lakes of snow flying in the air, but melting
before they reached the ground. The small spring-branch on which we
encamped empties into the Salinas River. The country surrounding us is
elevated and broken, and the soil sandy, with but little timber or
grass upon it. Distance 12 miles.

_December 6_.--Morning clear and cool. Crossed an undulating country,
destitute of timber and water, and encamped in a circular valley
surrounded by elevated hills, through which flows a small tributary of
the Salinas. The summits of the mountains in sight are covered with
snow, but the temperature in the valleys is pleasant. Distance 15
miles.

_December 7_.--Ice, the first I have seen since entering California,
formed in the branch, of the thickness of window-glass. We reached the
valley of the Salinas about eleven o'clock A.M., and encamped for the
day. The river Salinas (laid down in some maps as Rio San Buenaventura)
rises in the mountains to the south, and has a course of some sixty or
eighty miles, emptying into the Pacific about twelve miles north of
Monterey. The valley, as it approaches the ocean, is broad and fertile,
and there are many fine ranchos upon it. But, higher up, the stream
becomes dry in the summer, and the soil of the valley is arid and
sandy. The width of the stream at this point is about thirty yards. Its
banks are skirted by narrow belts of small timber. A range of elevated
mountains rises between this valley and the coast. A court-martial was
held to-day, for the trial of sundry offenders. Distance 8 miles.

_December 8_.--Morning cool, clear, and pleasant. Two Californians were
arrested by the rear-guard near a deserted rancho, and brought into
camp. One of them turned out to be a person known to be friendly to the
Americans. There has been but little variation in the soil or scenery.
But few attempts appear to have been made to settle this portion of
California. The thefts and hostilities of the Tular Indians are said to
be one of the causes preventing its settlement. Distance 15 miles.

_December 9_.--The mornings are cool, but the middle of the day is too
warm to ride comfortably with our coats on. Our march has been
fatiguing and difficult, through several brushy ravines and over steep
and elevated hills. Many horses gave out as usual, and were left, from
inability to travel. Our _caballada_ is diminishing rapidly. Distance
10 miles.

_December 10_.--Our march has been on the main beaten trail, dry and