side.  Under the belief that there was a larger force of Californians encamped at a distance of some five or six miles, and that during the night they might attempt a surprise, or plant cannon on the summit of a hill about a mile from camp, so as to annoy us, a party, of which I was one, was detached, after dark, to occupy the hill secretly.  We marched around the mission as privately as possible, and took our position on the hill, where we remained all night without the least disturbance, except by the tempestuous wind, which blew a blast so cold and piercing as almost to congeal the blood.  When the sun rose in the morning, I could see, far out in the ocean, three vessels scudding before the gale like phantom ships.  One of these was the little schooner that had been waiting upon us while marching along the “Rincon.”  Distance 14 miles.

January 6.—­The wind has blown a gale in our faces all day, and the clouds of dust have been almost blinding.  The mission of San Buenaventura does not differ, in its general features, from those of other establishments of the same kind heretofore described.  There is a large garden, inclosed by a high wall, attached to the mission, in which I noticed a great variety of fruit-trees and ornamental shrubbery.  There are also numerous inclosures, for cultivation, by willow hedges.  The soil, when properly tilled, appears to be highly productive.  This mission is situated about two miles from the shore of a small bay or indentation of the coast, on the edge of a plain or valley watered by the Rio Santa Clara, which empties into the Pacific at this point.  A chain of small islands, from ten to twenty miles from the shore, commences at Santa Barbara, and extends south along the coast, to the bay of San Pedro.  These islands present to the eye a barren appearance.  At present the only inhabitants of the mission are a few Indians, the white population having abandoned it on our approach, with the exception of one man, who met us yesterday and surrendered himself a prisoner.

Proceeding up the valley about seven miles from the mission, we discovered at a distance a party of sixty or seventy mounted Californians, drawn up in order on the bank of the river.  This, it was conjectured, might be only a portion of a much larger force stationed here, and concealed in a deep ravine which runs across the valley, or in the canadas of the hills on our left.  Scouting-parties mounted the hills, for the purpose of ascertaining if such was the case.  In the mean time, the party of Californians on our right scattered themselves over the plain, prancing their horses, waving their swords, banners, and lances, and performing a great variety of equestrian feats.  They were mounted on fine horses, and there are no better horsemen, if as good, in the world, than Californians.  They took especial care, however, to keep beyond the reach of cannon-shot.  The battalion wheeled to the left for the purpose of crossing a point of hills