Near the house was a shed containing some forty or fifty barrels of pickled salmon, but the fish, from their having been badly put up, were spoiled.  Mr. Schwartz attempted to explain the particular causes of this, but I could not understand him.  The salmon are taken with seines dragged across the channel of the river by Indians in canoes.  On the bank of the river the Indians were eating their breakfast, which consisted of a large fresh salmon, roasted in the ashes or embers, and a kettle of atole, made of acorn-meal.  The salmon was four or five feet in length, and, when taken out of the fire and cut open, presented a most tempting appearance.  The Indians were all nearly naked, and most of them, having been wading in the water at daylight to set their seines, were shivering with the cold whilst greedily devouring their morning meal.

We reached the embarcadero of New Helvetia about eleven o’clock, A.M., and, finding there a wagon, we placed our baggage in it, and walked to the fort, about two and a half miles.

CHAPTER VII.

  Disastrous news from the south
  Return of Colonel Fremont to Monterey
  Call for volunteers
  Volunteer our services
  Leave New Helvetia
  Swimming the Sacramento
  First fall of rain
  Beautiful and romantic valley
  Precipitous mountains
  Deserted house
  Arable land of California
  Fattening qualities of the acorn
  Lost in the Coast Mountains
  Strange Indians
  Indian women gathering grass-seed for bread
  Indian guide
  Laguna
  Rough dialogue
  Hunters’ camp
  “Old Greenwood”
  Grisly bear meat
  Greenwood’s account of himself
  His opinion of the Indians and Spaniards
  Retrace our steps
  Severe storm
  Nappa valley
  Arrive at Sonoma
  More rain
  Arrive at San Francisco
  Return to New Helvetia.

I remained at the fort from the 27th to the 30th of October.  On the 28th, Mr. Reed, whom I have before mentioned as belonging to the rear emigrating party, arrived here.  He left his party on Mary’s River, and in company with one man crossed the desert and the mountains.  He was several days without provisions, and, when he arrived at Johnson’s, was so much emaciated and exhausted by fatigue and famine, that he could scarcely walk.  His object was to procure provisions immediately, and to transport them with pack-mules over the mountains for the relief of the suffering emigrants behind.  He had lost all of his cattle, and had been compelled to cache two of his wagons and most of his property.  Captain Sutter generously furnished the requisite quantity of mules and horses, with Indian vaqueros, and jerked meat and flour.  This is the second expedition for the relief of the emigrants he has fitted out since our arrival in the country.  Ex-governor Boggs and family reached Sutter’s Fort to-day.