memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第12章

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　and　their　down　is　equal　to　that　of　the　swan。　　At　last　Cape　Horn　and　its　swelling　seas　were　left　behind；　and　we　reached　Valparaiso　in　about　sixty　days　from　Rio。　　We　anchored　in　the　open　roadstead；　and　spent　there　about　ten　days；　visiting　all　the　usual　places　of　interest；　its　foretop；　main…top；　mizzen…top；　etc。　Halleck　and　Ord　went　up　to　Santiago；　the　capital　of　Chili；　some　sixty　miles　inland；　but　I　did　not　go。　　Valparaiso　did　not　impress　me　favorably　at　all。　　Seen　from　the　sea；　it　looked　like　a　long　string　of　houses　along　the　narrow　beach；　surmounted　with　red　banks　of　earth；　with　little　verdure；　and　no　trees　at　all。　　Northward　the　space　widened　out　somewhat；　and　gave　room　for　a　plaza；　but　the　mass　of　houses　in　that　quarter　were　poor。　　We　were　there　in　November；　corresponding　to　our　early　spring；　and　we　enjoyed　the　large　strawberries　which　abounded。　　The　Independence　frigate；　Commodore　Shubrick；　came　in　while　we　were　there；　having　overtaken　us；　bound　also　for　California。　　We　met　there　also　the　sloop…of…war　levant；　from　California；　and　from　the　officers　heard　of　many　of　the　events　that　had　transpired　about　the　time　the　navy；　under　Commodore　Sloat；　had　taken　possession　of　the　country。

All　the　necessary　supplies　being　renewed　in　Valparaiso；　the　voyage　was　resumed。　　For　nearly　forty　days　we　had　uninterrupted　favorable　winds；　being　in　the　〃trades；〃　and；　having　settled　down　to　sailor　habits；　time　passed　without　notice。　　We　had　brought　with　us　all　the　books　we　could　find　in　New　York　about　California；　and　had　read　them　over　and　over　again：　Wilkes's　〃Exploring　Expedition；〃　Dana's　〃Two　Years　before　the　Mast；〃　and　Forbes's　〃Account　of　the　Missions。〃　　It　was　generally　understood　we　were　bound　for　Monterey；　then　the　capital　of　Upper　California。　　We　knew；　of　course；　that　General　Kearney　was　enroute　for　the　same　country　overland；　that　Fremont　was　therewith　his　exploring　party；　that　the　navy　had　already　taken　possession；　and　that　a　regiment　of　volunteers；　Stevensons；　was　tofollow　us　from　New　York；　but　nevertheless　we　were　impatient　to　reach　our　destination。　　About　the　middle　of　January　the　ship　began　to　approach　the　California　coast；　of　which　the　captain　was　duly　cautious；　because　the　English　and　Spanish　charts　differed　some　fifteen　miles　in　the　longitude；　and　on　all　the　charts　a　current　of　two　miles　an　hour　was　indicated　northward　along　the　coast。　　At　last　land　was　made　one　morning；　and　here　occurred　one　of　those　accidents　so　provoking　after　a　long　and　tedious　voyage。　　Macomb；　the　master　and　regular　navigator；　had　made　the　correct　observations；　but　Nicholson　during　the　night；　by　an　observation　on　the　north　star；　put　the　ship　some　twenty　miles　farther　south　than　was　the　case　by　the　regular　reckoning；　so　that　Captain　Bailey　gave　directions　to　alter　the　course　of　the　ship　more　to　the　north；　and　to　follow　the　coast　up；　and　to　keep　a　good　lookout　for　Point　Pinos　that　marks　the　location　of　Monterey　Bay。　　The　usual　north　wind　slackened；　so　that　when　noon　allowed　Macomb　to　get　a　good　observation；　it　was　found　that　we　were　north　of　Ano　Nuevo；　the　northern　headland　of　Monterey　Bay。　　The　ship　was　put　about；　but　little　by　little　arose　one　of　those　southeast　storms　so　common　on　the　coast　in　winter；　and　we　buffeted　about　for　several　days；　cursing　that　unfortunate　observation　on　the　north　star；　for；　on　first　sighting　the　coast；　had　we　turned　for　Monterey；　instead　of　away　to　the　north；　we　would　have　been　snugly　anchored　before　the　storm。　　But　the　southeaster　abated；　and　the　usual　northwest　wind　came　out　again；　and　we　sailed　steadily　down　into　the　roadstead　of　Monterey　Bay。　　