We were much gratified at the generosity of the people, and at once dressed the animal as it lay, cutting off some good fat pieces which we roasted over the fire and ate with a relish.  It seemed as if meat never tasted so good as that did sweet, fragrant, and juicy.  If some French cook could only cook a steak that would smell and taste to his customers as that meal tasted to us, his art would be perfect.  We separated a hind quarter and hung it to a tree, and when the lady came back we told her that the piece we had selected was enough for our present use, so she caused the remainder with the hide to be taken to the house.  Toward night they drove up a lot of cows and calves and other cattle into their cattle yard or corral, as it is called all over California, a stockade of strong oak posts set deep in the ground and close together, enclosing a space of about half an acre.  The horsemen now rode in and began to catch the calves with their ropes.  It seemed as if they were able to throw a rope over a calf’s head or around either leg they desired, with better aim, and at as great a distance as one could shoot a Colt’s revolver, and we saw at once that a good raw-hide rope, in the hands of an experienced man and well-trained horse, was a weapon in many respects superior to firearms of any kind.  A man near the gate loosened the ropes and pushed the calves into a separate corral till they had as many as they desired.

Rogers watched the circus till it was over and then returned to camp, meeting on the way Bennett and Arcane, with their wives and children, carrying some blankets, for the good lady had invited them to come up to the house and sleep.  They said we could go down and keep camp if old dog Cuff was willing, for they had left him guarding the property.  He was pleased enough to have us come and keep him company, and we slept nicely, disturbed only a little by the barking of the house dogs and the hooting of an owl that came to visit our tree.

The people came back to camp in the morning and had their experience to relate.  Their hosts first baked some kind of flapjacks and divided them among their guests; then gave them beans seasoned hot with pepper:  also great pieces of squash cooked before the fire, which they said was delicious and sweet—­more than good.  Then came a dish of dried meat pounded fine, mixed with green peppers and well fried in beef tallow.  This seemed to be the favorite dish of the proprietors, but was a little too hot for our people.  They called it chili cum carne—­meat with pepper—­and we soon found this to be one of the best dishes cooked by the Californians.  The children were carefully waited on and given special attention to by these good people, and it was nearly ten o’clock before the feast was over:  then the household had evening worship by meeting in silence, except a few set words repeated by some in turn, the ceremony lasting half an hour or more.  Then they came and wished them buenos noches in the most polite manner and left them to arrange their blankets on the floor and go to sleep.