republic, in every part of the world, is to plunder every
body, the property of the monks went in the natural way. The lands and
beeves, the "donations and bequests were made a national property," in
1825. Still some show of moderation was exhibited, and the names and
some of the offices of the missions were preserved. But, in 1836, the
Californians took the whole affair into their own hands, threw off the
Central Government, and were "free, independent," and beggared. The
Missions were then "secularized" at their ease. The Mexican government
was furious for a while, and threatened the Californians with all the
thunders of its rage; but the vengeance ended in the simple condition,
that California should still acknowledge the Mexican supremacy, taking
her own way in all that had been done, was doing, and was to be done.

The travellers had now an opportunity of seeing the interior of a
Californian mansion, the house of the chief proprietor in this quarter,
General Vallego.

We must acknowledge that Sir George Simpson would have much improved his
volumes by striking out the whole of this description. It is evident
that he was received with civilities of every kind;--he was provided
with horses and attendants;--he was taken to see all the remarkable
features of the estate and the habits of its people; he was _feted_,
introduced to wife and daughters, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, sung
and danced for, and smiled on and talked with, as if he had been a
prince; and yet his whole account of this hospitality throws it into the
most repulsive light imaginable;--cold dinners, bad attendance, rude
furniture, and so forth, form the staple of his conceptions; and if his
book should ever reach General Vallego's hands, which it probably will,
through the zeal of American republication, we can easily imagine that
he will become cautious in his hospitality for the time to come. We, at
least, shall not extend the vexation of this Spanish gentleman by
quoting any part of this unfortunate _bevue_. We say this with regret.
But this style of repaying generous hospitality cannot be too distinctly
reproved, for the sake of all future travellers who may want, not merely
hospitality, but protection.

The next subject of description is Monterey, which has lately assumed a
peculiar interest, as one of the objects of the American invasion. The
Bay of Monterey forms a segment of a circle with a chord of about
eighteen miles. Monterey had alwa