This　is　shaped　somewhat　like　a　fish　hook；　the　barb　being　the　harbor；　the　point　being　Point　Pinos；　the　southern　headland。　　Slowly　the　land　came　out　of　the　water；　the　high　mountains　about　Santa　Cruz；　the　low　beach　of　the　Saunas；　and　the　strongly…marked　ridge　terminating　in　the　sea　in　a　point　of　dark　pine…trees。　　Then　the　line　of　whitewashed　houses　of　adobe；　backed　by　the　groves　of　dark　oaks；　resembling　old　apple…trees；　and　then　we　saw　two　vessels　anchored　close　to　the　town。　　One　was　a　small　merchant…brig　and　another　a　large　ship　apparently　dismasted。　　At　last　we　saw　a　boat　coming　out　to　meet　us；　and　when　it　came　alongside；　we　were　surprised　to　find　Lieutenant　Henry　Wise；　master　of　the　Independence　frigate；　that　we　had　left　at　Valparaiso。　　Wise　had　come　off　to　pilot　us　to　our　anchorage。　　While　giving　orders　to　the　man　at　the　wheel；　he；　in　his　peculiar　fluent　style；　told　to　us；　gathered　about　him；　that　the　Independence　had　sailed　from　Valparaiso　a　week　after　us　and　had　been　in　Monterey　a　week；　that　the　Californians　had　broken　out　into　an　insurrection；　that　the　naval　fleet　under　Commodore　Stockton　was　all　down　the　coast　about　San　Diego；　that　General　Kearney　had　reached　the　country；　but　had　had　a　severe　battle　at　San　Pascual；　and　had　been　worsted；　losing　several　officers　and　men；　himself　and　others　wounded；　that　war　was　then　going　on　at　Los　Angeles；　that　the　whole　country　was　full　of　guerrillas；　and　that　recently　at　Yerba　Buena　the　alcalde；　Lieutenant　Bartlett；　United　States　Navy；　while　out　after　cattle；　had　been　lassoed；　etc。；　etc。　　Indeed；　in　the　short　space　of　time　that　Wise　was　piloting　our　ship　in；　he　told　us　more　news　than　we　could　have　learned　on　shore　in　a　week；　and；　being　unfamiliar　with　the　great　distances；　we　imagined　that　we　should　have　to　debark　and　begin　fighting　at　once。　　Swords　were　brought　out；　guns　oiled　and　made　ready；　and　every　thing　was　in　a　bustle　when　the　old　Lexington　dropped　her　anchor　on　January　26；　1847；　in　Monterey　Bay；　after　a　voyage　of　one　hundred　and　ninety…eight　days　from　New　York。　　Every　thing　on　shore　looked　bright　and　beautiful；　the　hills　covered　with　grass　and　flowers；　the　live…oaks　so　serene　and　homelike；　and　the　low　adobe　houses；　with　red…tiled　roofs　and　whitened　walls；　contrasted　well　with　the　dark　pine…trees　behind；　making　a　decidedly　good　impression　upon　us　who　had　come　so　far　to　spy　out　the　land。　　Nothing　could　be　more　peaceful　in　its　looks　than　Monterey　in　January；　1847。　　We　had　already　made　the　acquaintance　of　Commodore　Shubrick　and　the　officers　of　the　Independence　in　Valparaiso；　so　that　we　again　met　as　old　friends。　　Immediate　preparations　were　made　for　landing；　and；　as　I　was　quartermaster　and　commissary；　I　had　plenty　to　do。　　There　was　a　small　wharf　and　an　adobe　custom…house　in　possession　of　the　navy；　also　a　barrack　of　two　stories；　occupied　by　some　marines；　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Maddox；　and　on　a　hill　to　the　west　of　the　town　had　been　built　a　two…story　block…house　of　hewed　logs　occupied　by　a　guard　of　sailors　under　command　of　Lieutenant　Baldwin；　United　States　Navy。　　Not　a　single　modern　wagon　or　cart　was　to　be　had　in　Monterey；　nothing　but　the　old　Mexican　cart　with　wooden　wheels；　drawn　by　two　or　three　pairs　of　oxen；　yoked　by　the　horns。　　A　man　named　Tom　Cole　had　two　or　more　of　these；　and　he　came　into　immediate　requisition。　　The　United　States　consul；　and　most　prominent　man　there　at　the　time；　was　Thomas　O。　Larkin；　who　had　a　store　and　a　pretty　good　two…story　house　occupied　by　his　family。　　It　was　soon　determined　that　our　company　was　to　land　and　encamp　on　the　hill　at　the　block…house；　and　we　were　also　to　have　possession　of　the　warehouse；　or　custom…house；　for　sto