had previously
_rendezvoused_ at the fort, numbering about sixty, as I understood. At
my request messengers were sent by Mr. Kern, commandant of the fort,
and by Captain Sutter, to the Indian chiefs on the San Joaquin River
and its tributaries, to meet me at the most convenient points on the
trail, with such warriors of their tribes as chose to volunteer as
soldiers of the United States, and perform military service during the
campaign. I believed that they would be useful as scouts and spies. On
the 14th and 15th eight men (emigrants who had just arrived in the
country, and had been enrolled at Johnson's settlement by Messrs. Reed
and Jacob) arrived at the fort; and on the morning of the 16th, with
these, we started to join Colonel Fremont, supposed to be at Monterey;
and we encamped at night on the Coscumne River.

The weather is now pleasant. We are occasionally drenched with a shower
of rain, after which the sun shines warm and bright; the fresh grass is
springing up, and the birds sing and chatter in the groves and thickets
as we pass through them. I rode forward, on the morning of the 17th, to
the Mickelemes River (twenty-five miles from the Coscumne), where I met
Antonio, an Indian chief, with twelve warriors, who had assembled hero
for the purpose of joining us. The names of the warriors were as
follows;--Santiago, Masua, Kiubu, Tocoso, Nonelo, Michael, Weala,
Arkell, Nicolas, Heel, Kasheano, Estephen. Our party coming up in the
afternoon, we encamped here for the day, in order to give the Indians
time to make further preparations for the march. On the 18th we met, at
the ford of the San Joaquin River, another party of eighteen Indians,
including their chiefs. Their names were--Jose Jesus, Filipe,
Ray-mundo, and Carlos, chiefs; Huligario, Bonefasio, Francisco,
Nicolas, Pablo, Feliciano, San Antonio, Polinario, Manuel, Graviano,
Salinordio, Romero, and Merikeeldo, warriors. The chiefs and some of
the warriors of these parties were partially clothed, but most of them
were naked, except a small garment around the loins. They were armed
with bows and arrows. We encamped with our sable companions on the east
bank of the San Joaquin.

The next morning (Nov. 19), the river being too high to ford, we
constructed, by the aid of the Indians, tule-boats, upon which our
baggage was ferried over the stream. The tule-boat consists of bundles
of tule firmly hound together with willow withes. When completed, in
shape it is no