Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/25

10 the prefidio is about a league, in an caflu-ardly dire6tion: our ride was rendered unpleafant by the foil being very loofe and fandy, and by the road being much incommoded with low groveling bufhes.

Its fuuation and external appearance in a great meafure refembled that of the prefidio ; and, like its neighbourhood, the country was plea- fnigly diverfified with hill and dale. The hills were at a greater diflance from each other, and ga'e more extent to the plain, which is compo- fed of a foil infinitely richer than that of the prefidio, being a mixture of fand and a black vegetable mould. The paftures bore a more lux- uriant herbage, and fed a greater numi)er of fheep and cattle. The barren fandy country through which we had paffed, feemed to make a natural divifion between the lands of the miifion and thofeof the prefidio, and extends from the Ihores of the port to the foot of a ridge of mountains, which border on the exterior coaft, and appear to flretch in a line parallel to it. The verdure of the plain continued to aconfiderable height up the fides of thefe hills : the fummits of which, though Itill composed chiefly of rugged rocks, produced a few trees.

The buildings of the million formed two fides of a fquare onh', and did not appear as if intended, at any future time, to form a perfeft quadrangle like the prefidio. The architedure and materials, however, feemed nearly to correfpond.

On our arrival, we were receied by the reverend fathers with every demonftration of cordiality, fricndlhip, and the mofl; genuine hofpitality. We were inflantly conducled to their manfion, which was fituated near, and communicated with the church. The houfes formed a fmall ob- long fquare, the fide of the church compoled one end, near which were the apartments allotted to the fathers. Thefe were conflrufted nearly after the manner of thofe at the prefidio, but appeared to be more finilh- cd, better contrived, were larger, and much more cleanly. Along the walls of this interior fquare, were alio many other apartments adapted to various purpofes.

Whilft dinner was preparing, our attention was engaged in feeing the feveral houfes within the fi[uare. Some we found appropriated to the reception of grain, of which however the' luul not a ery abundant ftock;