Chapter V: Introduction (4)

We set out about six o'clock in the morning, following the direction of the river, which runs to the northwest, although it turns occasionally north and south. We traveled about seven leagues and came upon several openings which entered and left here and there, but all of little consequence. They all connect with the river which we are following. In the afternoon we started at one o'clock. The river widens wherever it shoals, and in some places becomes almost a bay, because the land is very low. After going three leagues from this afternoon's starting point we came upon the entrance which we took on the 18th on the up-trip and the one of which I spoke on the 22nd. Here the waters of the river again unite.[48] This entrance remains on the left hand going downstream. There are a few small trees, like brush, and on the opposite bank also a few other small trees. If people come up this way again, they should leave this entrance to their right hand and go directly up the river because this [route] is much better and shorter. We went on down the river. At half a league we took another channel on the right [going downstream] which is an arm of the Rio de San Francisco [Sacramento] and which connects here with the San Juan Capistrano [San Joaquin]. This can be navigated only by pilots familiar with the terrain, such as performed the task for us. It seems small at first, but later widens considerably, and from here on travels northward. At the end of a league we encountered two other entrances, one of which leads north and the other east. That to the east we did not explore, for, according to the statements of the Indians, who said that it came to an end soon, it appeared to me to be one of the [branches of] the Rio San Juan Capistrano which we saw this morning, and which breaks off to the right. I was not certain of this but it seemed likely, according to the direction and the opinion of the Indians. We took the branch to the north, as I said, and in a little while we stopped on a height in the midst of a thicket full of trees of considerable thickness, but which is nevertheless an island, as we saw in the following days. To the other side of this high ground everything is under water. The Indians today did not cease returning to see what course we were taking, but we could not catch them because everywhere they hide in the swamps.

_25th day._ We set out at seven o'clock in the morning. We cruised to the north, with a few turns to the east. I have already said that this is a branch of the Rio de San Francisco. It is necessary to traverse it by day because it has several tree trunks crosswise in the channel, but it has depth and width. At about three leagues we suddenly ran onto three heathen Indians. At first they fled precipitately, but soon they halted, because one had just been on a visit to Mission San Jose with the two other heathen and two neophytes of the same mission, San Jose. These we sent to the village so that we should not come upon it unexpectedly. The third [heathen] we took with us in the boat. At about two leagues we descried the village, which was in two sections, one on each side of the river.[49] As soon as [the inhabitants] saw us there began a great uproar, in spite of which they told us by signs where the river was deepest. The two guides whom we carried with us managed to make them be quiet, and performed good services in this respect. We went ashore and only the priests and two soldiers stayed in the boat. The Indians went ahead with their chatter and finally they [the natives] calmed down. The village, as I have said already, is divided between the two banks of the river, which is perhaps 30 to 40 varas wide. Those on the left hand, which is to the west,[50] were of evil disposition. However much those on the right bank tried, they could not induce more than half of the men [on the left bank] to cross to the other side. Finally they were half pacified, although it always seemed as if they were in a bad mood. They were given a few little presents, and they gave acorn mush to the neophytes. About 200 men presented themselves, for other villages had joined them. Already they had told us that they, the Tauquimenes, were going to fight.

There was a large population but only a few old women allowed themselves to be seen. The young women, boys, and girls had hidden, either in the brush or in the houses themselves. Soon after we had arrived there sixteen young men appeared, making a disturbance, as they are accustomed to do. One of the chiefs ran to meet them, as well as an elderly woman, and took their bows away from them. We ate with them, although it was rather uncomfortable because they never did quiet down entirely. They said they were behaving in this manner because they had been told that we had killed all the people at the village of the Coyboses, which is near Pescadero on one of the branches of the Rio de San Juan Capistrano [San Joaquin]. Furthermore, I am sure that [the population] of several villages had come together in this restricted locality, because some of the Indians said they had come to gather acorns and there are extensive woods [here]. At last peace was established and we took our departure, although before we left we told them that if they wanted to fight, let them take up their arms. But they said no.

After traveling about a mile we entered the river, which here divides into two branches. It is a fine river and carries plenty of water; indeed the stream which we had been following contained no more than one-third as much. The river extends to the north, but from here we went down the branch to the west.[51] The heathen now came out to accompany us and show us the way. This division of the stream is 28 to 30 leagues east of the mission of San Francisco.

Having gone down the river one league we came upon another village which had fourteen houses, and in this village there were already some of the men who had been in the previous one. They showed us the landing place and behaved in a very friendly fashion, but nevertheless we saw no more than two or three women of great age. So we went along, seeing other little hamlets of two or three houses, and it became evident that all [the inhabitants] had assembled in the large village previously mentioned.

