entertainment of our host, and the jovial party did not separate until a late hour of the night.  The guests, as may be supposed, were composed chiefly of gentlemen who had, from their pursuits, travelled over most of the world—­had seen developments of human character under every variety of circumstance, and observed society, civilized, barbarous, and savage, in all its phases.  Their conversation, therefore, when around the convivial board, possessed an unhackneyed freshness and raciness highly entertaining and instructive.

On the 27th of September, the U.S. frigate Congress, Captain Livingston, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Stockton, and the U.S. frigate Savannah, Captain Mervine, anchored in the harbour, having sailed from Monterey a day or two previously.  The arrival of these large men-of-war produced an increase of the bustle in the small town.  Blue coats and bright buttons (the naval uniform) became the prevailing costume at the billiard-rooms and other public places, and the plain dress of a private citizen might be regarded as a badge of distinction.

On the 1st of October a courier arrived from the south with intelligence that the Californians at Los Angeles had organized a force and rebelled against the authority of the Americans—­that they had also captured an American merchant-vessel lying at San Pedro, the port of the city of Angels, about thirty miles distant, and robbed it of a quantity of merchandise and specie.  Whether this latter report was or was not true, I do not know—­the former was correct.  The frigate Savannah sailed for Los Angeles immediately.

Among those American naval officers whose agreeable acquaintance I made at San Francisco, was Mr. James F. Schenck, first-lieutenant of the frigate Congress, brother of the distinguished member of congress from Ohio of that name,—­a native of Dayton, Ohio,—­a gentleman of intelligence, keen wit, and a most accomplished officer.  The officers of our navy are our representatives in foreign countries, and they are generally such representatives as their constituents have reason to feel proud of.  Their chivalry, patriotism, gentlemanlike deportment, and professional skill cannot be too much admired and applauded by their countrymen.  I shall ever feel grateful to the naval officers of the Pacific squadron for their numerous civilities during my sojourn on the Pacific coast.

Among the novelties presented while at San Francisco was a trial by jury—­the second tribunal of this kind which had been organized in California.  The trial look place before Judge Bartlett, and the litigants were two Mormons.  Counsel was employed on both sides.  Some of the forms of American judicial proceedings were observed, and many of the legal technicalities and nice flaws, so often urged in common-law courts, were here argued by the learned counsel of the parties, with a vehemence of language and gesticulation with which I thought the legal learning