iUMBOLDT RIVER, CARSON LAKE, AND OWENS RIVER 



passed to-' 



December 22.— Passed to-day a salt-] 



lake, half a m 



wide; lea vino- this, we turned up* a large 



hollow, for ah 



At this point there may be a pass over the n 



iountains,ju<U 



trails joining together here. The ascent, 





visable not to attempt it, our animals not 1 



>eing in a com 



periments. So we continued our route ir 



t a southerly d 



of the mountains. 





December 23 and 24.— Still among; the 



» hills. On th 



pack. Archambeau, Stradspeth, and Wh 



ite were sent 1 



on the evening- of the 24th, with the anim 



al. The mule 



White. The mule had wandered up one of the many ravines ir 

 the Indians were discovered, they were sitting very coolly among 

 had driven the mule, dividing the spoils; there were three of ther 

 had made a just division, but the coffee was to them perfectly i 

 read 1 .' charred and pounded Ir, without coming to any satisfacto 



blanket and an overcoat. Being three in their party, and being 



the men started for camp, bringing with them, as proof of their victory, some bows and 

 arrows, a large sack of sage-seed, about as digestible as sand, and a small sack of 

 some compound, which we could not make out; it was very palatable with coffee, of 

 a dark chocolate color.* 



Our Christmas was spent in a most unchristmas-like manner. Our camp was made 

 on the slope of the mountain, at some Indian wells of good water. The yuca tree is 

 here in great abundance, furnishing us a plentiful supply of fuel. The camp-fires 

 blazed and cracked joyously, the only merry things about us, and all that had any 

 resemblance to that merry time at home. The animals, on account of grass, were 

 guarded about a quarter of a mile from camp, higher up the mountain. 



December 25. — Christmas day opened clear and warm. We made our camp to- 

 day at some springs among the rocks; but little grass for our animals. Dined to-day, 

 by way of a change, on one of our tired, worn mules, instead of a horse. 



Turning from our camp of the 25th into the mountain by an easy ascent, and 

 over a somewhat broken road, arriving on the 27th, on the head-waters of a river.f 

 Continuing down this stream, on the 28th we made camp at its forks. This is the 

 appointed place of rendezvous. There are no signs yet of the Captain. Our pro- 



*I have seen the same dish among the Indians of California; it is prepared from roasted <,na>shnnn.: is u I 

 large crickets, poundrd up, and mix.d with, when procurable, some kind of animal grease. 

 t Now called Kern River. 