In all this day we traveled about twelve leagues and the number of people may have reached some 1,200 souls. However there may have been more, for the first [village] could have contained about 2,000, according to the size of the houses here, which are 28 to 30 varas in circumference with a post in the center. Also it was said that a considerable number of people were higher up [the river] gathering acorns.

All that we have passed today is part of an island. Each branch [of the river] is covered with trees on both banks, of various kinds and very large. There are many walnut trees and wild grapes but the latter have stems so thick that those who have seen grapes in favorable countries say they have never seen such thick trunks. The land on both sides rises considerably. It is excellent for anything which one might wish to sow, in those areas not covered with underbrush.[52]

Higher up the river the heathen said there was another channel which is as large, or larger than, the one which we are following. This is true, for the next day we found where it joined with the latter and the [volume of] water is doubled.[53] Therefore the river higher up must be little smaller than the San Juan Capistrano. We stopped and slept on an elevation covered with trees of the kinds described previously.

_26th day._ We set out at seven o'clock in the morning. The river spreads out considerably and in two places the boats ran aground because the tide was very low. However there is a [deeper] channel along the banks. After we had gone about a league and a half we reached the stream entrance which was mentioned yesterday and the water was doubled in quantity and the river now was about 7 varas deep and 400 wide. From here downward [the river] seems like an arm of the ocean, for the land becomes lower and at the meeting point of the sea and the other river the current is brought to a standstill. The two streams are from the Rio de San Francisco and, with the stream which we left yesterday, constitute in all three channels and consequently form islands.[54] Farther above, where all the water is united in a single stream, the river must be as large as it is down here, but nevertheless it will not be as large as the San Juan Capistrano.

Down here, where the two channels unite, there is a village of the Ompines. Some of the people have already been baptized at San Jose, because they [are accustomed to] pass over to the opposite shore. We traveled in the entire day some twelve leagues and stopped where the hills end which are opposite the high hill of the Bolbones and which are very bare, completely devoid of trees and shrubs. However, the deer run in herds, for there are some great plains with an occasional low hill.[55] Those persons should come to this point who wish to sail up the Rio de San Francisco, as we have heard it was formerly called, for it was here that the schooners turned around.[56] We went on to the place where we slept on the 17th of this month and it seems to me that they [the former explorers] came this far and must have returned from here, that is, without ascending higher up the river, because there is not enough water for schooners.

The first six leagues which we covered today are populated, as I said before, with various kinds of trees, but the last six are very bare. This Rio de San Francisco, which we are now leaving, is good for any kind of settlement and contains many people, but one cannot get to it except by boat. The narrowest passages are at the Port of San Francisco or at the Strait of Carquinez.

_27th day._ Holy Mass was celebrated at the hill of the Ompines. We set out at about eleven o'clock in the morning and went some twelve leagues, six of them to the north and the rest winding through a slough of fresh water close to the land of the opposite shore. We slept on a height about a league before arriving at the plain of the Suisunes. All that we have passed today is low, but very bare hills; in all this country there is no running stream. Going from here to the Suisunes there must be at least a half-tide so that the boats will not run aground.[57]

_28th day._ Holy Mass was celebrated, the day being that of the Holy Apostles, St. Simon and St. Jude. We went about one league and stopped at the end of the slough of the Suisunes [Suisun Slough] at half a boat's length from shore so that one could jump onto solid ground. It was on a big plain, with fine land, completely covered at a short distance with oaks and live oaks, finally becoming uneven and hilly. The Serro de los Bolbones [Mt. Diablo] lies about twelve leagues to the southwest.

We sent four neophytes from the San Francisco Mission, natives of this area, to locate their countrymen, and fifty men from two villages presented themselves, all unarmed. They brought us some of those things which they held in highest esteem and gave us their war decorations.[58] We responded in the same manner by paying part of their value. The villages are called Malaca and Suisun. According to what the Indians said, the latter is divided into three parts. They claimed that it was quite close but according to the signs between here and the shore somewhat less than two leagues away; a short time ago they were living on the shore. That was where Second Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga struck them the blow.[59] Thoroughly cowed the poor people have remained, for they are badly scared. There is another village called Ululato farther away. It had been told us that they wanted to fight but the exact opposite happened, because they did not dare to visit us. In terror they sent us some eighteen presents, which were not worth much, using a Suisun as messenger, and stated, as I have indicated, that they were afraid to approach us. The presents were paid for, by means of the Suisun, who was sent to tell them that they should not be afraid. But they did not appear. It is known that these people are all very tractable. The place is very good for the establishment of missions but there remains the difficulty of getting there except by boat through the narrow passages mentioned above.

