‘LA CASA ARNEL,’ the Hartnell-de la Guerra home in Monterey ‘became a showplace,’ with English, Russian + ‘an astonishing number’ of ‘honored guests’

+++  After Hartnell’s return from South America his business decreased in volume and he, by necessity, managed it alone.  His former associates, McCulloch, Logan, and Fraser, no longer were in the country; and David Spence went into business for himself when his contract time expired.  He stayed on in Monterey, operating a general store and engaging in various trading ventures.  Canny Spence recognized opportunity when it occurred, but took few real chances; he worked hard and prospered greatly. He remained good friends with his former employer, but Dona Teresa never forgave him for “deserting” them.  ++  Perhaps her coolness arose, though unadmittedly, from Spence’s low opinion of women.  They were classed in his mind with prolific animals like pigs.  Once in a letter to Hartnell he announced the arrival of a new litter to their prize sow before telling of the birth of a new baby to Dona Teresa.  This may have seemed more important to the Scotsman, living in a land of many children and few pigs, but the mother’s indignation was endless.  ++  However much Dona Teresa and her husband differed in feelings toward Don David, they both enjoyed the consideration he showed them, the fine vegetables, fruit trees, and flowering shrubs planted with his own hands around their house.  Through Spence’s early industry and the wonderful soil and air of the seaport, the Hartnell home became a show place.  Every visitor to the capital of Alta California must see it and, from one year’s end to another, an astonishing number entered ‘la casa Arnel’ as honored guests.  ++  A portion of Captain Beechey’s ‘Narrative” is devoted to the Russians he met in California.  With several, he shared guest quarters in the Hartnell home.  This is not strange, since Don Guillermo seems to have been the one man in Monterey who attempted more than a few words with the Russians in their own language.  Russian ships frequently came into the harbor on business from the Russian-American Fur Company’s headquarters at Sitka in Alaska, or from the flourishing colony at Fort Ross, not more than fifty leagues up the coast.  +++

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Don David Spence wrote to DON GUILLERMO HARTNELL that Captain Beechey ‘ha…
• Dona Teresa de la Guerra Hartnell knew that she had nothing to fear, that s…
• David Spence wrote from Monterey to DON GUILLERMO HARTNELL in San Pedro tha…
• Slow Learner, Fast Learner