CHAPTER V.

  Leave San Francisco for Sonoma
  Sonoma creek
  “Bear men.” 
  Islands in the bay
  Liberality of “Uncle Sam” to sailors
  Sonoma
  Beautiful country
  General Vallejo
  Senora Vallejo
  Thomas O. Larkin, U.S.  Consul
  Signs of rain
  The seasons in California
  More warlike rumours from the south
  Mission of San Rafael
  An Irish ranchero
  Sausolito
  Return to San Francisco
  Meet Lippincott
  Discomfort of Californian houses.

October 13.—­This morning the United States frigate Congress, Commodore Stockton, and the merchant-ship Sterling, employed to transport the volunteers under the command of Captain Fremont (one hundred and eighty in number), sailed for the south.  The destination of these vessels was understood to be San Pedro or San Diego.  While those vessels were leaving the harbour, accompanied by Mr. Jacob, I took passage for Sonoma in a cutter belonging to the sloop-of-war Portsmouth.  Sonoma is situated on the northern side of the Bay of San Francisco, about 15 miles from the shore, and about 45 miles from the town of San Francisco.  Sonoma creek is navigable for vessels of considerable burden to within four miles of the town.

Among the passengers in the boat were Mr. Ide, who acted so conspicuous a part in what is called the “Bear Revolution,” and Messrs. Nash and Grigsby, who were likewise prominent in this movement.  The boat was manned by six sailors and a cockswain.  We passed Yerba Buena, Bird, and several other small islands in the bay.  Some of these are white, as if covered with snow, from the deposit upon them of bird-manure.  Tens of thousands of wild geese, ducks, gulls, and other water-fowls, were perched upon them, or sporting in the waters of the bay, making a prodigious cackling and clatter with their voices and wings.  By the aid of oars and sails we reached the mouth of Sonoma creek about 9 o’clock at night, where we landed and encamped on the low marsh which borders the bay on this side.  The marshes contiguous to the Bay of San Francisco are extensive, and with little trouble I believe they could be reclaimed and transformed into valuable and productive rice plantations.  Having made our supper on raw salt pork and bread generously furnished by the sailors, as soon as we landed, we spread our blankets on the damp and rank vegetation and slept soundly until morning.

October 14.—­Wind and tide being favourable, at daylight we proceeded up the serpentine creek, which winds through a flat and fertile plain, sometimes marshy, at others more elevated and dry, to the embarcadero, ten or twelve miles from the bay.  We landed here between nine and ten o’clock, A.M.  All the passengers, except ourselves, proceeded immediately to the town.  By them we sent for a cart to transport our saddles, bridles, blankets, and other baggage, which we had