at that time was hides, which were estimated as so many dollars. The
raising of cattle and horses was the leading employment of the people,
and occupied most of their time. On the discovery of gold, these
affairs underwent a change, and the rapid strides of civilization has
left this people far in the minority. The horses of California were
celebrated as being larger than the ponies of New Mexico, and also for
being much fleeter of foot. The California rider, at that time,
was looked upon as being unrivaled by those who had witnessed his
performances. However, the intercourse between the two countries was
very limited among the Mexicans, and it was difficult to find a New
Mexican who had seen the Pacific. Their dialects were also slightly
different, as much so as happens in the dependencies of any other
country. It was fear of the Indians that put a damper on the travel
between these adjoining districts. The society of the man who had
had the boldness to make a journey to California from New Mexico was
courted, he being considered a renowned traveler. His amusing stories
of large ships and the men who managed them, and also, of the great
expanse of the ocean, amazed his auditors and made them deeply
interested in his conversation and information. It has become a
strange sight to look upon whole communities of men, who have
only heard of steamboats, telegraphs, railroads and other great
improvements and inventions of the age, yet there are thousands of men
living in the great interior of the North American continent who
have only vague ideas of these things; and many there are, who cannot
realize them, but believe that they are fabulous stories, and will
meet the narrator of them with equal wonders, which they manufacture
to suit the occasion. To give a specimen: we remember one night to
have tried to explain these advancements to an old Mexican of some
eighty winters, while we were the guest of his house. He listened
attentively, but evidently could comprehend but little that we said.