Richard Henry Dana’s story "Exploring San Diego," 1835
In 1834 Richard Henry Dana Jr. left his studies at Harvard to serve two years as a common sailor—"before the mast"—sailing from Boston, around Cape Horn, and on to California, then part of Mexico.
After several efforts, we at length fell in with a little Sandwich Island boy, who belonged to Captain Wilson of the Ayacucho and was well acquainted in the place; and he, knowing where to go, soon procured us two horses, ready saddled and bridled, each with a lasso coiled over the pommel. These we were to have all day, with the privilege of riding them down to the beach at night, for a dollar, which we had to pay in advance. Horses are the cheapest thing in California; the very best not being worth more than ten dollars apiece, and very good ones being often sold for three and four. In taking a day’s ride, you pay for the use of the saddle and for the labor and trouble of catching the horses. If you bring the saddle back safe, they care but little what becomes of the horse….
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Image: Old Mission, San Diego by Louis K. Harlow, 1895, Library of Congress, public domain.