744 REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



recording, and, as they are mostly disconnected, I will take tliem up in 

 the order in which they occurred. 



On the 19th of May, when I arrived at the fishery, the country looked 

 magnificently. All the foliage was fresh and green, owing to the recent 

 heavy rains. Azalias, roses, the beautiful golden poppies of this 

 region, with a thousand other gorgeous California flowers, were in bloom 

 in vast profusion; and so thoroughly saturated with water was the 

 earth, from the excessive rainfall of the winter, that it was long after 

 the usual time when the desiccating influence of the dry season began 

 to show its withering effect upon the vegetation. 



On Sunday, May 26, an incident occurred which, though resulting in 

 nothing of importance, seems to illustrate the uncertainty with which 

 life in remote and unsettled regions like this is accompanied. About 

 midnight we were awakened by the dogs barking violently in the di- 

 rection of the hill behind the house. Upon sending them out to see 

 what was the matter, they went about ten rods to some thick brush, 

 and retiu'ued yelping. At the same time we could distinctly hear 

 stones being thrown at them. It was dark. There was only one man 

 in the house besides myself, and we only had one gun between us. 

 With the exception of the hostler at the stage station, a mile distant, 

 there was not a white man within three miles. We were in a coun- 

 try which we knew was often frequented by desperadoes, and where 

 the stage has been robbed six times in a month, and where murders 

 are not of unfrequent occurrence. It might be only one or two burg- 

 lars in the bushes, but how did we know that they were not a gang 

 of cut-throats who were taking advantage of our weakness to over- 

 power us, and secure the money which is supposed to be at a govern- 

 ment station like this. It was impossible to help thinking that if that 

 were the case, how easy it would be for a few determined men to set fire 

 to the buildings, and then to pick us ofl", one by one, as we endeavored 

 to escape. That has been the fate of a great many jjersons in unsettled 

 portions of California, and why should it not be ours ? I follow out this 

 line of thought merely to illustrate the uncertainty which attends this 

 sort of life. In point of fact the only result was that we remained awake 

 the rest of the night, and in the morning we saw where the men, who- 

 ever they were, had thrown the rocks at the dogs. That was all. 



A very natural sequel to this incident took place just a week later, 

 and also illustrates the uncertainty which I have just mentioned. About 

 nine o'clock one evening we heard a great deal of noise, accompanied 

 with some quarrelling among the Indians about a quarter of a mile 

 below the house. The noise continuing, two of our men started down 

 the road to see what the matter was, and on arriving at the fishery sta- 

 ble found one or two men engaged in robbing a teamster who was stop- 

 ping there over night. One or two shots were fired by our party, but 

 the robbers escaped. We found, however, that the rascals had not only 

 robbed the teamster of his money, but had taken from his wagon twenty 



