Dana's California

continued

Dana Point
Twice in the course of his time in California, Dana visited the area now called Dana Point, which was then known by the name of the nearby mission San Juan Capistrano.
" San Juan is the only romantic spot in California. The country here for several miles is high table-land, running boldly to the shore, and breaking off in a steep hill, at the foot of which the waters of the Pacific are constantly dashing. For several miles the water washes the very base of the hill or breaks upon ledges and fragments of rocks which run out into the sea. Just where we landed was a small cove, or "bight," which gave us, at high tide, a few square feet of sand-beach between the sea and the bottom of the hill. This was the only landing-place. Directly before us, rose the perpendicular height of four or five hundred feet. How we were to get hides down, or goods up, upon the table-land on which the mission was situated, was more than we could tell..."

Dana soon found out how. The captain started up the side of the hill.

" We followed, picking our way out, and jumping and scrambling up, walking over briers and prickly pears, until we came to the top. Here the country stretched out for miles as far as the eye could reach, on a level, table surface; and the only habitation in sight was the small white mission of San Juan Capistrano, with a few Indian huts about it, standing in a small hollow, about a mile from where we were. Reaching the brow of the hill where the cart stood, we found several piles of hides...the captain told us to begin and throw the hides down. This, then, was the way they were to be got down; thrown down, one at a time, a distance of four hundred feet!
Down this height we pitched the hides, throwing them as far out into the air as we could; and as they were all large, stiff, and doubled, like the cover of a book, the wind took them, and they swayed and eddied about, plunging and rising in the air, like a kite when it has broken its string. As it was now low tide, there was no danger of their falling into the water, and as fast a they came to ground, the men below picked them up, and taking them on their heads, walked off with them to the boat. It was really a picturesque sight; the great height; the scaling of the hides; and the continual walking to and fro of the men, who looked like mites on the beach! This was the romance of hide droghing!"

The Californios
Dana had picked up enough Spanish that he soon became unofficial interpreter for the ship. This meant that he not only got to meet almost everyone who came to deal with the ship (the only place inhabitants could buy goods) but he was also the one sent ashore with messages. He also spent four months on shore at San Diego working in the hide warehouse. In this way, by his estimation, he eventually met almost half the population of California. He did not have an elevated opinion of the inhabitants.

On the plus side, he thought they were the finest horsemen in the world.

" Horses are as abundant here as dogs and chickens...There are no stables to keep them in, but they are allowed to run wild and graze wherever they please...The men usually catch one in the morning, throw a saddle and bridle upon him, and use him for the day, and let him go at night, catching another the next day...There are probably no better riders in the world. They get upon a horse when only four or five years old, their little legs not long enough to come half way over his sides; and may almost be said to keep on him until they have grown to him...They can hardly go from one house to another without getting on a horse, there being generally several standing tied to the door-posts of the little cottages. When they wish to show their activity, they make no use of their stirrups in mounting, but striking the horse, spring into the saddle as he starts, and sticking their long spurs into him, go off on the full run."

He was also impressed with their language and manner of speaking.

" Next to the love of dress, I was most struck with the fineness of the voices and beauty of the intonations of both sexes. Every common ruffian-looking fellow, with a slouched hat, blanket cloak, dirty underdress, and soiled leather leggins, appeared to me to be speaking elegant Spanish. It was a pleasure simply to listen to the sound of the language, before I could attach any meaning to it...A common bullock-driver, on horseback, delivering a message, seemed to speak like an ambassador at an audience."

Yet he found the men to be "thriftless, proud, and extravagant, and very much given to gaming." He described their usual costume.

" A broad-brimmed hat, usually of a black or dark-brown color, with a gilt or figured band round the crown, and lined inside with silk; a short jacket of silk or figured calico, the shirt open in the neck; rich waistcoat, if any; pantaloons wide, straight, and long, usually velvet, velveteen, or broadcloth; or else short breeches and white stockings. They wear the deer-skin shoe, which is of a dark-brown color, and (being made by Indians,) usually a good deal ornamented. They have no suspenders, but always wear a sash round the waist, which is generally red, and varying in quality with the means of the wearer. Add to this the never-failing cloak, and you have the dress of the Californian. This last garment, the cloak, is always a mark of the rank and wealth of the owner. The "gente de razon," or aristocracy, wear cloaks of black or dark blue broadcloth, with as much velvet and trimmings as may be; and from this they go down to the blanket of the Indian.
Among the Mexicans there is no working class; (the Indians being slaves and doing all the hard work) and every rich man looks like a grandee, and every poor scamp like a broken-down gentleman. I have often seen a man with a fine figure, and courteous manners, dressed in broadcloth and velvet, with a noble horse completely covered with trappings; without a real in his pocket, and absolutely suffering for something to eat."

The women also got a mixed review.

" The women have but little education, and a good deal of beauty... (They) wore gowns of various texture-silks, crape, calicoes, etc.,-made after the European style. except the sleeves were short, leaving the arm bare, and that they wear loose about the waist, having no corsets. They wore shoes of kid, or satin; sashes or belts of bright colors; and almost always a necklace and ear-rings...The fondness for dress among the women is excessive, and is often the ruin of many of them. A present of a fine mantle, or of a necklace or pair of ear-rings, gains the favor of the greater part of them. Nothing is more common than to see a woman living in a house of only two rooms, and the ground for a floor, dressed in spangled satin shoes, silk gown, high comb, and gilt, if not gold, ear-rings and necklace. If their husbands do not dress them well enough, they will soon receive presents from others."

This, of course, could lead to problems.

" Their morality, of course, is none of the best; yet the instances of infidelity are much less frequent than one would at first suppose. In fact, one vice is set over against another; and thus, something like a balance is obtained. The women have but little virtue, but then the jealousy of their husbands is extreme, and their revenge deadly and almost certain. A few inches of cold steel has been the punishment of many an unwary man, who has been guilty, perhaps, of nothing more than indiscretion of manner."

He found "the very men who would lay down their lives to avenge the dishonor of their own family, would risk the same lives to complete the dishonor of another."

Dana noted the importance of skin color to the Californios.

"Their complexions are various, depending—as well as their dress and manner—upon their rank; or, in other words, upon the amount of Spanish blood they can lay claim to...They can be told by their complexions, dress, manner, and also by their speech; for, calling themselves Castilians, they are very ambitious of speaking the pure Castilian language, which is spoken in a somewhat corrupted dialect by the lower classes. From this upper class, they go down by regular shades, growing more and more dark and muddy, until you come to the pure Indian, who runs about with nothing upon him but a small piece of cloth, kept up by a wide leather strap drawn round his waist. Generally speaking, each person's caste is decided by the quality of the blood, which shows itself, too plainly to be concealed, at first sight. Yet the least drop of Spanish blood...is sufficient to raise them from the rank of slaves, and entitle them to a suit of clothes—boots, hat, cloak, spurs, long knife, and all complete, though coarse and dirty as may be,—and to call themselves, Espanolos, and to hold property, if they can get any."