220 JOHN C. FREMONT. 



the midst of friends. With Carson is living Owens; 

 and Maxwell is at his father-in-law's, doing a very 

 prosperous business as a merchant and contractor 

 for the troops. 



"Evening. Mr. StVrain and Aubrey, who have 

 just arrived from Santa F, called to see me. I had 

 the pleasure to learn that Mr. St.Vrain sets out from 

 Santa Fe on the 15th of February, for St. Louis, so 

 that by him I have an early and certain opportunity 

 of sending on my letters. Beale left Santa Fd on 

 his journey to California on the 9th of this month. 

 He probably carried on with him any letters which 

 might have been at Santa F6 for me. I shall pro- 

 bably reach California with him or shortly after him. 

 Say to your father that these are my plans for the 

 future. 



"At the beginning of February (about Saturday) 

 I shall set out for California, taking the southern 

 route, by the Rio Abejo, the Paso del Norte, and the 

 south side of the Gila, entering California at the 

 Agua Caliente, thence to Los Angeles and imme- 

 diately north. I shall break up my party here and 

 take with me only a few men. The survey has been 

 uninterrupted up to this point, and I shall carry it 

 on consecutively. As soon as possible after reach- 

 ing California, I will go on with the survey of the 

 coast and coast-country. Your father knows that 