_29th day._ We set out at two o'clock in the morning and arrived at Carquinez Strait by sunrise. The section which we traversed this morning is a large bay, and before arriving at the Strait the water is already salty. The Carquinez Hills also are bare.[60] We stopped below the Strait about four hours and in the afternoon arrived at Angel Island opposite the Presidio. We sailed in the afternoon under a favorable wind and reversed the trip of the first two days by the same route. The two bays and their islands are discussed there [i.e., the entries for the first two days]. We could have reached the Presidio if we had not stopped so long, because on the down trip one goes at least twice as fast. This is because at least eight of the twelve hours from tide to tide are consumed by the outgoing tide, which flows very rapidly. There is a quite natural reason [for this phenomenon], for the water which enters must flow out again, having been held in the meantime by the rivers, plus that which the rivers themselves carry down. All this I have already heard from the Indians, and on that account those who are not very skillful, struggling to[61]...

_30th day._ We left Angel Island, opposite the Presidio at ten o'clock in the morning. Up till now the sea had been calm, but now a squall fell upon us, the sea arose, and we took shelter on the opposite shore, in front of the fort. The sea stayed in this condition all day. In the afternoon it seemed to certain persons that there was some improvement. Finally we crossed, although the sea was quite rough and we, the fifty-eight people, arrived at the Presidio. The only difficulty was the breaking of a rudder pintle of the mission boat on a log, but it was soon repaired.

Presidio of San Francisco, Gervasio Arguello
31 October 1811 (rubric)

JOSE ARGUELLO'S ATTACK ON AN INDIAN VILLAGE, 1813

The excerpt below is apparently a direct quotation, although there are no quotation marks in the transcript.

_Jose Arguello to Governor Arrillaga_
San Francisco, October 31, 1813
(Prov. St. Pap., XIX: 334-348)

On the 22nd of the month now ending ten soldiers left this Presidio
and embarked in one of the launches of the near-by mission of San
Francisco in order to join Master Sergeant Francisco Soto. He left
San Jose Mission the same day with two soldiers and 100 Indian
auxiliaries for the purpose of capturing the fugitives from the
above-mentioned mission of San Jose. Having united on the 25th with
the troops which set sail from here the 22nd, he navigated the
rivers all the night of the 25th, hiding as soon as day dawned on
the 26th so as not to be detected.

The following night they continued and at dawn of the 27th they fell
upon the village where the fugitives were located.[62] This was on
a quite large island, very brush and swamp. Nevertheless they were
observed long before they arrived because the fugitive Indians,
informed many days previously that the soldiers were going in search
of them, gathered together the people of four villages throughout
the area and sent out their spies and scouts in all directions from
which they suspected they might be surprised. They segregated at the
same time all the women and children who could act as a hindrance
to them and held all the warriors to await the troops. As a result,
when the troops arrived they encountered a stubborn resistance, for
they were opposed on all sides by innumerable Indians who were
waiting, fully prepared.

According to Soto's estimate, there might have been over 1,000
warriors. The latter attacked with such fury that all the valor
of the soldiers was necessary in order to repulse them. This was
accomplished by heavy fire, the hostile Indians maintaining their
offensive for a long time and holding their position on all sides
without perceiving the damage which their obstinacy caused them.
They were confident perhaps in their own great number and the small
number of soldiers and Indian auxiliaries with whom they were
contending, as well as the advantages provided them by the terrain.
Soto for a while saw victory as uncertain, because of the large
number of adversaries, and the multitude of arrows which flew
at them, while at the same time the enemy showed only obstinate
resistance. Finally the savages recognized that the resistance was
merely a danger to themselves and decided to retreat. Then, although
Soto pursued them in their flight for a long time he gained no
decision because of the difficulties of the terrain, where it was
necessary in places to walk in water up to the knees. The Indians
were much favored by very close thickets in which they could hide.
Although they were dislodged from that place, the river was very
near and they all jumped in to swim, some crossing to the opposite
island, others hiding in the dense tule swamps where they could not
be followed. For this reason it was not possible to capture anyone.

The enemy was left badly beaten and adequately punished for his
boldness, for the battle was very costly, and in the action a
considerable number were killed. On our part only one of the Indian
auxiliaries died, a man named Julio, whom they seriously wounded but
who got back without being captured by our opponents. This loss,
compared with that suffered by the enemy and considered with
reference to the very limited number who broke them and cut them
to pieces, makes it reasonable to consider the outcome favorable,
particularly in view of the poor chances attending a campaign with
such unequal numbers and with such advantages in terrain for the
savages. Thus the troops had to stand waiting for the enemy, and at
the same time watch their footing on ground so muddy and swampy that
in places the water came above their knees. This in turn made the
savages more desperate in their attack because they encouraged each
other by saying (as the Indian auxiliaries interpreted them) that
the soldiers were worth nothing on foot, that they knew how to fight
only on horseback. But they came out very disillusioned for they
found that [the soldiers] fought on foot the same as on horseback
and that their weapons were invincible, regardless of style.

