6 SAN DIEGO TO 
Pacific Ocean, a distance of more than eight hundred 
miles, would at any time be a labor of difficulty. But 
. when this whole line is through a desolate region, with 
a scanty supply of grass for the animals; with large 
tracts destitute of water, and no means of procuring 
provisions; and furthermore, when nearly the entire 
distance is invested by hostile Indians, the work is one 
for the near completion of which we could not be too 
thankful. The whole came through in good health, 
and with the loss of but one man, Thomas Harper, an 
attendant on instruments in Lieutenant Whipple’s 
party, who was unfortunately drowned whilst bathing 
in the Colorado. The amount of public property lost 
or abandoned on the journey was not large, and could 
easily be replaced in this country. 
During my short stay at San Diego, I was busily 
occupied in paying off and reducing the Commission. 
Several of the assistants desired to leave here, and the 
larger portion of the mechanics and laborers. In fact, 
I found it difficult to keep such as were necessary to 
take care of the animals and other property, as well as 
the cooks and servants needed to attend the several 
messes. Wages were exceedingly high, and I was 
compelled to advance the pay of all that remained to 
the California rates, which were from fifty to eighty 
dollars a month for servants, cooks, teamsters, and 
herdsmen. After reducing the parties, and placing 
those who remained in comfortable quarters (for the 
weather was cold and wet), I made my arrangements 
to go to San Francisco, in order to procure a new out- 
fit of tents and camp equipage; to have the instruments 
repaired and put in order; to lay in provisions for our 
