Don David Spence wrote to DON GUILLERMO HARTNELL that Captain Beechey ‘has taken up his quarters in your room’ in Monterey

+++  Hartnell bought a share in the ‘Fulham’’s cargo, and business matters occupied most of his time on the southern passage.  He was accompanied by methodical Mr. Fraser, who pored continually over the company accounts books, indifferent equally to the mystery of the sea and the strange sights ashore at Mexican, Central, and South American ports of call.  ++  William Logan had left California on an earlier voyage, summoned by Mr. Begg to develop a silver mine on Lake Titicaca in Inca country.  It was with regret that this likable fellow left the land of ‘poco tiempo.’  Already, from Lima, he had written to Hartnell: “I am of your opinion that in California you can live a much more happy life than in this place or in any part of Peru.”  ++  A worried letter from Spence, who remained in Monterey, arrived while Don Guillermo still was enjoying the family reunion in Santa Barbara.  Apparently, as always in his employer’s absence, Don David had many problems to solve, and unexpected visitors to entertain:  ++  ’His Majesty’s Ship Blossom arrived on the 29th inst.  After leaving last year, she went to Canton, and then made another attempt for the North, but has not been quite so successful this year.  They lost there five barges with three Sailors, but no officers, and had some engagements with the Indians – six of the of Marines severely wounded.  I have been doing all I can to furnish them with the necessary they want as there is a few of them bad with the scurvy.  I believe they will have cash enough to settle for all, but am not yet certain as they intend to stop here about three weeks more.  ++  The Captain has taken up his quarters in your room – makes himself quite at home.  I have been rather hard up, but shall do the best I can with them. . . . . They have heard nothing of Captain Franklin as yet.  After leaving this he intends to sail for San Blas and then for Callao.  There you may expect to see them.  ++  We have now in the port the American Brig from the Coast of Peru with a few half bleached cottons and segars at thirty dollars p. thousand, also Mr. Clevincoff and three American whalers. [Spence means the Russian historian, Kyrill Khlebnikov, who, since 1820, had been making periodic trading trips to California as agent for the Russian-American Fur Company, headquarters at Sitka.  Hartnell knew him well, and provided much of the material for his celebrated 'Letters on America.'  Khlebnikov also wrote the source biography of Baranov, published in St. Petersburg, 1835.] … +++