craft.  The rain continued during the ninth, and we encamped at night about the mouth of the Sacramento.  On the night of the tenth we encamped at “Meritt’s camp,” the rain still falling, and the river rising rapidly, rendering navigation up-stream impossible, except with the aid of the tide.  On the night of the eleventh we encamped fifteen miles below New Helvetia, still raining.  On the morning of the twelfth the clouds cleared away, and the sun burst out warm and spring-like.  After having been exposed to the rain for ten or twelve days, without having the clothing upon me once dry, the sight of the sun, and the influence of his beams, were cheering and most agreeable.  We arrived at New Helvetia about twelve o’clock.

CHAPTER VIII.

  Leave New Helvetia
  Pleasant weather
  Meet Indian volunteers
  Tule boats
  Engagement between a party of Americans and Californians
  Death of Capt.  Burroughs and Capt.  Foster
  Capture of Thomas O. Larkin
  Reconnaissance
  San Juan Bautista
  Neglect of the dead
  Large herds of Cattle
  Join Col.  Fremont.

On my arrival at New Helvetia, I found there Mr. Jacob.  Mr. Reed had not yet returned from the mountains.  Nothing had been heard from Mr. Lippincott, or Mr. Grayson, since I left the latter at Sonoma.  An authorized agent of Col.  Fremont had arrived at the fort the day that I left it, with power to take the caballada of public horses, and to enroll volunteers for the expedition to the south.  He had left two or three days before my arrival, taking with him all the horses and trappings suitable for service, and all the men who had previously rendezvoused at the fort, numbering about sixty, as I understood.  At my request messengers were sent by Mr. Kern, commandant of the fort, and by Captain Sutter, to the Indian chiefs on the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, to meet me at the most convenient points on the trail, with such warriors of their tribes as chose to volunteer as soldiers of the United States, and perform military service during the campaign.  I believed that they would be useful as scouts and spies.  On the 14th and 15th eight men (emigrants who had just arrived in the country, and had been enrolled at Johnson’s settlement by Messrs. Reed and Jacob) arrived at the fort; and on the morning of the 16th, with these, we started to join Colonel Fremont, supposed to be at Monterey; and we encamped at night on the Coscumne River.

The weather is now pleasant.  We are occasionally drenched with a shower of rain, after which the sun shines warm and bright; the fresh grass is springing up, and the birds sing and chatter in the groves and thickets as we pass through them.  I rode forward, on the morning of the 17th, to the Mickelemes River (twenty-five miles from the Coscumne), where I met Antonio, an Indian chief, with twelve warriors, who had assembled hero for the purpose of joining us.