year after reaching California, every one of whom deserted, except a young black fellow named Isaac.  Mrs. Smith, a pleasant but delicate Louisiana lady, had a white maid-servant, in whose fidelity she had unbounded confidence; but this girl was married to a perfect stranger, and off before she had even landed in San Francisco.  It was, therefore, finally arranged that, on the California, I was to accompany General Smith to San Francisco as his adjutant-general.  I accordingly sold some of my horses, and arranged for others to go up by land; and from that time I became fairly enlisted in the military family of General Persifer F. Smith.

I parted with my old commander, Colonel Mason, with sincere regret.  To me he had ever been kind and considerate, and, while stern, honest to a fault, he was the very embodiment of the principle of fidelity to the interests of the General Government.  He possessed a native strong intellect, and far more knowledge of the principles of civil government and law than he got credit for.  In private and public expenditures he was extremely economical, but not penurious.  In cases where the officers had to contribute money for parties and entertainments, he always gave a double share, because of his allowance of double rations.  During our frequent journeys, I was always caterer, and paid all the bills.  In settling with him he required a written statement of the items of account, but never disputed one of them.  During our time, California was, as now, full of a bold, enterprising, and speculative set of men, who were engaged in every sort of game to make money.  I know that Colonel-Mason was beset by them to use his position to make a fortune for himself and his friends; but he never bought land or town-lots, because, he said, it was his place to hold the public estate for the Government as free and unencumbered by claims as possible; and when I wanted him to stop the public-land sales in San Francisco, San Jose, etc., he would not; for, although he did not believe the titles given by the alcaldes worth a cent, yet they aided to settle the towns and public lands, and he thought, on the whole, the Government would be benefited thereby.  The same thing occurred as to the gold-mines.  He never took a title to a town lot, unless it was one, of no real value, from Alcalde Colton, in Monterey, of which I have never heard since.  He did take a share in the store which Warner, Beator, and I, opened at Coloma, paid his share of the capital, five hundred dollars, and received his share of the profits, fifteen hundred dollars.  I think also he took a share in a venture to China with Larkin and others; but, on leaving California, he was glad to sell out without profit or loss.  In the stern discharge of his duty he made some bitter enemies, among them Henry M. Naglee, who, in the newspapers of the day, endeavored to damage his fair name.  But, knowing him intimately, I am certain that he is entitled to all praise for having so controlled