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CHAPTER XXI.

A Chapter of Odds and Ends.

DURING my travels in the interior, I frequently met with little adventures which were pleasant enough in their way, but might not interest the general reader. I shall pass over the greater part of these incidents; but here is something which, although a very simple story, may amuse some of the old habitués of Washington, who will recognise the portrait of a well-known character, which is casually introduced. We will call it

THE HISTORY OF A CI-DEVANT DIPLOMATIST.

ONE pleasant day, while riding along in the country, I came to a log-cabin, much more conveniently constructed than the houses of the Californian's usually are. A pretty grove had been left standing near the house, which invested the place with a peculiar charm; for the Spaniard avoids a tree as he would a pestilence. The Americans who emigrate to California, generally allow trees to remain about on their places; a fact, the more remarkable, because the emigrants chiefly find fault with the country for its want of timber. There is indeed plenty of timber, but it is troublesome to go into the ravines and mountains to cut and collect it; and most of these gentlemen having been used to cut, slash and girdle, ad libitum, in the luxuriant forests of the West-where the great object in life is to make a "clearing "—do not fancy the bare plains of California.

HISTORY OF A CI-DEVANT DIPLOMATIST.

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Soon came the master, returning from an expedition after his cattle; and after close inspection, in spite of his bronzed face, and half-Californian, half-backwoods costume, I recognized in him an old acquaintance. We had met last in the Mediterranean, where he pursued the vocation of a special messenger of the United States Department

of State.

After we had partaken of a "guisado,” (ragout), the Californian national dish, composed of beef, chile, peppers, and all sorts of vegetables, he unfolded to me his story:

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"Like most men of my race and country," said he, “I am naturally of a rambling disposition. After a youth of commercial disappointments, spent in rambling in foreign lands, in the course of which I learnt many languages, and acquired much experience of this wicked world, but not the solid advantages which I sought, I found myself in Washington, without a sous, looking after a clerkship, or anything else that might turn up. I here met with the celebrated Edward a gentleman whose acquaintance, probably, outnumbered that of any other person in the United States. After a chequered life, he had brought up at the federal city, where he held a comfortable office.

"Ned was brought up in the Navy, and had attained the grade of lieutenant, when some relative leaving him a legacy of several thousand dollars, he resigned his office, in order to spend his money 'like a gentleman.' This was soon done, and Ned found himself, one bright morning, in a European capital, without any visible means of subsistence, except a solitary guinea, which his father-who was a physician-had received for his first fee. He was the best story-teller of his day, and a first-rate wit; and his company was sought not only by his messmates, but by the best society every where. Such a man, of course, did not despair, but making use of his wits he succeeded in getting once more to the United States with his guinea, although it had often been left in pawn for a shilling less than its

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HISTORY OF A CI-DEVANT DIPLOMATIST.

value. I imagine he died in the possession of that guinea. At the time I speak of, he was hunting up the ghost of a "claim," which he had been trying to raise for some years, bringing all his influence and abilities to bear on the surly officials.

"Ned had been a government messenger, and he advised me to obtain the same berth, promising his influence in my behalf, which was considerable. Ned had been United States Consul, and had held other loafing berths, everywhere, and was as well known at the seat of government as the capitol itself. He was a great favorite with the tradesmen, and had the free run of the capital of magnificent distances. The hotel that could secure Ned as a permanent guest was made for the season; he was chaperon in general to everybody, and knowing every one of the least consequence he patronized whoever be pleased, and went wherever he was treated best. He imagined that he would be rich some day or other, in the good time coming,' when his 'claim' should be allowed, and he then intended honorably to pay off all the old scores which those who had enjoyed his custom had cheerfully charged to profit and loss. It is said that on one occasion, when Ned had been very brilliant, and had ordered some choice and expensive wine, he was told the next day, by old Mr. that he should be extremely happy to have him live at his hotel scot free, and consider the house his home, but when he ordered wine at ten dollars a bottle, it was carrying the joke rather too far. Ned was much offended, and with a dignified air told the astonished publican to send in his bill immediately, as he intended to leave the house. The old gentleman apologized, and urged him to stay; but Ned walked off to Fuller's, which incontinently became the fashionable house of the season.

"Well, in my capacity of government messenger, I visited nearly every habitable part of this terraqueous ball where civilization entails on man that immensely expensive

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and convenient evil-a government. I have done the behests of the Department of State to the courts of Europe, the South American republics, and even the Asiatic and African despotic sovereignties. Within one and the same year, I have stood in the ante-chambers of four of the sovereigns of Western Europe-all 'first-rate powers;' waited the pleasure of the Padisha, at the seraglio gate; borne a mission to his refractory vassal, Mehemet Ali; smoked a kalivan with Akbar Khan, the enemy of the English power in Cabul; visited the dominions of John Company; and returned to report progress to the 'cute' specimen of the universal Yankee nation, who, in a rusty suit of black, moves so many wires in the little old-fashioned parlor of the Department of State at Washington. I have been sent on missions secret, delicate, warlike, and peaceful-carrying mere verbal communications, in cases where it would not answer to trust to writing. Although an humble Mercury of my official superiors, I have had occasion to learn many of the dangerous secrets of diplomacy, and more than once have been placed in situations, where the discovery of my incognito would have subjected me to instant death, or worse-a lingering and secret imprisonment for life. I have, however, neither learned the lessons of deceit, nor acquired that mysterious air which is usually put on by politicians, but am a living illustration of the fact, that

“A light heart, and a thin pair of breeches,

Go far through the world, my brave boys!'

"I came to this country on a mission, and liked it so well, that I resolved to settle here. Well, sir, I went first to the Pueblo de los Angeles, but having since married, I finally concluded to settle here. I own this lovely tract of two leagues; my wife is an angel, as well as a regular • ranchera,' and I am but too happy, after all my wanderings, to have brought myself at last into such snug moorings."

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THE ADOBE vs. FRAME HOUSES.

From this simple story the moralist may find additional evidence that happiness is independent of external circumstances, and is nowhere found in greater perfection than among those exiled to

-"The farthest verge of the green earth.”

I will add a few scraps which may prove interesting. The ADOBE is the chief building material of the Californians. They are made of mud, mixed with chopped straw, and then dried in the sun. Each adobe is about two feet long, and one foot wide-consequently the walls of the houses are of great thickness. They serve an excellent purpose in the climate of California, and are very cheap besides. Those who carry out frames of houses, will probably find it quite as expensive and difficult to erect and finish them as to procure the adobes and have houses built of them. These moveable houses are mere balloons, and are a constant source of expense in the way of paint and repairs. I should prefer to rely on the adobe. If laborers can be hired to put up and finish frame houses, they can also be had to erect those constructed of the adobe. The view of Monterey will give the reader an idea of the adobe house. The town of San Francisco, (my drawing of which has been lately lost or pilfered,) contained, in the beginning of 1848, only about half a dozen of these adobe houses, and the value of the picture lay in its view of the harbor, taken from the shore.

The adobe is one of the most ancient of building materials. It is beyond all doubt the same brick which Pharaoh commanded the captive children of Israel to make without straw-a thing wholly impossible. Thus, by this simple link, is Western America directly connected with the most remote antiquity, and associated with one of the most interesting passages of Holy Writ. The adobe is still found

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