I noticed the orange, fig, palm, olive, and grape. There are
also large inclosures hedged in by the prickly-pear (cactus), which
grows to an enormous size, and makes an impervious barrier against man
or beast. The stalks of some of these plants are of the thickness of a
man's body, and grow to the height of fifteen feet. A juicy fruit is
produced by the prickly-pear, named _tuna_, from which a beverage is
sometimes made, called _calinche_. It has a pleasant flavour, as has
also the fruit, which, when ripe, is blood-red. A small quantity of
pounded wheat was found here, which, being purchased, was served out to
the troops, about a pound to the man. Frijoles and pumpkins were also
obtained, delicacies of no common order.
_December 16_.--A court-martial was convened this morning for the trial
of Pico, the principal prisoner, on the charge, I understood, of the
forfeiture of his parole which had been taken on a former occasion. The
sentence of the court was, that he should be shot or hung, I do not
know which. A rumour is current among the population here, that there
has been an engagement between a party of Americans and Californians,
near Los Angeles, in which the former were defeated with the loss of
thirty men killed.
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