of questions about gold and the state of the country; and, learning that the ship was out of fuel, had informed the captain (Marshall) that there was abundance of pine-wood, but no willing hands to cut it; that no man could be hired at less than an ounce of gold a day, unless the soldiers would volunteer to do it for some agreed-upon price.  As for coal, there was not a pound in Monterey, or anywhere else in California.  Vessels with coal were known to be en route around Cape Horn, but none had yet reached California.

The arrival of this steamer was the beginning of a new epoch on the Pacific coast; yet there she lay, helpless, without coal or fuel.  The native Californians, who had never seen a steamship, stood for days on the beach looking at her, with the universal exclamation, “Tan feo!”—­how ugly!—­and she was truly ugly when compared with the clean, well-sparred frigates and sloops-of-war that had hitherto been seen on the North Pacific coast.  It was first supposed it would take ten days to get wood enough to prosecute her voyage, and therefore all the passengers who could took up their quarters on shore.  Major Canby relieved me, and took the place I had held so long as adjutant-general of the Department of California.  The time seemed most opportune for me to leave the service, as I had several splendid offers of employment and of partnership, and, accordingly, I made my written resignation; but General Smith put his veto upon it, saying that he was to command the Division of the Pacific, while General Riley was to have the Department of California, and Colonel Loring that of Oregon.  He wanted me as his adjutant-general, because of my familiarity with the country, and knowledge of its then condition:  At the time, he had on his staff Gibbs as aide-de-camp, and Fitzgerald as quartermaster.  He also had along with him quite a retinue of servants, hired with a clear contract to serve him for a whole year after reaching California, every one of whom deserted, except a young black fellow named Isaac.  Mrs. Smith, a pleasant but delicate Louisiana lady, had a white maid-servant, in whose fidelity she had unbounded confidence; but this girl was married to a perfect stranger, and off before she had even landed in San Francisco.  It was, therefore, finally arranged that, on the California, I was to accompany General Smith to San Francisco as his adjutant-general.  I accordingly sold some of my horses, and arranged for others to go up by land; and from that time I became fairly enlisted in the military family of General Persifer F. Smith.

I parted with my old commander, Colonel Mason, with sincere regret.  To me he had ever been kind and considerate, and, while stern, honest to a fault, he was the very embodiment of the principle of fidelity to the interests of the General Government.  He possessed a native strong intellect, and far more knowledge of the principles of civil government and law than he got credit for.  In private and public