At the end of the attack, which lasted for three hours, retirement
was accomplished from this place on the afternoon of the same day,
the 27th. Again all the people were embarked and, after landing on
the mainland of San Jose, the Indian auxiliaries took up their march
toward that mission under the care of two soldiers. Soto continued
his journey by water with the remaining troops and the Indian
oarsmen as far as the Presidio, where he arrived on the evening of
the 28th....[63]

... Worthy of praise, as Soto himself declared to me, are the Indian
auxiliaries who accompanied him by virtue of their obedience and the
valor with which they threw themselves into the most dangerous parts
of the battle--without showing any cowardice.[64]

VI. EXPEDITIONS, 1815-1820

In 1815 a joint expedition consisting of two or more parties traversed the valley. Two full accounts remain, those of Ortega and of Pico. In 1816 Father Luis Antonio Martinez circulated in the Tulare Lake region, some of his exploits generating a lively controversy with other friars. The delta was again visited in 1817 by Father Narciso Duran, who left an extensive diary. With him was Lieutenant Luis Arguello, who also submitted a report. All these documents are presented herewith.

The last important expedition of the pioneering period was that of Estudillo in 1819, but, as explained previously, this diary has already been translated and published. Subsequent to 1820 numerous incursions were made into the valley and even well into the Sierra Nevada. They were, however, not exploratory in character but were outright military raids and campaigns. They should therefore not be included in the present group of expeditions.

ORTEGA'S EXPEDITION TO KINGS RIVER AND TULARE LAKE, 1815

_Juan Ortega's Diary_

Copy, made by Sergeant Ortega at Mission San Juan Bautista with
covering letter, of diary, November 4-15, 1815, of expedition from
Mission San Miguel, accompanied by Father Juan Cabot and soldiers,
in search of runaway Indians. Report on the lower Kings River and
"Tulare Lake" area.

Diary written by Master Sergeant Don Juan de Ortega with reference
to the localities which, by order of the Governor, I was directed to
survey, reckoning from November 4 up to the day when junction was
made with Sergeant Jose Dolores Pico on Kings River.

_4th day._ At about ten o'clock in the evening I arrived at San Miguel Mission with a party of fifteen men. At one and one-half leagues from the mission we joined that night another party of the same number which came from Monterey.

_5th day._ This day I left the said mission, accompanied by Reverend Father Fray Juan Cabot and, together with the party, moved camp for the night at the place called Cholam.[1]

_6th day._ We stayed all day in this place organizing the horses.

_7th [and 8th] day._ At dawn we started out and camped for the night at Chenem. Here I remained all day of the 8th until sundown. Then we traveled all night so as not to be seen by the Indians. Because we were now in the Plain of the Tulares and because it is a land without trails the guide and all of us lost our direction and did not know where we were. However, having sent out Corporal Juan Arroyo, a soldier, and the guide to explore, they returned after a long time with the report that we were near Kings River. I immediately ordered haste to be made, but even so we could not reach the crossing of the river before dawn.

_9th day._ Realizing that it was useless to fall upon the village of Tache[2] in the daytime, for the sun was already up, I decided to remain hidden all day in a low area formed by a bend in the river. We managed to catch two old Indians who were coming to fish who, before they went back to their village of Tache, told us its correct location. At sunset, the same afternoon, I decided to post two men with horses hidden at the river crossing to prevent Indians from getting to the village. After they had been there a little while two Indians appeared on horseback going through the meadow toward the village mentioned, with four animals ahead of them, one loaded with fish. However, seeing themselves overtaken by the soldiers, they abandoned horses and saddle and crossed the river by swimming. In the darkness of the night, along the river and in the tule swamps and thickets it was impossible to catch them. By the saddle the soldier Martin Olivera recognized the Indian Antonio, a fugitive from Soledad Mission.

