The children, some five or six in number, were all beautiful
and interesting. General V. is, I believe, strongly desirous that the
United States shall retain and annex California. He is thoroughly
disgusted with Mexican sway, which is fast sending his country
backwards, instead of forwards, in the scale of civilization, and for
years he has been desirous of the change which has now taken place.
In the afternoon we visited the house of Mr. Leese, which is also
furnished in American style. Mr. L. is the proprietor of a vineyard in
the vicinity of the town, and we were regaled upon grapes as luscious,
I dare say, as the forbidden fruit that provoked the first
transgression. Nothing of the fruit kind can exceed the delicious
richness and flavour, of the California grape.
This evening Thomas O. Larkin, Esq., late United States Consul for
California, arrived here, having left San Francisco on the same morning
that we did, travelling by land. Mr. L. resides in Monterey, but I had
the pleasure of an introduction to him at San Francisco several days
previously to my leaving that place. Mr. L.
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