San Diego to San Francisco 179 



the soil is most of it very good, and the cattle are 

 fine; wild mustard grows everywhere, to the 

 height of five feet or more; in the richest soil 

 attaining seven and eight feet, and we have twice 

 cooked our meal with no fuel but the stalks of this 

 weed. 



We have had great trouble with our mules for 

 want of grass, and the poor things wandered miles, 

 and we lost some few, and had difficulty in getting 

 the others. After long consultations we decided 

 to divide, eleven of us to bring on the mules and 

 take the valley of the Tulare for our route; the 

 rest of the company under Henry Mallory going 

 up in the barque Hector for thirty dollars each, as 

 our mules are utterly broken down, and we want 

 to get them through to San Francisco if we can. 

 So much for our splendid outfit, so much for the 

 plans of our Military Commander. But let it pass, 

 and I will try to describe our route. 



[No 6late.~\ Leaving Los Angeles at one o'clock, 

 with forty-six mules and ten men, I making the 

 eleventh, and two of the number being my true 

 friends Browning and Simson, we passed eastward 

 of the town, and followed the little river of the 

 same name, and camped on the best grass we had 

 had, and with so good a beginning, expected to 

 have the same for our poor animals for the rest of 

 our journey, and in some degree recruit them and 

 heal their sore backs. 



