In Old Monterey California

[Music] Monteray and there is aure in the very sound of its romantic name a name which was coined out of the golden visions of that old romancero known as Spain from the very beginning Monteray suggested myth and Intrigue and it was the dream of the deep sea Wanderers in that far away year of 1542 for it was then 50 years after the discovery of America itself that Juan Rodriguez cabrilo first cited the tapestried shores of the beautiful moter Bay and to him it was a paradise of Enchantment a land where tidal waves in to Splash the Sands with varied colored fish it was even more than the harbor he had sought to find for it was a land of seals and birds and a magnificent dream for the glory of Spain that could come to pass but the gnarled old Cyprus even in her death defied any possession of Monteray by stretching out her ghostly arms cabrilo at the time not daring to risk a landing in her crosscurrent Waters was forced to sail away and it was 60 years before his Lost Paradise was rediscovered by Sebastian viso whose report remained a legend until father Sarah and Gasper deporta landed their expedition upon its Shores thus it was that Monteray became a small port and the Cradle of California history in her early days this old custom house was a witness to the raiding of Monteray by buard one of the most notorious Pirates of his time and the rooms within its thick Adobe walls were once used for conducting the Royal business of Spain it was also a social Center for M's Elite and its Gardens flower bck was a place where spirited bies or dances were held for the Spanish Aristocrats those hay carefree and Leisure loving people who were ruled by old Spain theirs was a life of gracious Hospitality combined with the lavish entertainment of many guitars and it was a continuous round of gity with interludes of Tranquility nor did the people of Monteray ever become perturbed by any of the outside conflicts for while Napoleon was fighting his way to the throne of France and even after he had plunged all Europe into bloody conflict the people of Monteray continued to laugh and to dance and while the fledgling United States was fighting another war with England they were still laughing and dancing their merry way through 40 Years of pastoral peace even as late as the 19th century Richard Dana the Yankee could not understand the gay and carefree people in writing his 2 years before the asked the author stated that nothing but the character of this pleasure-loving people could ever keep Monteray from becoming a great and bustling Seaport shortlived was her era of trading ships as envisioned by cabrilo but Moder today in other respects is truly a great City and one which has retained all her old world charm history joins hands with the present and the headquarters of Major John C Fremont the hard Rider of the California Battalion another Memoir from out of the past is one of America's most beautiful shrines it is also the last remaining house in the west that was ever occupied by her most beloved writer and poet none other than Robert Lewis Stevenson it was here in the ever horning presence of the ocean that he wrote his famous Treasure Island and his spy glass Hill of the same book was undoubtedly inspired by the ruggedly beautiful point lobus of Windswept trees and here we have the old Pacific building where a last fight was staged in the 1880s the casa Deora meaning House of Gold rumored to have been a mint for promoting Warfare next on the list is the old Portuguese wailing Station built when Monteray abounded with wailing trade on a lot which cost only $29 stands the first Brick House of California Casa once the dwelling of Charles warrren started and it was here that he wrote his last words The House of the Four Winds built by Thomas o Len half brother of the shrewd Captain John Rogers Cooper who later took the name of B Batista fate put the Vasquez home in back of the jail and tooro Vasquez knew both well the combination Spanish and cape card architecture of the Len house created the moderate type we know today proudly holding her years California's first theater continues to draw at her every performance and continues to hold her audience in raptured rehearsals are always in swing and surprising local talent from all walks of life now stag the old theater's regular performances and true to the usual theater life there are always the stage door Johnny's you are after me my boy that doll was just my speed the old French Consulate of Louie gas who was forced to watch with alarm the growing control of the Americans John Cooper built this house for his bride who was the sister of General Vallejo and their descendants still hold claim the Gordon house was Mill in Australia shipped to England and reshipped around found the horn to Monteray e are the tals of the Sherman headquarters because of a skeleton found in its wall and still keeping on the unusual side the casa which was practically built from the ship in which Napoleon made his escape from Elba but the one common note in moter is its everpresent water where huge white fishing boats and pleasure boats too float like pearls in the Azure of blue bowl of the fascinating Monteray Bay and a most entrancing sight are the boats with their catch as they come into dock for then the warf is a scene of confusion seals and sea lions that were ruthlessly slaughtered during the first half of the 19th century are now the Pampered Pets of the seaf firing men as they Cort for rewards of fish a site that weaves a deep and everlasting spell upon the tourist and artist alike are the leisurely drifting boats for as they come in to Dock and unload Monteray takes on the setting of some oldw World port a stroll down the old Warf whose original was built in 1845 by military and civilian prisoners along with Indians who were held in bondage could well be a scene from the shores of Italy for bronny armed are M's Italians who are C of her fishing boats during her early years however it was the Portuguese fishermen who were more dominant but today it is the Italians who rule by an overwhelming majority daily their boats leave the peers to fish in the Blue Water Empire cruising the bay near the old fish Hoppers one is suddenly attracted by the deep and prolonged Roar of the sea lions or seals which have come out to disport themselves in plate L but sure of their footing they maneuver their way slowly to the Hopper's Edge then quickly they Splash into the water below it is only then that their movements become a thing of beauty and Grace Monteray is still reluctant to shed the tattered glories of her past is's again a scene which is reminiscent of some old mediteran Anan Port per men toil long hours with their ,000 Nets when the fish are running the heavy Pur sers with Crews of 12 men are kept both busy and thrilled but excitement rides high on the smaller boats too for the fish that swarm in the Deep of the bay run hard and Savage and they're big enough and game enough to give any man a stiff fight once they sck his bait all one has to do here is board a boat and cruise the Magic Waters one of the most fascinating things of all about deep sea fishing is the fact that you never know just what you're going to catch but you can rest assured that you're going to catch something and a fellow could come up with anything from a husky alore to a lurid eel or he might even snag a passing whale as she puts up her head to blow squabbling over the day's catch the seagulls fly out to meet the boats and fled with huge success the boats start pulling in the Brony and seasoned Italian Skipper of this boat really knows his business for a look at their catch of the day and happy as is the fellow who obliges you with a closer view not bad not bad at all the Bay of Monteray abounds in fish and Marine creatures of all types and sizes from an occasional whale on down to a tiny silver side strange as it may seem with such a bountiful supply of fish the commercial fisherman for Canary role now failed to bring in enough fish to keep the old canaries running just why they should suddenly be so nobody seems to know but could it be that a mysterious cycle of nature might have changed her sardine Tides known as the land of Sals and sains Monteray once had the largest sardine industry in the world and fighting for a last ditch stand her fishermen still recall all those nameless days and nights when the fish did run and in recalling her oldtimers continue to take their perers out to sea but only to return empty-handed but whatever else may be lost among the years m is still a city apart from all others like no other and distinctly itself The Sweep of its Emerald Bay and of its Pine cringed Shores still hangs upon the walls of the world as a jeweled tapestry Kom monter no I do [Music]