condition of the country which he probably made as a result of his inspection.[1] For reasons with which the reader is familiar, Echeandía had a somewhat cool reception at Monterey; but by his policy at the capital he did much to remove the current prejudice, and to gain the good will of that class of Californians which constituted the progressive republican element. His course in the Herrera quarrel pleased Estrada and his large circle of friends, and he disavowed certain unpopular sentiments which his foes had attributed to him, such as approval of making California a penal colony.
Another affair which helped to give Echeandía a better standing at Monterey was his method of dealing with Captain Miguel Gonzalez. This Mexican officer had by virtue of his rank held the place of comandante de armas since 1826, greatly to the disgust of lieutenants Estudillo and Estrada, and of all the Californian officers and soldiers. Gonzalez is said — by his enemies, it must be remembered — to have been an ignorant, brutal, and despotic man, popularly known as El Macaco, the 'ugly ape.' The regular cavalry company, officers and men, accused him of arbitrary acts, and of partiality to the Mexican troops of his own artillery detachment and the others; while he complained of insubordination on the part of the Californians. It is not very important, even if it were possible, to investigate the details and merits of this quarrel. Mexican and Californian officers were inclined to look down, each upon the other, from a height of superiority; but the revolution gave commissions to many ruffians, and there is no special reason to doubt that Gonzalez was one of them. In February 1827 he wrote long and somewhat incoherent complaints to Echeandía, asking to be relieved of his
- ↑ Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 127-35, says he was received enthusiastically at Sta Bárbara, contrary to his expectations, founded on the influence of the friars there; yet it was at this very time that two padres at Sta B. fled from Cal., as we shall see elsewhere. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 266-71, notes a grand reception at San José, and a rather cool one at Sta Clara.
