2 SAN DIEGO TO 
11th instant, all in good health and spirits, notwith- 
standing we had to encounter numerous difficulties, 
undergo some hardships, endure some privations—to 
be exposed to the hostile attacks and depredations of 
Indians, and subjected to the loss of most of our ani- 
mals and much of our clothing, &c., and were necessa- 
rily placed on short allowance—compelled to walk a 
large portion of the distance, and be our own escort 
and night guard. 
‘“The mail closes so very soon, that it is impossible 
for me to render, in detail, a report of the trip at this 
time. I can only state, in brief, that the party con- 
sisted of twelve individuals and twenty-seven riding 
and pack-mules. 
“The animals, which were mostly feeble at the 
outset, and consequently not suited for such a journey, 
soon gave convincing proofs that they could not hold 
out, and daily, after leaving the Pimo villages, be- 
came reduced in number—sinking under the combined 
influence of excessive heat, deficiency of grazing, and 
destitution of water. Of the twenty-seven, but three 
were in a suitable condition to be brought in; five 
more I left at Williams’s rancho, about fifty miles dis- 
tant, to recruit; and the remainder sank under their 
loads at various places on the desert, and were necessa- 
rily abandoned to their fate; which was either to fall 
into the hands of roving Indians, who, like so many 
hungry vultures, were continually hovering around, 
anxiously awaiting an opportunity to avail themselves 
of any accident or misfortune that might occur, 
whereby they could gain possession of any of our pro- 
perty ; or should they elude the Indians, their fate most 
eat 
west SB va “ay 