_10th day._ At dawn I attacked the village of Tache although considerably discouraged by my suspicion that the two Indian fugitives had given word during the night of our arrival. As a matter of fact, I found the village deserted. I followed through the tule swamp and after going a little way I met three armed Indians at a distance of about one hundred long varas. We talked to them through the interpreter. The reply they gave us was that they were afraid; whereupon they plunged into the marshy lake. I waited here until nearly nine o'clock in the morning, together with the Father, calling to them. Finally some eight or nine of them showed themselves, unarmed, but buried deep in the swamp. We urged them to come out, but with no effect. They said that all the people were scared and were hiding in the lake because the fugitive Indians and other Christian runaways from Soledad had told them we were coming to kill them at the point of the lance. Here were found three horses, one from San Miguel and two from Soledad, formerly in possession of the fugitives. These Indians informed us that the Indian Antonio and his companions the previous night had started in the direction of the village of Notonto.[3] With a view to seeing if we could catch them I decided to visit the latter village. But all was in vain, for we arrived at the town a little before sunset and were received by the Indian inhabitants with much affection. Indeed, two of them came out to meet us on the road, giving us their poor presents and imparting the information that no fugitives had appeared there. After the Father, with some of the soldiers, had dismounted and after they had inspected the entire village, we retired to camp for the night at a distance of one and a half gunshots. The Indians came there to serve the troops by bringing water and firewood.

_11th day._ At dawn the Indians returned to bid us farewell with much rejoicing. We took the direction of the village of Telame,[4] where we arrived at sunset. The people of this big village we found to be totally dispersed on account of the heavy mortality and great famine which they had been suffering. However, we were received with much affability and were given presents. The Father succeeded in baptizing four very old women and one man who was dying.

_12th day._ We set out in search of the village of Choynoct,[5] spending almost all the day looking for it. We found it in the same manner as the previous one [Telame] and in the same condition. From there we went to pass the night higher up on the San Gabriel River.

_13th day._ We went on and spent the night at the crossing of this river.

_14th day._ We took the direction of the village of Sumtache.[6] After having gone about a league and a half into the tule swamp along a narrow trail we found the village on the other side of an arm of the lake, with some twenty armed men in front of it. However, after we had talked to them and stated the purpose of our visit, several of them laid down their weapons and came to where we were. Reproached for having received the troops in such a manner, they said they were scared because the fugitive Indians from Soledad had told them the soldiers were coming to kill them all. Asked by the Father where were the four Indians of his mission who were fugitives in this village, they replied that two had gone to the village of Bubal to join the Christians who were there with license to travel (as actually was the case) and that the other two had gone the previous week to the village of Tulamne, toward the south. After instructing them, according to the Governor's orders, that they should accept no fugitives in the future we took the path toward the village of Bubal. We did not arrive until about eleven o'clock in the evening because its location had been changed and the guide could not find it. Here we were received with more affability than at the previous places.

_15th day._ At dawn we followed our course toward a junction with the party of Sergeant Jose Dolores Pico, a junction which we actually effected at about seven o'clock in the afternoon. In all the journey described no slaughter of horses has been observed and no adverse sentiment on the part of the Indians excepting only the fear inspired among them at the village of Tache and Sumtache by the fugitives from Soledad. I may note that at the village of Tache the Father baptized the only man discovered there, a man incapacitated, covered with leprosy [lepra], and debilitated by illness.

As far as the remainder of the expedition is concerned, up to the 2nd of December, I refer to the account written by Sergeant Jose Dolores Pico, since I have no additions or changes to make in it. The foregoing is what I have to communicate to your Excellency, in compliance with my obligations.

Mission San Juan Bautista, Juan de Ortega
December 2, 1815 (rubric)

_Jose Dolores Pico's Diary, 1815_

Copy of a diary, November 3-December 3, 1815, signed by Pico at
Mission San Juan Bautista, as a report to Governor Pablo Vicente de
Sola, of an expedition, including Fr. Jaime Escude and soldiers, in
search of runaway Indians. Starting from Mission San Juan Bautista,
the expedition proceeded eastward to the valley of the San Joaquin,
joined the expedition led by Sergeant Juan de Ortega, and returned
with them.

Diary written by Sergeant Jose Dolores Pico by order of Governor Don
Pablo Vicente de Sola from the 3rd day of November, 1815.

_3rd day [of November]._ I left the Presidio [of Monterey] and went as far as the Royal Treasury, where all the troops under my command were mobilized. This day there were no events worth recording.

_4th day._ On this day I inspected the troops, the ammunition, and the weapons, and at about five o'clock in the afternoon continued my march toward the place called Ansaimas [Paraje de los Ansaimas].[7] Near seven o'clock in the evening I arrived with one soldier at Mission San Juan, where I met Reverend Father Fray Jaime Escude. After reviewing the troops who were to go with me from the mission, we started on our way, the Father being with us, at quarter past twelve at night. At about one o'clock in the morning we met the rest of the troops at the Arroyo of San Benito. All well.

_5th day._ We continued our march to the place mentioned [Ansaimas], where we met citizens Cornelio Lucas Altimirano, Manuel Pinto, and Quintin Ortega, all with weapons and horses. Here I remained the rest of the day waiting for the equipage of the Father, which had not yet arrived.

