\ 



106 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



.when they were under the charge of the missions they were all 

 comfortable and happy, but since the good priests had been removed, 

 and the missions placed in the hands of the people of the country, 

 they had been ill treated. This change took place in 1836, and 

 many of the missions passed into the hands of men and their con- 

 nexions, who had effected the change. 



u^ 



hot spring, of the temperature of 137° Fahrenheit, discharging from 

 the fissure of a granite rock a large volume of water, which, for a 

 long distance down, charges the air with the fumes of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen. Above it, and draining down the same valley, is a cold 

 spring of the temperature of 45°, and without the aid of any me- 

 chanical instrument, the cold and warm' water may be commingled 

 to suit the temperature of the bather. 



The Indians have made pools for bathing. They huddle around 

 the basin of the spring to catch the genial warmth of its vapors, and 

 in cold nights immerse themselves in the pools to keep warm. A 

 day will come, no doubt, when the invalid and pleasure seeking 

 portion of the white race, will assemble here to drink and bathe in 

 th'ese waters, ramble over the hills which surround it on all sides, 



and sit under the shade of the great live oaks that grow in the 

 valley. , . 



Our information in reference to. the state of affairs in California 

 was yet very imperfect and unsatisfactory. Marshall spoke of a 

 Mr. Stokes, an Englishman, who lived fifteen miles distant, on the 

 road to San Diego. The general at once despatched Marshall to 

 him, and in three hours he appeared in our camp, presenting a very 

 singular and striking appearance. His dress was a black velvet 

 English hunting coat, a pair of black velvet trowsers, cut off at the 

 knee and open on the outside to the hip, beneath which ^vere 

 drawers of spotless white; his leggins were of black buck-skin, and 

 his heels armed with spurs six inches long. Above the whole 

 bloomed the broad merry face of Mr. Stokes, the Englishman. He 

 was very frank, proclaimed himself a neutral, but gave us all the 

 information he possessed; which was, that Commodore Stockton 

 was m possession of San Diego, and that all the country between 

 that place and Santa Barbara was in possession of the " country 

 people." He confirmed all that Marshall had said, and stated he 

 was going to San Diego the next mornincr. The general gave him 

 a letter for that place. o & d 



I made observations at night for time and latitude, but the flying 

 clouds, and the trembling ground on which we were encamped, 

 made it a delicate operation. 



Information was received on the 2d, that fifteen miles dist:.nt,_ oa 

 the road to the Pueblo, a band of horses and mules were catched, 

 belonging to General Flores and others. Tired as our people were, 

 nightfall found twenty- five of them in the saddle, with fresh horses, 

 under the command of Lieut. Davidson, accompanied by Carson, 

 on their way m pursuit of the cache. Davidson was successful, and 

 returned with the horses on the 3d, about meridian; but the animals, 



i 



