CALIFORNIA. 
187 
cattle and make peace. These Indians do not use the tomahawk, nor 
practise scalping. They go unclothed, even in winter, although the 
climate is occasionally quite cold in this northern part of the valley. 
On the morning when the party were breaking up camp to embark, 
an Indian boldly seized the bowie-knife-pistol of Dr. Pickering, and 
made at once for the woods. He had chosen his time well, for no 
arms were at hand. Several of the men pursued him, but by his alert¬ 
ness he eluded all pursuit; and having gained the bushes, escaped with 
his prize. 
This act, committed in open daylight, and at the risk of life, shows 
how strong is their propensity to steal. All the other Indians present 
soon understood the difficulty, and at once took their departure. The 
chief was not present; those who were concerned in the theft had not 
been before seen, and it was conjectured belonged to one of the ran- 
cherias higher up the river. A short distance above the place where 
this occurred, they met the chief, to whom the theft was made known, 
and who promised to restore the stolen article. 
At noon they passed the Prairie Butes, which are a collection of 
isolated hills, rising from the level plain, as if out of the sea. As they 
were visited by the party that passed through from Oregon, I shall give 
a particular account of them in the narrative of that journey. They 
formed one of the connecting links between the operations of the two 
parties, and served to verify their respective observations. Indians were 
seen on the west bank of the river, with a number of women in com¬ 
pany, who seemed well disposed to enter into communication, as they 
motioned the party to land. 
In the afternoon they encamped on the west bank, at a considerable 
distance above the Butes. The river was here only two hundred feet 
wide, and its banks but fifteen feet high. The trees on the shores had 
now become quite thick, and grew w r ith great luxuriance; so much so, 
that were the sight confined to the river banks, it might be supposed 
that the country was one continued forest, instead of an open prairie. 
The Indians who visited them at this camp, were less timid, and a 
much finer-looking set of men than those before seen. They allowed 
the officers and men to examine their bows and arrows, and appeared 
to have confidence in our good feeling towards them. The old chief 
welcomed the party, granted them permission to encamp on the bank, 
and then departing with all his tribe, nothing more was seen of him 
until late the next morning. 
On the 31st, they again proceeded, and passed several Indian villages. 
Before noon, they arrived at a substantially-built fish-weir, of which 
the Indians began to take a part down, but Lieutenant-Commandant 
