486 EXPLOEINGS ACEOSS THE GREAT BASIN OF CJTAH. 



Frhrxanj 11. — To-day we were joined by Carson and Owens, at the crossing. 

 Crossing the river in boats or rafts, made of tule'. 



FSnmry 15.— To-day we met a party of the boys with fresh horses, sent out to 

 meet us. We passed through the pueblo of San Jose. The country between the pueblo 

 and the ( ^alaveras is beautiful, and well suited for cultivation; the streams are well tim- 

 bered with different species of oaks. The flowering season is commencing, adding 

 great beauty to the plains, by their variegated colors. The mission of San Jose is 

 about twelve miles from the town, situated at the foot of a mountain, on the road from 

 the crossing of the San Joaquin. It was formerly one of the richest missions in the 

 upper country ; it presents now but a poor appearance, and shows the evil resulting 

 from the removal of the padres, whose posts were replaced by rapacious "administradors" 

 of government. The building is very large and built of adobes; the roof is of tiles. 

 Long rows of adobe buildings, one story high, used as the dwellings of the native con- 

 verts, are now in a most dilapidated condition, scarcely affording shelter for the few 

 miserable Indians who still cling to those hearths, where they had been raised, by 

 the kindness of the founders, to something like civilization. The remains of the gar- 

 dens and vineyards show the care and labor bestowed on the grounds bv the fathers. 

 Opposite to the mission, on an eminence, is the Campo Santro ; the entrance to it is 

 surmounted by a large cross. From here we can see an arm of the bay of San Fran- 

 cisco. The pueblo of San Jose is a small town of some 50 or 60 houses, most of them 

 in a very crumbling condition, showing the slothful habits of the people. We arrived 

 about noon at the " Laguna form," where we rejoined Captain Fremont, who was 

 anxiously awaiting our arrival. Both parties were again united, without any serious 

 accident having happened to either, and both had had their share of hard times. 



wh< n' ■! ' "\7u ' '' ll ' ' Walkcrhad S ivenade8cri Ption oithejvalley of California, 



Jaim 6 a "lslf " 1 " ! ' i !" vlT t h of December till the 18tb of 



fr"!!"" 1 / ' '" ' u ' r "' vl;:u ' 1 •"■ r '--tli. ialley.tli. description an.ltherude map which Imade 



Reyes we cross Supposing we had entered the valley at the river 



, ' ■ ' ■ '■ ;. , 



the rfl ( * 'j^"'.'' I remember Walker's telling me that 



to make a cut-off, we left its banks, and in expectation of again 



T' ; »l'* ?i^aeaS rf B o^p^ aPUin ^^^ " ^ * ^^ hj "" mem ° h ° f 184d ' having ascended the *»*Z£ 



E. M. K. 



