human character under every variety of circumstance, and observed
society, civilized, barbarous, and savage, in all its phases. Their
conversation, therefore, when around the convivial board, possessed an
unhackneyed freshness and raciness highly entertaining and instructive.

On the 27th of September, the U.S. frigate Congress, Captain
Livingston, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Stockton, and the
U.S. frigate Savannah, Captain Mervine, anchored in the harbour, having
sailed from Monterey a day or two previously. The arrival of these
large men-of-war produced an increase of the bustle in the small town.
Blue coats and bright buttons (the naval uniform) became the prevailing
costume at the billiard-rooms and other public places, and the plain
dress of a private citizen might be regarded as a badge of distinction.

On the 1st of October a courier arrived from the south with
intelligence that the Californians at Los Angeles had organized a force
and rebelled against the authority of the Americans--that they had also
captured an American merchant-vessel lying at San Pedro, the port of
the city of Angels, about thirty miles distant, and robbed it of a
quantity of merchandise and specie. Whether this latter report was or
was not true, I do not know--the former was correct. The frigate
Savannah sailed for Los Angeles immediately.

Among those American naval officers whose agreeable acquaintance I made
at San Francisco, was Mr. James F. Schenck, first-lieutenant of the
frigate Congress, brother of the distinguished member of congress from
Ohio of that name,--a native of Dayton, Ohio,--a gentleman of
intelligence, keen wit, and a most accomplished officer. The officers
of our navy are our representatives in foreign countries, and they are
generally such representatives as their constituents have reason to