_6th day._ We left this place at about five o'clock in the morning, taking an easterly direction, and at about seven o'clock in the evening we arrived at the place called San Luis Gonzaga, which is situated at the foot of the Sierra on the border of the Tulare Valley. Here we passed the night without incident.

_7th day._ In the morning I again inspected the troops and the munitions and at about nine o'clock in the evening we started out, going toward the east. At twelve o'clock midnight we reached the Tulares at the arroyo called San Jose.[8] Here we passed the remainder of the night up to the hour of attacking the village of the Cheneches.[9]

_8th day._ At three o'clock in the morning we left this place and fell upon the said village at four o'clock. Sixty-six souls were captured, between Christians and heathen, women and men. I released four men and twelve old women, who were crippled. The majority of the people escaped because this village is in a bad location. Here were found seven live horses and five recently dead. The Father baptized an infant girl on the point of death, to whom he gave the name Severa. These heathen told me that at a distance of four leagues up the River San Joaquin from this village there was another village called Nopchenches, which had many horses, and at which were to be found the Christian fugitives Justo, Damian, Severo, and Pedro Pablo. I sent Corporal Juarez with fourteen men to arrest the said Christians and heathen, and bring back the horses which they said were to be found there.

Reaching the village, he entered it, but no people remained except the chief and four of his companions. The corporal charged him with [concealing] the Christians and the horses which had been there. To this he replied that the Christians, together with all his people, as soon as they heard the noise of the troops going to the other village, had fled to the swamps and that he and the others with him alone remained. He also said that at the edge of the swamp there were two more and that he would go and get them. This he did and on his return the corporal told him to call to his people (with the idea of catching them) to help him capture the Christians. He said he was going to bring them and went off with the others who were already with him. They did not return, although he [the Corporal] remained waiting a long time. Seeing that they were not coming back, he retired and reported to me. We then directed our course back to the place called San Jose. Here I consulted with the corporals and decided not to attack the village of Malim, for the Tulares were very much stirred up and it did not seem wise to do so until our return. No other news.

_9th day._ This morning I ordered Corporal Castillo with eight men to escort 54 Indians, heathen and Christians, to the Presidio. After having set him on his way I took a southerly direction and emerged from the tule swamp. Having traveled about eight leagues from the said swamp I turned in an easterly direction toward the San Joaquin River. On arriving at this river at about six o'clock in the afternoon I was told that some armed heathen were crossing to the opposite bank. Immediately Corporal Juarez went over with some men to investigate them. The heathen, seeing that the soldiers were crossing the river, gathered in a village near by and began to shoot at them without further delay. The corporal ordered [his men] to fire, killing two, and at that moment I arrived with the rest of the troops. The enemy retired some distance into the thickets. Thereupon I ordered all the troops to bring up the horses and remount, but after consulting briefly with the corporals, we decided it was better to retire a distance of two leagues and wait till the next day because night had already fallen.

_10th day._ At three o'clock in the morning of this day I was informed by Soldier Mariano Soberanes (who was on duty as sentinel) that a light was to be seen in a thicket near the camp. I ordered Soldier Archuleta to reconnoitre and he returned saying that the illumination was a gunshot away and that it could be the heathen of the previous day intending to attack us at dawn. I ordered the sentinels to be on the alert.

At five o'clock in the morning I told two men to investigate the exposed fire. As soon as they got close they encountered the heathen Indians, who were already coming to attack the camp, and fired on the first of them. As soon as we heard the uproar which resulted I came up with the troops to oppose them. Having formed a line of battle, I told the interpreter to ask them what they wanted and they answered, to fight. Even after we had said to them that the officer in charge did not wish to do them any harm, they gave no heed, but began to fight. Seeing this I ordered them to be fired upon. They then retreated to the interior of the underbrush. The troops dismounted at my command and fell upon them, killing three and capturing one alive. Of the dead, one was found to be a Christian of Mission San Juan and a leader in stealing horses. Of those who escaped some were seen to be wounded, and, according to the quantity of blood visible along the river, I consider that most of them must have died. The action having ceased, I ordered Corporal Juarez with ten men to make a reconnaissance of the rancheria, which was called Copicha, to see if there were any horses. They brought out one, together with two Indians. The latter were among those who had been in the battle and, along with the other [captured as described above], confessed that they had followed us to this place with the purpose of killing us, the dead Christian being the one most determined to do this. During the night they [the Indians] shot a few arrows but did us no damage. During the engagement the only casualty was Soldier Juan Espinoza who received a dart between his coat and his skin, but it did not hurt him.

