Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/426



(413 J

Weird and  hobgoblin  were  the  uses  and  purposes,  as well  as  the  name  and  naming  of  the  enchanted  spot. From the  ocean  the  rough  breezes  come  tempered  by warm  airs  rising  from  sunny  meadows,  while  the  fog- banks, filtered  by  the  wooded  slopes,  wrap  the  tnirsty earth in  gentle  moisture. Glorious indeed  the  view toward the  east ;  the  pliant  sparkling  water,  the smooth billowy  hills,  and  the  shoaled  and  isleted shore winding  between;  while  beyond,  old  Diablo, winks and  blinks  and  nods  as  in  uncouth  wooing  of the  gorgeous  wealth  of  beauty  at  its  feet.

A rare  retreat,  truly,  for  those  whose  lives  are  de- voted to the  laborious  occupation  of  unjustly  appro- priating to their  own  use  the  property  of  others. Alas! that man  should  be  obliged  to  shackle  his fellow-man ; that  society  after  feeding  and  clothing from bo3diood  scoundrels  who  never  in  all  their  lives did one  blow  of  honest  or  beneficial  work,  after  pro-

nouncino- a  formal  condemnation  should  be  obliijed  to

1.

lodge and  feed  and  clothe  them,  in  lots  of  hundreds

and thousands  for  years  and  often  for  the  remainder of their  lives. Yet they  would  say  how  hard  the devil drives  his  servants!

Before San  Quentin  was,  there  were  villains ;  but never have  they  been  so  well  housed  on  these  Pacific shores; that  is  to  say,  those  who  have  been  publicly housed at  all. Time was  when  this  charmed  shore of California  played  its  role  as  a  sort  of  penal  settle- ment for a  society  rich  in  rascality. Mexico sent hither her  criminals  with  the  double  intent,  as  her authorities had  the  assurance  to  say,  of  improving their morals  and  increasing  the  population  of  Califor- nia ; and  to  the  petition  for  a  lessening  of  the  evil,  to send  only  useful  convicts,  since  California  had  no jails,  no  heed  was  paid  for  several  years. Then, and  be- fore, and since,  were  presidios  for  prisons,  and  mission- ary buildings for  guard-houses. In those  days  class, and caste,  and  character  entered  largely  into  prison etiquette. Some convicts  enjoyed  the  liberty