“The fecundity of the people of reason is extreme.  It is very rare to find a married couple with less than five or six children, while there are hundreds who have from twelve to fifteen.  Very few of them die in their youth, and in reaching the age of puberty are sure to see their grand-children.  The age of eighty and one hundred has always been common in this climate; most infirmities are unknown here, and the freshness and robustness of the people show the beneficial influence of the climate; the women in particular have always the roses stamped on their cheeks.  This beautiful species is without doubt the most active and laborious, all their vigilance in duties of the house, the cleanliness of their children, and attention to their husbands, dedicating all their leisure moments to some kind of occupation that may be useful towards their maintenance.  Their clothing is always clean and decent, nakedness being entirely unknown in either sex.

“Ports and Commerce.—­There are four ports, principal bays, in this territory, which take the names of the corresponding presidios.  The best guarded is that of San Diego.  That of San Francisco has many advantages.  Santa Barbara is but middling in the best part of the season; at other times always bad.  Besides the above-mentioned places, vessels sometimes anchor at Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, El Refugio, San Pedro, and San Juan, that they may obtain the productions of the missions nearest these last-mentioned places; but from an order sent by the minister of war, and circulated by the commandante-general, we are given to understand that no foreign vessel is permitted to anchor at any of these places, Monterey only excepted, notwithstanding the commandante-general has allowed the first three principal ports to remain open provisionally.  Were it not so, there would undoubtedly be an end to all commerce with California, as I will quickly show.

“The only motive that induces foreign vessels to visit this coast is for the hides and tallow which they barter for in the territory.  It is well known, that at any of these parts there is no possibility of realizing any money, for here it does not circulate.  The goods imported by foreign vessels are intended to facilitate the purchase of the aforesaid articles, well knowing that the missions have no interest in money, but rather such goods as are necessary for the Indians, so that several persons who have brought goods to sell for nothing but money have not been able to sell them.  It will appear very extraordinary that money should not be appreciated in a country where its value is so well known; but the reason may be easily perceived by attending to the circumstances of the territory.