At eleven o'clock in the morning we set out in a direction south and a little east and at a distance of eight leagues we came upon eleven animals belonging to the village of Tape, which was in a wood along the same river bottom. These we gathered up, leaving the village for the return trip because it was already afternoon. At about four leagues we reached the junction of the San Joaquin and the San Jose rivers where we camped. We left behind one horse, exhausted and unable to travel. Here we spent the night without incident.

_11th day._ At five o'clock in the morning we continued in the same direction as on the previous day, going along the River San Jose. At about 4 leagues we crossed it and traveled to the east in order to avoid bad traveling. After a league we resumed the former direction and at a distance of nine leagues we camped for the night on the bank of the same [river]. There had fallen by the wayside one exhausted and useless horse and one more of those which we had recovered from the Indians. Here we passed the night without incident.

_12th day._ At five o'clock in the morning we set out in the same direction and at about ten leagues we encountered a conflagration, at which there were some heathen Indians. As soon as we saw them I made arrangements to catch them, but as soon as they saw us, they presented themselves without any apprehension. They gave us the news that they had seen the troops accompanying Don Juan Ortega the previous day on Kings River. They told me they would take me there, which they did. On the way we came upon two villages of these same people, called Gumilchis,[10] who all showed themselves to be very agreeable. I informed them that the high chief who governed us wished them all well and was pleased at the good journey which they made possible for the troops. I said that they should not admit Christians or horses in their villages because the said chief requested it. We crossed the river, where we came upon the trail of the troops mentioned. We followed this trail for a league and camped for the night without incident.

_13th day._ At dawn of this day Soldier Juan Martinez was sick in his stomach, and about seven o'clock in the morning we started out in a southerly direction. At four leagues we camped without further trouble.

_14th day._ This day we remained in the same place awaiting the troops brought by Don Juan Ortega, and the soldier Martinez recovered without difficulty.

_15th day._ At about six o'clock in the afternoon the troops which we were expecting arrived, with their horses used very roughly, for three leagues back they had abandoned seven exhausted animals. Otherwise all was well.

_16th day._ The seven worn-out animals were brought in. We agreed upon what should be done, but the departure was postponed until the following day. No other news.

_17th day._ At three o'clock in the afternoon we left this place, moving back by the same road and visiting, as we passed, the village of Notonoto. Here we were received with much affection and made the same speech as to the Gumilchis. At a distance of two leagues, going west, we crossed the river and there spent the night without incident.

_18th day._ This day we took the same direction,[11] a little to the northwest. We wanted to pass by the villages which we had seen before. The inhabitants of these, on seeing the troops, took to the brush, and no matter how much we called to them, through the interpreter, they did not come. We followed our course, coming finally to sleep at a lake at the edge of the tule swamp. To this we gave the name of San Pablo and spent the night there without incident.

_19th day._ We left this place at two o'clock in the afternoon in order to attack a village which the guides said was to be found in the meadow along the San Joaquin River. When it appeared to us that we were near it, we stopped to await the dawn in order to attack. Meanwhile we recovered the two horses which previously had fallen exhausted in the same locality. No other incident.

_20th day._ At about three o'clock in the afternoon we went to the above-mentioned river in search of the village which the guide talked about. Having arrived at the spot the guide was asked where the village was. He said it was so far away that we would get there only at sunset. We asked him why he had deceived us and he answered because he felt cold. We asked him again and he said that the village of Tape was the one which was to be found in that direction. However, since it was afternoon we decided to wait for the horses, which had been left with ten soldiers and two cowboys. They crossed the river without our knowing where. We asked the guide the location of the ford so that we could join the other soldiers with the horses but we failed to do so because the guide misled us. We slept at the junction of the San Jose and San Joaquin rivers, one league apart, with no other incident.

_21st day._ At nine o'clock in the morning we joined the troops with the horses, killing on the way two deer to supply the troops, who were without provisions. The day passed by and we decided to attack the village mentioned previously at four o'clock the next morning. But we did not carry out this plan because of a great stampede of the horses at about ten o'clock in the evening. Even though all the troops were mounted it was not possible to contain the stampede, because many animals had scattered in numerous groups. At this misfortune the Christian Indian from Santa Cruz, who had accompanied us through Kings River, deserted us. He had seemed so devoted that we had released him from his bonds so that he could better bear the hardships of the road.

