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THE RIGHT EYE OF THE COMMANDER
The year of grace 1797 passed away on the coast of California in a
southwesterly gale。 The little bay of San Carlos； albeit sheltered
by the headlands of the blessed Trinity； was rough and turbulent；
its foam clung quivering to the seaward wall of the Mission garden；
the air was filled with flying sand and spume； and as the Senor
Commandante； Hermenegildo Salvatierra； looked from the deep
embrasured window of the Presidio guardroom； he felt the salt
breath of the distant sea buffet a color into his smoke…dried
cheeks。
The Commander； I have said； was gazing thoughtfully from the window
of the guardroom。 He may have been reviewing the events of the
year now about to pass away。 But； like the garrison at the
Presidio； there was little to review； the year； like its
predecessors； had been uneventfulthe days had slipped by in a
delicious monotony of simple duties； unbroken by incident or
interruption。 The regularly recurring feasts and saints' days； the
half…yearly courier from San Diego； the rare transport ship and
rarer foreign vessel； were the mere details of his patriarchal
life。 If there was no achievement； there was certainly no failure。
Abundant harvests and patient industry amply supplied the wants of
Presidio and Mission。 Isolated from the family of nations； the
wars which shook the world concerned them not so much as the last
earthquake； the struggle that emancipated their sister colonies on
the other side of the continent to them had no suggestiveness。 In
short； it was that glorious Indian summer of California history
around which so much poetical haze still lingersthat bland；
indolent autumn of Spanish rule； so soon to be followed by the
wintry storms of Mexican independence and the reviving spring of
American conquest。
The Commander turned from the window and walked toward the fire
that burned brightly on the deep ovenlike hearth。 A pile of
copybooks； the work of the Presidio school； lay on the table。 As
he turned over the leaves with a paternal interest； and surveyed
the fair round Scripture textthe first pious pothooks of the
pupils of San Carlosan audible commentary fell from his lips：
〃'Abimelech took her from Abraham'ah； little one； excellent！
'Jacob sent to see his brother'body of Christ！ that upstroke of
thine； Paquita； is marvelous； the Governor shall see it！〃 A film
of honest pride dimmed the Commander's left eyethe right； alas！
twenty years before had been sealed by an Indian arrow。 He rubbed
it softly with the sleeve of his leather jacket； and continued：
〃'The Ishmaelites having arrived'〃
He stopped； for there was a step in the courtyard； a foot upon the
threshold； and a stranger entered。 With the instinct of an old
soldier； the Commander； after one glance at the intruder； turned
quickly toward the wall； where his trusty Toledo hung； or should
have been hanging。 But it was not there； and as he recalled that
the last time he had seen that weapon it was being ridden up and
down the gallery by Pepito； the infant son of Bautista； the
tortilla…maker； he blushed and then contented himself with frowning
upon the intruder。
But the stranger's air； though irreverent； was decidedly peaceful。
He was unarmed； and wore the ordinary cape of tarpaulin and sea
boots of a mariner。 Except a villainous smell of codfish； there
was little about him that was peculiar。
His name； as he informed the Commander； in Spanish that was more
fluent than elegant or precisehis name was Peleg Scudder。 He was
master of the schooner GENERAL COURT； of the port of Salem in
Massachusetts； on a trading voyage to the South Seas； but now
driven by stress of weather into the bay of San Carlos。 He begged
permission to ride out the gale under the headlands of the blessed
Trinity； and no more。 Water he did not need； having taken in a
supply at Bodega。 He knew the strict surveillance of the Spanish
port regulations in regard to foreign vessels； and would do nothing
against the severe discipline and good order of the settlement。
There was a slight tinge of sarcasm in his tone as he glanced
toward the desolate parade ground of the Presidio and the open
unguarded gate。 The fact was that the sentry； Felipe Gomez； had
discreetly retired to shelter at the beginning of the storm； and
was then sound asleep in the corridor。
The Commander hesitated。 The port regulations were severe； but he
