years.  His casa, when we arrived, was closed, and it was with some difficulty that we could gain admission.  When, however, the occupant of the house had ascertained, from one of the loopholes of the building, who we were, the doors were soon unbarred and we were admitted, but not without many sallies of Irish wit, sometimes good-natured, and sometimes keenly caustic and ironical.  We found a table spread with cold mutton and cold beef upon it.  A cup of coffee was soon prepared by the Indian muchachos and muchachas, and our host brought out some scheidam and aguardiente.  A draught or two of these liquids seemed to correct the acidity of his humour, and he entertained us with his jokes and conversation several hours.

October 18.—­From San Rafael to Sausolito, opposite San Francisco on the north side of the entrance to the bay, it is five leagues (fifteen miles), generally over elevated hills and through deep hollows, the ascents and descents being frequently steep and laborious to our animals.  Starting at half-past seven o’clock, we reached the residence of Captain Richardson, the proprietor of Sausolito, about nine o’clock in the morning.  In travelling this distance we passed some temporary houses, erected by American emigrants on the mission lands, and the rancho of Mrs. Reed, a widow.  We immediately hired a whale-boat from one of the ships, lying here, at two dollars for each passenger, and between ten and eleven o’clock we landed in San Francisco.

I met, soon after my arrival, Mr. Lippincott, heretofore mentioned, who accompanied us a portion of the distance over the mountains; and Mr. Hastings, who, with Mr. Hudspeth, conducted a party of the emigrants from fort Bridger by the new route, via the south end of the Salt Lake, to Mary’s River.  From Mr. Lippincott I learned the particulars of an engagement between a party of the emigrants (Captain West’s company) and the Indians on Mary’s River, which resulted, as has before been stated, in the death of Mr. Sallee and a dangerous arrow wound to Mr. L. He had now, however, recovered from the effects of the wound.  The emigrants, who accompanied Messrs. Hastings and Hudspeth, or followed their trail, had all reached the valley of the Sacramento without any material loss or disaster.

I remained at San Francisco from the 18th to the 22d of October.  The weather during this time was sufficiently cool to render fires necessary to comfort in the houses; but fireplaces or stoves are luxuries which but few of the San Franciscans have any knowledge of, except in their kitchens.  This deficiency, however, will soon be remedied.  American settlers here will not build houses without chimneys.  They would as soon plan a house without a door, or with the entrance upon its roof, in imitation of the architecture of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico.

CHAPTER VI.