, I postponed* my embassy to them, until the bonds of union
between the three nations, Shoshones, Apaches, and Arrapahoes, should be
so firmly cemented as not to be broken. The Arrapahoes followed the
example of the Apaches; and a hundred warriors well mounted and
equipped, joined us to go and see the fathers, the Shoshones, and, smoke
with them the calumet of* eternal peace.

We were now a gallant band, two hundred and fifty strong and in order to
find game sufficient for the subsistence of many individuals, we were
obliged to take a long range to the south, so as to fall upon the
prairies bordering the Buona Ventura.* Chance, however, led us into a
struggle, in which became afterwards deeply involved. Scarcely had we
reached the river when we met with a company of fifteen individuals
composed of some of my old Monterey friends. They were on their way to
the settlement, to ask my help against the governor of Sonora; and the
Indians being all unanimous in their desire to chastise him, and to
acquire the good-will of the wealthy people of Monterey, I yielded to
circumstance and altered our course to the south. My old servant had
come with the deputation, and from him I learnt the whole of the
transaction.

It appears that the governor of Sonora declared that he would whip like
dogs, and hang the best part of the population of Monterey, principally
the Anglo-Saxon settlers, the property of whom he intended to confiscate
for his own private use If he could but have kept his own counsel, he
would of a certainty have succeeded, but the Montereyans were aware of
his intentions, even before he had reached the borders of California.

Deputations were sent to the neighbouring towns, and immediately a small
body of determined men started to occupy the passes through which the
governor had to proceed. There they learnt with dismay that the force
they would have to contend with was at least ten times more numerous
than their own; they were too brave, however, to retire without a blow
in defence of their independence, and remembering the intimacy
contracted with me, together with the natural antipathy of the Indians
against the Watchinangoes, or Mexicans, they determined to ask our help,
offering in return a portion of the wealth they could command in
cattle, arms, ammunition, and other articles of great value
among savages.

The governor's army amounted to five hundred men, two hundred of them
soldiers in uniform, and the remai