1826. 



PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 43 



Burr! Burri, about twelve miles from Sdn Francisco ; chap. 



and being unused to travelling, especially upon Cali- v ^^ 



fornian saddles, which are by no means constructed Nov. 

 for comfort, they determined to rest, until the baggage 

 that had been left in the rear should overtake them. 

 The house in which they lodged was a small mi- 

 serable mud cottage full of holes, which, however, 

 afforded them some repose and some new milk. Its in- 

 habitants had been engaged in tanning, in which pro- 

 cess they used a liquid extracted from oak bark, con- 

 tained in a hide suspended by the corners. They had 

 also collected in great quantities a very useful root 

 called in that country amoles, which seems to answer 

 all the purposes of soap. 



From Burri Burri, a continuation of the Sierra de 

 San Bruno passes along the centre of the peninsula 

 formed by the sea and the Estrecho de San Jos6, and 

 is separated from this arm of the harbour by a plain, 

 upon which the travellers now descended from the 

 mountains, and journied at a more easy and agreeable 

 rate than they had done on the rugged paths among the 

 hills. This plain near the sea is marshy, and having 

 obtained the name of Las Salinas is probably over- 

 flowed occasionally by the sea. The number of wild 

 geese which frequent it is quite extraordinary, and 

 indeed would hardly be credited by any one who had 

 not seen them covering whole acres of ground, or 

 rising in myriads with a clang that may be heard at a 

 very considerable distance. They are said to arrive 

 in California in November, and to remain there until 

 March. Their flesh in general is hard and fishy, but 

 it was reported by padre Luis Gil, of the mission of 

 Santa Crux, that those which have yellow feet are 

 exceptions to this, and are excellent eating. The 



