has been supposed the hostile Californians would make a
stand, the position being so advantageous to them. The road, if road it
can be called, where all marks of hoofs or wheels are erased by each
succeeding tide, runs along a hard sand-beach, with occasional
projections of small points of level ground, ten or fifteen miles, and
the surf, even when the tide has fallen considerably, frequently
reaches to the bellies of the horses. Some demonstration has been
confidently expected here, but we encamped in this pass the first day
without meeting an enemy or seeing a sign of one. Our camp is close to
the ocean, and the roar of the surf, as it dashes against the shore, is
like that of an immense cataract. Hundreds of the grampus whale are
sporting a mile or two distant from the land, spouting up water and
spray to a great height, in columns resembling steam from the
escape-pipes of steam-boats. Distance 6 miles.

_January 5_.--The prize-schooner Julia was lying off in sight this
morning, for the purpose of co-operating with us, should there be any
attempt on the part of the enemy to interrupt the march of the
battalion. We reached the mission of San Buenaventura, and encamped a
short distance from it at two o'clock. Soon after, a small party of
Californians exhibited themselves on an elevation just beyond the
mission. The battalion was immediately called to arms, and marched out
to meet them. But, after the discharge of the two field-pieces, they
scampered away like a flock of antelopes, and the battalion returned to
camp, with none killed or wounded on either side. Under the belief that
there was a larger force of Californians encamped at a distance of some
five or six miles, and that during the night they might attempt a
surprise, or plant cannon on the summit of a hill about a mile from
camp, so as to annoy us, a party, of which I was one, was detached,
after dark, to occupy the hill secretly. We marched around the mission
as privately as possible, and took our position on the hill, where we
remained all night without the least disturbance, except by the
tempestuous wind, which blew a blast so cold and piercing as almost to
congeal the blood. When the sun rose in the morning, I could see, far
out in the ocean, three vessels scudding before the gale like phantom
ships. One of these was the little schooner that had been waiting upon
us while marching along the "Rincon." Distance 14 miles.

_January 6_.--The wind has blown