for gold, and that he would prefer a few days' jaunt in the
wilderness. The climate was much cooler further to the north, he
informed us, and comparatively few miners had penetrated to the Bear
Valley. We had a long debate upon the matter, and ultimately it was
determined to start the day after to-morrow (Wednesday).

_July 25th, Tuesday_.--This day has been devoted to preparations for
our journey. Our stock of provisions, with the exception of
breadstuffs, is quite exhausted. We have had, therefore, to lay in a
stock, but we found everything, of course, inordinately dear; so we
have contented ourselves with buying some bacon, and dried beef, and
coffee, resolving to trust to our rifles for further support, there
being plenty of game in the neighbourhood of the Bear Valley. By the
advice of Joe White, we intend not only to load the pack-horses with a
portion of our stock of provisions, but each man is to take a
fortnight's rations for himself. The pack-horses will carry about
another fortnight's supply. We should have preferred, if we could have
managed it, to despatch the gold we have amassed since Bradley's
mission to Captain Sutter, down to the Fort; but, after some
deliberation, we have resolved not to risk its transit without an
escort, and, accordingly, have agreed to load one horse, the most
sure-footed of the lot, with the valuable burden, and to attach its
trail ropes to the horses ridden by ourselves in turn.

This evening three men, hearing of our intended expedition, offered to
join the party. These were Edward Story, an American lawyer, who had
been one of the inferior alcaldes during the Spanish regime at
Monterey; John Dowling, first male, and Samuel Bradshaw, the carpenter,
of an American whaling ship which they had left at San Francisco. The
lawyer was an intelligent person, conversant with the language of
several of the tribes--the mate seemed to have his wits about him, and
the carpenter would obviously be a great acquisition, particularly as
we were now about to plunge even beyond the furthest outposts of
civilization, where, in all probability, we may have to secure
ourselves against attacks from the Indians without the possibility of
any help beyond that which we could render to each other. We were
rather pleased with their offer, and received them as an addition to
our party. All three had horses, although, as usual with seamen, the
mate and carpenter were terribly awkward equestrians.

_Wedne