or remaining where they were until the
provisions were entirely consumed, and then retreat, relying on the
mules for food during the journey to San Diego; others thought it better
to divide the party, one-half to remain and the other return to San
Diego. Both projects were carefully discussed, and both presented
difficulties. The prevailing sentiment seemed to favor a return, and the
governor announced his determination. They would return to San Diego
at once, he said, for if the snow should close the mountain passes, the
whole expedition would be lost.

A violent storm arose in the afternoon, which lasted until the night of
December 9th, delaying the march.

On Sunday, December 10th, they began the retreat from Monterey. Before
leaving Carmelo Bay, they set up a large cross on a little hill on the
shore of the ensenadita, and on it, cut into the wood, the legend: "Dig;
at the foot you will find a writing." A message was put into a
bottle and buried at the foot of the cross. It gave the facts of the
expedition, its commander, date of starting, the dates of entering the
channel of Santa Barbara, of passing Point Concepcion, of the passage
of the Santa Lucia mountains, of the sight of Punta de Pinos, of Point
Reyes, etc.

"The expedition desired to reach Point Reyes, but some esteros
intervened which ran far inland, which required a long journey to go
around, and other difficulties (the chief of which was the want of
provisions), made it necessary for us to return, believing that the
Port of Monterey might perhaps be near the Sierra de Santa Lucia, and
thinking that we might have passed it without observing it. We left the
estero of San Francisco on our return on the 11th of November. We passed
the Punta de Ano Nuevo on the 19th of said month, and reached the second
time this Port and Ensenada de Pinos on the 27th of the same."

It states that from that day to this they have made diligent search for
the port of Monterey, but in vain, and now, despairing of finding it,
their provisions nearly gone, they return to San Diego. Then follows
the latitude at various points as observed by Costanso. It requests the
commanders of the San Jose or San Antonio, if they, or either of them,
should be informed of the contents of the letter and the condition of
the expedition, to sail down the coast as near the land as possible,
that the expedition might sight and obtain succor from them.

The march that day was across the Point of P