Old Mexico and her lost provinces; a journey in Mexico, southern California, and Arizona, by way of Cuba . gaged in coarse labor, are im-provident, and apparently contented. It is only rarelythat a Spanish name—a Pacheco, a Sepulveda, or Estudil-lo—rises into prominence in the public affairs of the Stateof which they were once owners. Old Don Pio Pico, thelast of the Spanish Governors, resides here, impoverished,in a little cottage, in sight of property of great valuewhich was formerly his, and of the plaza once the centreof his authority. Don Pio is one of the picturesque features of Los An-g
Old Mexico and her lost provinces; a journey in Mexico, southern California, and Arizona, by way of Cuba . gaged in coarse labor, are im-provident, and apparently contented. It is only rarelythat a Spanish name—a Pacheco, a Sepulveda, or Estudil-lo—rises into prominence in the public affairs of the Stateof which they were once owners. Old Don Pio Pico, thelast of the Spanish Governors, resides here, impoverished,in a little cottage, in sight of property of great valuewhich was formerly his, and of the plaza once the centreof his authority. Don Pio is one of the picturesque features of Los An-geles, and with his history would be esteemed interesting 428 OLD MEXICO AND HER LOST PROVINCES. anywhere. Above eighty years of age, with stocky figure,square head, and bright eyes, contrasting Avith his bronzedskin and close-cropped wliite hair and beard, he has a cer-tain resemblance to Victor Hugo. He has a rather floridtaste for jew^elry. He carries himself about town, in hisshort overcoat with velvet collar and cuffs, with a bearingstill erect and stately. It is strange to tell, but true, and. DON PIO PICO. it is evidence of the conservatism and lack of adaptabil-ity of his race, that the old gentleman, though once Gov-ernor of the State, and a continuous resident of it, as anAmerican citizen, since he surrendered it to Fremont andStockton in 1847, does not yet speak a word of any otherlanguage than Spanish. The talk of this historic person-age gave but a rude picture of the state of society in hisyonth. Was there anything in the world so remote asthe California of the years 1810 to 1818? LOS ANGELES. 429 I am but a plain and unassuming person, he said tome. Mj father did not leave me a mule nor a vara ofground. I worked for the padres at the San GabrielMission when I was a boy, and I had little opportunityto learn book knowledge. He disclaimed being an authority even on the eventsof his own fall and the encroachments of the Americans. There are many, he said, who have
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectmexicod, bookyear1883
