The words
fall off of the ends of their tongues, and a continual slabbering sound
is made in the cheeks, outside of the teeth.
It cannot have been
the language of Montezuma and the independent Mexicans.
Here, among the huts, we saw the oldest man that I had ever seen;
and, indeed, I never supposed that a person could retain life and
exhibit such marks of age. He was sitting out in the sun, leaning
against the side of a hut; and his legs and arms, which were bare,
were of a dark red color, the skin withered and shrunk up like
burnt leather, and the limbs not larger round than those of a boy
of five years. He had a few grey hairs, which were tied together
at the back of his head; and he was so feeble that, when we came
up to him, he raised his hands slowly to his face, and taking hold
of his lids with his fingers, lifted them up to look at us;
and being satisfied, let them drop again. All command over the
lid seemed to have gone. I asked his age, but could get no answer
but "Quien sabe?" and they probably did not know the age.
Leaving the mission, we returned to village, going nearly all the
way on a full run. The California horses have no medium gait,
which is pleasant, between walking and running; for as there are
no streets and parades, they have no need of the genteel trot,
and their riders usually keep them at the top of their speed until
they are fired, and then let them rest themselves by walking.
The fine air of the afternoon; the rapid rate of the animals,
who seemed almost to fly over the ground; and the excitement and
novelty of the motion to us, who had been so long confined on
shipboard, were exhilarating beyond expression, and we felt willing
to ride all day long. Coming into the village, we found things
looking very lively. The Indians, who always have a holyday on
Sunday, were engaged at playing a kind of running game of ball,
on a level piece of ground, near the houses. The old ones sat
down in a ring, looking on, while the young ones - men, boys and
girls - were chasing the ball, and throwing it with all their
might. Some of the girls ran like greyhounds. At every accident,
or remarkable feat, the old people set up a deafening screaming
and clapping of hands. Several blue jackets were reeling about
among the houses, which showed that the pulperias had been well
patronized. One or two of the sailors had got on horseback,
but being rather indifferent horsemen, and the Spaniards having
given them vicious horses, they were soon thrown, much to the
amusement of the people. A half dozen Sandwich Islanders,
from the hide-houses and the two brigs, who are bold riders,
were dashing about on the full gallop, hallooing and laughing
like so many wild men.
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