Visitors to These Posts

The largest numbers of recent viewers of Exoteric posts have come from the following countries: 
Germany,
France,
Russia,
Ukraine,
Latvia!

What happened to the Canadians and the Irish? 

Google Перевести

Google Перевести

News of Moscow

Introduction to 1823 -1826 in California

I'm beginning to post a series of notes I've made while reading The Romero Expeditions 1823-1826 by Bean and Mason. This somewhat rare work was published for the Palm Springs Desert Museum by the Ward and Fitchie Press pf Los Angeles in 1962. Double quotations marks show my use of the authors words.


The wealth of the early Californios was in their cattle and horses. The Yuma 'rebellion' had closed California to large scale importation of livestock. Before the Yuma uprisings a few cattle and horses had bee brought up for the tiny military force mostly on the coast.

The opening of the Anza rout made 'the days of the Don's' possible. The rout made immigration and large scale importation of cattle possible. Cattle were used to pay to pay off military veterans. After 1781 there were large herds and abundant cattle in the California province.

By the end of Spanish rule in 1822 the total population of California, exclusive of Indians, was only about 3500. California, at that time, was more isolated from Europe the east coast of North America, and Mexico City than was Manila and had been accessible only by sea for forty years.

"As a result of the war of independence in Mexico, no money or supplies were sent to California after 1811 and a series of rebellions in Mexico from 1810 through 1821 prevented the Government for sending help to California. " From 1817 until 1821, .....Trade with Russian, Americans, Englishmen and others was practiced." It was during this period raw hides became know as California dollars.

Governors of California suggested that trade and colonization between California and New Mexico would benefit both provinces. Pedro Fages who governed between 1783 and 1791 and Diego do Borica who governed between 1791 and 1793 are examples. Their recommendations included mention of routs laid out by Fages, Anza, Rivera and others.

After 1815 Spain's control of trade with California was strongly challenged and even her sea rout from San Blas to California was threatened. From 1780 to 1820 Russia, the United States, and Great Britain firmly established trading posts all along the Pacific Coast of North America. Illegal prate-like attacks were mad on Spanish settlements. Raids by Bouchard and Cochraine are examples of such attacks.

Travel Where?

I've been thinking.
I've kind of decided "what." Now seems like a good time to consider "where."
Being awake, alive, alert as I follow my nose or toes is a way. I've enjoyed and learned that way.
It's not the way I have been thinking of.
Recently I have been thinking of attractive ways of looking for a home. That has led me to think of Thailand. Thailand is a place of helpful, beauty loving people, who respect their elders. They give value for value. The food is tasty and wholesome. One may find an elephant in ones alley or ones seat in peculiar temple. The dollar goes far and there a lots of fine things to learn. I enjoy the wide variety of interesting people one can find there.
Looking for a home has also led me to think of Uruguay. Uruguay is a land of farms and ranches and people willing to let you be. They are also willing to help when asked and they speak pretty good Spanish. There is plenty of fresh air and clean water there.
They have lots of meat, plenty of vegetables, and they're mostly organic. It has a compact stately, bright, cosmopolitan capital. I like the hot water spas there.

More recently, I have been thinking or Europe. I admit that the thought of the prices there brings a film of perspiration to my brow. Still there have have been reasonable flights to London from NY. I remember one very inexpensive flight from NY to Luxembourg via Iceland. Took a very nice layover in the unspellable capital of that country.

I could go to Portugal from England and from there on to Holland and up to Denmark. If the weather seemed warm enough I could head on to Norway and from there to Russia via Finland. If the weather were turning cool when I got to Denmark I could heat to East Germany and from there rapidly south to Turkey and beyond.
I'd like to check out a lot of old Prussia and a lot of the hot water health spas of Eastern Europe. With days in hot water I could handle cold weather.
If the weather were already getting cold when I got to Portugal I could head to Morocco and then overland to Egypt and then on south as far as necessary.

Ah, well.