was accustomed to exercise individual authority； and beyond an old
order issued ten years before； regarding the American ship
COLUMBIA； there was no precedent to guide him。 The storm was
severe； and a sentiment of humanity urged him to grant the
stranger's request。 It is but just to the Commander to say that
his inability to enforce a refusal did not weigh with his decision。
He would have denied with equal disregard of consequences that
right to a seventy…four…gun ship which he now yielded so gracefully
to this Yankee trading schooner。 He stipulated only that there
should be no communication between the ship and shore。 〃For
yourself； Senor Captain；〃 he continued； 〃accept my hospitality。
The fort is yours as long as you shall grace it with your
distinguished presence〃； and with old…fashioned courtesy； he made
the semblance of withdrawing from the guardroom。
Master Peleg Scudder smiled as he thought of the half…dismantled
fort； the two moldy brass cannon； cast in Manila a century
previous。 and the shiftless garrison。 A wild thought of accepting
the Commander's offer literally； conceived in the reckless spirit
of a man who never let slip an offer for trade； for a moment filled
his brain； but a timely reflection of the commercial unimportance
of the transaction checked him。 He only took a capacious quid of
tobacco as the Commander gravely drew a settle before the fire； and
in honor of his guest untied the black…silk handkerchief that bound
his grizzled brows。
What passed between Salvatierra and his guest that night it becomes
me not； as a grave chronicler of the salient points of history； to
relate。 I have said that Master Peleg Scudder was a fluent talker；
and under the influence of divers strong waters； furnished by his
host； he became still more loquacious。 And think of a man with a
twenty years' budget of gossip！ The Commander learned； for the
first time； how Great Britain lost her colonies； of the French
Revolution； of the great Napoleon； whose achievements； perhaps；
Peleg colored more highly than the Commander's superiors would have
liked。 And when Peleg turned questioner； the Commander was at his
mercy。 He gradually made himself master of the gossip of the
Mission and Presidio； the 〃small…beer〃 chronicles of that pastoral
age； the conversion of the heathen； the Presidio schools； and even
asked the Commander how he had lost his eye！ It is said that at
this point of the conversation Master Peleg produced from about his
person divers small trinkets； kickshaws； and newfangled trifles；
and even forced some of them upon his host。 It is further alleged
that under the malign influence of Peleg and several glasses of
aguardiente； the Commander lost somewhat of his decorum； and
behaved in a manner unseemly for one in his position； reciting
high…flown Spanish poetry； and even piping in a thin； high voice
divers madrigals and heathen canzonets of an amorous complexion；
chiefly in regard to a 〃little one〃 who was his； the Commander's；
〃soul〃！ These allegations； perhaps unworthy the notice of a
serious chronicler； should be received with great caution； and are
introduced here as simple hearsay。 That the Commander； however；
took a handkerchief and attempted to show his guest the mysteries
of the SEMICUACUA； capering in an agile but indecorous manner about
the apartment； has been denied。 Enough for the purposes of this
narrative that at midnight Peleg assisted his host to bed with many
protestations of undying friendship； and then； as the gale had
abated； took his leave of the Presidio and hurried aboard the
GENERAL COURT。 When the day broke the ship was gone。
I know not if Peleg kept his word with his host。 It is said that
the holy fathers at the Mission that night heard a loud chanting in
the plaza； as of the heathens singing psalms through their noses；
that for many days after an odor of salt codfish prevailed in the
settlement； that a dozen hard nutmegs； which were unfit for spice
or seed； were found in the possession of the wife of the baker； and
that several bushels of shoe pegs； which bore a pleasing
resemblance to oats； but were quite inadequate to the purposes of
provender； were discovered in the stable of the blacksmith。 But
when the reader reflects upon the sacredness of a Yankee trader's
word； the stringent discipline of the Spanish port regulations； and
the proverbial indisposition of my countrymen to impose upon the
confidence of a simple people； he will a