nament. Large herds of cattle were grazing in this valley.

From Petaluma valley we crossed a high rolling country, and reached the
mission of San Rafael (forty-five miles) between seven and eight
o'clock in the evening. San Rafael is situated two or three miles from
the shore of the bay, and commands an extensive view of the bay and its
islands. The mission buildings are generally in the same ruinous
condition I have before described. We put up at the house of a Mr.
Murphy, a scholastic Irish bachelor, who has been a resident of
California for a number of years. His _casa_, when we arrived, was
closed, and it was with some difficulty that we could gain admission.
When, however, the occupant of the house had ascertained, from one of
the loopholes of the building, who we were, the doors were soon
unbarred and we were admitted, but not without many sallies of Irish
wit, sometimes good-natured, and sometimes keenly caustic and ironical.
We found a table spread with cold mutton and cold beef upon it. A cup
of coffee was soon prepared by the Indian muchachos and muchachas, and
our host brought out some scheidam and _aguardiente_. A draught or two
of these liquids seemed to correct the acidity of his humour, and he
entertained us with his jokes and conversation several hours.

_October 18_.--From San Rafael to Sausolito, opposite San Francisco on
the north side of the entrance to the bay, it is five leagues (fifteen
miles), generally over elevated hills and through deep hollows, the
ascents and descents being frequently steep and laborious to our
animals. Starting at half-past seven o'clock, we reached the residence
of Captain Richardson, the proprietor of Sausolito, about nine o'clock
in the morning. In travelling this distance we passed some temporary
houses, erected by American emigrants on the mission lands, and the
rancho of Mrs. Reed, a widow. We immediately hired a whale-boat from
one of the ships, lying here, at two dollars for each passenger, and
between ten and eleven o'clock we landed in San Francisco.

I met, soon after my arrival, Mr. Lippincott, heretofore mentioned, who
accompanied us a portion of the distance over the mountains; and Mr.
Hastings, who, with Mr. Hudspeth, conducted a party of the emigrants
from fort Bridger by the new route, _via_ the south end of the Salt
Lake, to Mary's River. From Mr. Lippincott I learned the particulars of
an engagement between a party of the emigrants (Captain West's compa