At the break of day we made the land, at the entrance of a small river and close to some find old ruins.  It was the very spot where I had intended to go with the Padre.  There were a few wild horses rambling in the neighbourhood; I cleaned my gun, loaded it again, and killed one; but not before the tired and hungry crew, stretched on the strand, proved by their nasal concerts that for the present their greatest necessity was repose after their fatigues.  There were twenty of them, including the captain.

I had led too much of an Indian life, not to know how to bear fatigue, and to be rapid in execution.  The sun was not more than three hours high, when I had already cooked the best part of the horse.  All the unfortunates were still asleep, and I found it was no easy matter to awake them.  At last, I hit upon an expedient which did not fail; I stuck the ramrod of my gun into a smoking piece of meat, and held it so that the fumes should rise under their very noses.  No fairy wand was ever more effective; in less than two minutes they were all chewing and swallowing their breakfast, with an energy that had anything but sleep in it.  It is no easy matter to satisfy twenty hungry Russians; but still there is an end to everything.  One of them knelt before me and kissed my feet.  Poor fellow! he thought that I had done a great deal for him and his companions, forgetting that perhaps I owed my own life to them.

The men were tired:  but when they heard that they could reach a city in the afternoon, they made preparation for departure with great alacrity.  We pulled slowly along the coast, for the heat was intense, and the rowers fast losing their strength.  At one o’clock I landed at my former encampment.  The padre had, of course, left the oars, sail, and blankets.  My skiff was rigged in a moment; and out of the blankets, those in the long-boat managed to make a sail, an oar and a long pole tied together answering for a mast.  In doubling the northern point of the bay, I perceived the Mexican schooner and many boats, pretty far at sea.  No doubt they were searching for me.

At six o’clock in the evening we landed at Monterey, amidst the acclamations of a wondering crowd.

I was a general favourite, and my loss had occasioned much alarm; so that when I landed I was assailed with questions from every quarter.  The women petted me, some kissed me (by-the-bye, those were d’un certain age), and all agreed that I should burn half a dozen of candles on the altar of the Virgin Mary.  There was one, however, who had wept for me; it was Isabella, a lovely girl of fifteen, and daughter to the old Governor.  The General, too, was glad to see me; he liked me very much, because we played chess while smoking our cigars, and because I allowed him to beat me, though I could have given him the queen and the move.  I will confess, sotto voce, that this piece of policy had been hinted to me by his daughters, who wished me to find favour in his sight.