No.

56. APACHE INDIANS ATTACKING THE TRAIN AND PARTY, 57. CARRYING WOOD TO MARKET, CHIHUAHUA

58. AQUEDUCT AND CHURCH OF SANTA RITA, CHIHUAHUA, 59. GIGANTIC YUCCA TREE, PARRAS,

60. STAMPEDE BY WILD HORSES ON THE PLAINS OF TEXAS,

PAGE

412

422

441

491

523

No.

LITHOGRAPHS.

1. RUINS AT CASAS GRANDES, CHIHUAHUA, (to face title-page.) 2. GEYSERS, PLUTON RIVER, CALIFORNIA,

40

4. NAPA VALLEY FROM THE OBSIDIAN HILLS, CALIFORNIA,

50

5. ASCENT TO THE QUICKSILVER MINE, NEW ALMADEN,

62

6. VIEW ON THE RIVER GILA, BIG HORN MOUNTAIN,

7. CASAS GRANDES, RIVER GILA,

8. RUINS AT CASAS GRANDES, CHIHUAHUA,

9. ORGAN MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO,

10. FORT YUMA, JUNCTION OF THE GILA AND COLORADO RIVERS,

(to face title-page, vol. 1.)

198

274

364

392

FOURTH DIVISION.

JOURNEYS AND INCIDENTS IN CALIFORNIA.

CHAPTER XXII.

SAN DIEGO TO NAPA VALLEY.

Arrival of Dr. Webb and his party-Dr. Webb's report of his journey— State of the survey-Reduction of the Commission-Advance of wages -Diegeno Indians-H'hana Indians-Leave for San Francisco-Its fine harbor-Extensive commerce-Great activity and enterprise of its people-Origin of its name-Contrast between the wants of the Californians in 1770 and 1850-Trip to the Geysers-Benicia-Application to Gen. Hitchcock for an escort to the Commission on its journey backVallejo-Napa village-Napa valley-Its beauty and fertility-Mr Yaunt-His history-Red-wood trees-Their great height-Enormous yield of vegetables-Thermal springs.

ON the 11th February, Dr. Webb, with his party, reached San Diego, most of them on foot. They had experienced great privations, and had lost the larger portion of their animals by famine. The following letter from Dr. Webb shows the character of his journey.

"SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, February 14, 1852. "SIR: I have the honor to announce that I arrived here with the little party under my direction on the

VOL. II.-1

11th instant, all in good health and spirits, notwithstanding we had to encounter numerous difficulties, undergo some hardships, endure some privations-to be exposed to the hostile attacks and depredations of Indians, and subjected to the loss of most of our animals and much of our clothing, &c., and were necessarily placed on short allowance-compelled to walk a large portion of the distance, and be our own escort and night guard.

"The mail closes so very soon, that it is impossible for me to render, in detail, a report of the trip at this time. I can only state, in brief, that the party consisted of twelve individuals and twenty-seven riding and pack-mules.

"The animals, which were mostly feeble at the outset, and consequently not suited for such a journey, soon gave convincing proofs that they could not hold out, and daily, after leaving the Pimo villages, became reduced in number-sinking under the combined influence of excessive heat, deficiency of grazing, and destitution of water. Of the twenty-seven, but three were in a suitable condition to be brought in; five more I left at Williams's rancho, about fifty miles distant, to recruit; and the remainder sank under their loads at various places on the desert, and were necessarily abandoned to their fate; which was either to fall into the hands of roving Indians, who, like so many hungry vultures, were continually hovering around, anxiously awaiting an opportunity to avail themselves of any accident or misfortune that might occur, whereby they could gain possession of any of our property; or should they elude the Indians, their fate most

inevitably was, in their enfeebled state, to become an easy prey to the hungry wolves, which in great numbers were constantly prowling about, making night hideous with their howlings; and not unfrequently so impatient were they to seize upon the poor animals, that they could be seen skulking close to our camp in broad daylight.

route.

"The loss of pack-mules of course occasioned a sacrifice of much other property, as we had no relief mules with us. Most of our cooking utensils were dropped from time to time, at various places on the We had also to cache all of our camp stools and other furniture, some of our bedding, much clothing, books, papers, etc. Eventually, we were compelled to abandon our tents: so that rain or shine, wet or dry, we had to stop at the end of our day's journey in the open air, without any means of protection by day from the scorching heat of the sun; and at night we stretched out upon the ground, unsheltered from the inclemency of the weather, and the cold searching blasts and chilly atmosphere, though at mid-day the dry, brain-burning heat, was almost too much to bear. Soon after sunset, an icy feeling, nearly as intolerable, would pervade us; the variations between night and day often amounting to sixty and seventy degrees of temperature.

"Twelve days of the journey I walked, having relinquished my animal for pack-mule purposes before we reached the junction of the Gila and Colorado Rivers. Subsequently, others followed the example; until at length but two retained possession of animals.