The party leave San Francisco
Cross to Sausalitto with horses and baggage
Appearance of the cavalcade
José's method of managing horses
Character of the country passed through
Stay at Sonoma for the night
A Yankee hotel-keeper's notion
The Author meets with Lieutenant Sherman
Receives from him a letter of introduction to Captain Sutter
Napper Valley
Sleep at the house of a settler
Troublesome bedfellows
Wild-looking scenery
Bradley is injured by a fall from his horse
Difficulties in the way of pitching a tent
A hint to the bears
Supper and bed
Resume the journey
Sacramento valley
Elk and wild fowl
A long halt
A hunting party
A missing shot.
Sonoma.--_May 24th_.--This morning at last saw us off. We left San
Francisco shortly after seven, and embarked with our horses and baggage
in a launch, which landed us at Sausalitto before ten. From thence we
made our way to Sonoma, where we put up for the night. We formed quite
a cavalcade, and presented a tolerably imposing appearance. First came
the horses (six in number), which carried our baggage, camp equipments,
etc. After these came José, Don Luis's Indian servant (who seems to be
a far more lively fellow than Indians are generally), having these
extra horses in his charge; and he really managed them admirably. For
what with whistling, and coaxing, and swearing, and swinging his
"riatta" over their heads, he had them as much under his command as
ever a crack dragsman had his four-in-hand in the good old coaching
times of my own dear England. We followed after, riding, when the road
would admit of it, all abreast, and presenting a bold front to any gang
of desperadoes who might be daring enough to attack us. There was
little fear of this, however, for we hardly rode a mile without falling
in with scattered parties bound to the gold mines.
We made our way but slowly during the first portion of our ride, for
the road wound up steep hills and down into deep hollows, but when at
last we came upon a winding valley some miles in extent, our horses got
over the ground in a style which only Californian steeds could achieve
after the hard work which had already been performed. Towards evening,
we crossed the hills which divided the valley from Sonoma plain, and on
reaching Sonoma put up at an hotel recently opened here by a citizen
from the United States, who coolly told us, in the course of
conversation, that he guessed he didn't intend shearing off to the gold
mines, until he had drawn a few thousand dollars from the San Francisco
folk who pass through here to and from the diggings.
_May 27th_.--We stopped at Sonoma the greater part of Thursday, to give
our horses rest. At the hotel, I met Lieutenant Sherman, who had
brought dispatches to the officer in command here from Colonel Mason. I
was much delighted in again meeting with this gentleman, and we had a
long talk together over the merry times we had when we were both
slaying at Washington. When he heard our destination he kindly offered
to give me a letter of introduction to a very old friend of his,
Captain Sutter, the proprietor of Sutter's fort, and one of the
earliest settlers on the Sacramento. I availed myself of his offer, and
about three o'clock we started off across the plain, and made our way
through the groves of fine oak trees which cover it in every direction.
We next ascended the hills which lay between us and Napper Valley, and,
after crossing them, made for the house of an American settler, a
friend of Bradley's, who provided us with the best accommodation his
house would furnish for the night. We turned in early, but the legions
of fleas which were our bedfellows exerted themselves to such a degree
that for hours sleep was out of the question. The country is terribly
plagued with these vermin. I do not know how the settlers get on;
perhaps they are accustomed to the infliction, but a stranger feels it
severely.
The next day we travelled over the corresponding range of hills to
those crossed on Thursday, and were soon in the midst of a much
wilder-looking country--a rapid succession of steep and rugged
mountains, thickly timbered with tall pine-trees and split up with
deep precipitous ravines, hemming in beautiful and fertile valleys,
brilliant with golden flowers and dotted over with noble oaks. While
we were riding down one of these dangerous chasms, Bradley, who was
showing off his superior equitation, was thrown from his horse, and
fell rather severely on his arm. On examining it, I was surprised to
find he had escaped a fracture. As it is, he has injured it sufficiently
to prevent him from using the limb for several days. I bandaged it up,
put it in a sling, and he proceeded in a more cautious manner.
To-night we used our tent for the first time. We were somewhat awkward
in pitching it, and three times did the whole structure come down by
the run, burying several of us in the flapping canvas, and inflicting
some tolerably hard knocks with the poles. However, at length we
succeeded in getting it fixed; and, kindling a blazing fire close to
it, as a polite intimation to the bears that they were not wanted,
cooked our supper over the embers, and then, wrapped in our blankets,
slept far better than the fleas had allowed us to do the night before.
This morning I examined Bradley's arm, and was glad to find the
inflammation somewhat reduced. He was bruised a good deal about the
body generally, and complained to-day sorely of the pain he felt while
being jolted over the broken ground which we crossed in our ascent of
the tall mountains that bound the Sacramento Valley. From their summit
we obtained a noble view of the broad winding river and its smaller
tributaries, thickly studded with islands overgrown with noble oaks and
sycamores. We encamped to-night at the foot of these hills, near a
little stream which gurgled merrily by. We have seen several herds of
elk to-day, and a large quantity of wild fowl.
_Sunday, May 28th_.--To-day we made a long halt, for we were all
exceedingly tired, and some of our pack-horses, which were heavily
laden, showed symptoms of "giving out." We determined, therefore, to
stay here till late in the day, and then to follow the course of the
creek for a few miles, and there pitch our tent. Turning our horses
loose to graze, several of the party went off on a hunting excursion on
foot, but their only success was about a score of wild geese, which are
very plentiful in the marshy land bordering the creek. I got a shot at
an elk which came down to the water to drink, but he made off unhurt.