　determined　that　our　company　was　to　land　and　encamp　on　the　hill　at　the　block…house；　and　we　were　also　to　have　possession　of　the　warehouse；　or　custom…house；　for　storage。　　The　company　was　landed　on　the　wharf；　and　we　all　marched　in　full　dress　with　knapsacks　and　arms；　to　the　hill　and　relieved　the　guard　under　Lieutenant　Baldwin。　　Tents　and　camp…equipage　were　hauled　up；　and　soon　the　camp　was　established。　　I　remained　in　a　room　at　the　customhouse；　where　I　could　superintend　the　landing　of　the　stores　and　their　proper　distribution。　　I　had　brought　out　from　Now　York　twenty　thousand　dollars　commissary　funds；　and　eight　thousand　dollars　quartermaster　funds；　and　as　the　ship　contained　about　six　months'　supply　of　provisions；　also　a　saw…mill；　grist…mill；　and　almost　every　thing　needed；　we　were　soon　established　comfortably。　We　found　the　people　of　Monterey　a　mixed　set　of　Americans；　native　Mexicans；　and　Indians；　about　one　thousand　all　told。　　They　were　kind　and　pleasant；　and　seemed　to　have　nothing　to　do；　except　such　as　owned　ranches　in　the　country　for　the　rearing　of　horses　and　cattle。　Horses　could　be　bought　at　any　price　from　four　dollars　up　to　sixteen；　but　no　horse　was　ever　valued　above　a　doubloon　or　Mexican　ounce　（sixteen　dollars）。　　Cattle　cost　eight　dollars　fifty　cents　for　the　best；　and　this　made　beef　net　about　two　cents　a　pound；　but　at　that　time　nobody　bought　beef　by　the　pound；　but　by　the　carcass。

Game　of　all　kindselk；　deer；　wild　geese；　and　duckswas　abundant；　but　coffee；　sugar；　and　small　stores；　were　rare　and　costly。

There　were　some　half…dozen　shops　or　stores；　but　their　shelves　were　empty。　　The　people　were　very　fond　of　riding；　dancing；　and　of　shows　of　any　kind。　　The　young　fellows　took　great　delight　in　showing　off　their　horsemanship；　and　would　dash　along；　picking　up　a　half…dollar　from　the　ground；　stop　their　horses　in　full　career　and　turn　about　on　the　space　of　a　bullock's　hide；　and　their　skill　with　the　lasso　was　certainly　wonderful。　　At　full　speed　they　could　cast　their　lasso　about　the　horns　of　a　bull；　or　so　throw　it　as　to　catch　any　particular　foot。　　These　fellows　would　work　all　day　on　horseback　in　driving　cattle　or　catching　wildhorses　for　a　mere　nothing；　but　all　the　money　offered　would　not　have　hired　one　of　them　to　walk　a　mile。　The　girls　were　very　fond　of　dancing；　and　they　did　dance　gracefully　and　well。　　Every　Sunday；　regularly；　we　had　a　baile；　or　dance；　and　sometimes　interspersed　through　the　week。

I　remember　very　well；　soon　after　our　arrival；　that　we　were　all　invited　to　witness　a　play　called　〃Adam　and　Eve。〃　　　Eve　was　personated　by　a　pretty　young　girl　known　as　Dolores　Gomez；　who；　however；　was　dressed　very　unlike　Eve；　for　she　was　covered　with　a　petticoat　and　spangles。　　Adam　was　personated　by　her　brotherthe　same　who　has　since　become　somewhat　famous　as　the　person　on　whom　is　founded　the　McGarrahan　claim。　　God　Almighty　was　personated；　and　heaven's　occupants　seemed　very　human。　　Yet　the　play　was　pretty；　interesting；　and　elicited　universal　applause。　　All　the　month　of　February　we　were　by　day　preparing　for　our　long　stay　in　the　country；　and　at　night　making　the　most　of　the　balls　and　parties　of　the　most　primitive　kind；　picking　up　a　smattering　of　Spanish；　and　extending　our　acquaintance　with　the　people　and　the　costumbrea　del　pais。　　I　can　well　recall　that　Ord　and　I；　impatient　to　look　inland；　got　permission　and　started　for　the　Mission　of　San　Juan　Bautista。　Mounted　on　horses；　and　with　our　carbines；　we　took　the　road　by　El　Toro；　quite　a　prominent　hill；　around　which　passes　the　road　to　the　south；　following　the　Saunas　or　Monterey　River。　　After　about　twenty　miles　over　a　sandy　country　covered　with　oak…bushes　and　scrub；　we　entered　quite　a　pretty　valley　in　which　there　was　a　ranch　at　the　foot　of　the　Toro。　　Resting　there　a　while　and　getting　some　information；　we　again　started　in　the　direction　of　a　mountain　to　the　north　of　the　Saunas；　called　the　Gavillano。　　It　was　quite　dark　when　we　reached　the　Saunas　River；　which　we　attempted　to　pass　at　several　points；　but　found　it　full　of　water；　and　the　quicksands　were　bad。　Hearing　the　bark　of　a　dog；　we　changed　our　course　in　that　direction；　and；　on　hailing；　were　answered　by　voices　which　directed　us　where　to　cross。　　Our　knowledge　of　the　language　was　limited；　but　we　managed　to　understand；　and