_22nd day._ This morning the horses were counted and sixty-five animals were missing. Corporals Francisco Juarez, Antonio Olivera, Juan Arroyo, and Encargado Jose Villavicencio, taking ten men [each] and Rivera with four were ordered to go out in different directions. Juarez, going to the east, found thirty-eight animals and had to kill one horse because it was exhausted. Arroyo, who went to the south, brought the news that the tracks led to the trail toward Soledad, but because it was late he turned back. Villavicencio, who went to the north, reported that at a distance of a league and a half there was a village. Near it was a mule, one of those we had lost during the preceding night, and Villavicencio had seen tracks of horses going down to drink. He saw some old Indians coming toward the woods in which he was hidden, so he did not leave the woods and did not catch the mule, in order to avoid being seen by the old people. Olivera brought back no information. It was decided to attack the village at dawn in case some of the inhabitants had remained there. Nothing else to report.

_23rd day._ This day we set out for the village mentioned, which, according to information taken from Indian prisoners, we know to be Tapee. After surrounding it on both sides of the river, we caught three old Indian men, one Christian from Santa Cruz, together with eight old women. Here we came upon two hundred and thirty-eight recently killed animals, a great deal of meat quartered and dried, and sixteen live animals, mares and riding horses, some shot with arrows and others very badly treated. Most of these horses belong to Mission San Juan. The heathen mentioned previously were asked where were the people of this village. [The reply was that] first they had waited for us down the river with three others who claimed that we were coming in search of them, and then they had gone to the hills. A few of the people were opposite the village in the woods. The troops went on foot to hunt for them but found no one.

The Christian was held captive and the old men, after being chastised, were let loose. It was then decided that Corporal Arroyo should go right away to follow the trail which he had abandoned the day before, taking ten men with two mounts each. He was to return the following day with or without the lost horses. Here the troops were provided with some dried fish (although bad) and wild rice, with which they managed to pass the two days we were in this locality. No other incident.

_24th day._ Corporal Arroyo arrived about four o'clock in the afternoon with the information that the horses had gone toward San Luis Gonzaga. We decided to follow on our way. No other news.

_25th day._ Today we continued with our expedition and at about seven o'clock in the morning we arrived at the village of Cupicha, which we found without inhabitants. (This village is in the meadow along the river where the San Joaquin joins the Tecolote.) We inquired of the heathen Indians whom we had with us and they told us the people had moved to the mountains.

We went westward and crossed the river. At this point Corporal Arroyo was sent to follow up the tracks which he had relinquished the previous day, and the place was specified where we were to meet. He took with him four soldiers and two cowboys, who were to go to San Luis Gonzaga for provisions. He also had orders that, if he found the trail going in that direction, he should turn it over to Manuel Butron and that the latter should continue on to the place mentioned and send back a sack of pinole, which we had left in storage there, and two belonging to the Father. At about seven o'clock in the evening Arroyo returned with the information that he had turned over the trail to the said Butron. In the morning three soldiers were incapacitated, Atenacio Mendoza, Jose Soberanes, and Jose Espinoza, the first with a head-ache, the second with a stomach-ache, and the third with a bad foot due to a fall from a horse. Today six deer were caught, which were supplied to the troops. During the night, which we spent on the arroyo San Jose, it rained on us. No other incident.

_26th day._ Early this morning soldiers Gabriel Espinoza and Jose Arellanes were sick but those who were ill yesterday had recovered. Three deer were taken. At about seven o'clock in the evening the party arrived with the provisions. There was a fanega [of pinole] and it was distributed among the troops. Butron reported that he followed the tracks of the horses as far as the summit [of the coast range].

At about eight o'clock in the evening, soldier Joaquin Juarez being the sentinel in the camp and Arroyo corporal of the guard, one of the heathen Indian prisoners broke the rope with which he was tied and ran away. Corporal [_sic_] Juarez yelled that the prisoner had escaped. The troops converged upon the spot, a little tule swamp opposite us, but were not able to find him. For this offense the corporal and the soldier were placed under arrest among the horses until further orders. No other incident.

_27th day._ It was decided to attack the village of Malim. Leaving fifteen soldiers, two corporals, and ten cowboys with the horses we set out in the rain at one o'clock in the afternoon. We pursued a northerly course. Arriving at the San Joaquin River we entered the village Cheneche and found it without inhabitants. We kept on down the river and at about three leagues we came upon foot tracks at the edge of a thicket. A corporal with four soldiers went to examine the place and in the middle [of the thicket] they found a blind old man and an old woman. They [the soldiers] returned to report and were ordered to bring them [the Indians] back for questioning; but they could not find the latter. Here we passed the night with considerable discomfort on account of the rain which had fallen on us during the afternoon. No other news.

_28th day._ The morning of this day we continued in the same direction. At about half a league we came upon the village of Cheneches,[12] where two old women were found. It was clear that the other inhabitants had gone on ahead of us, slipping into the thickets and swamps. In any case, we were able to find no one. After about two leagues we arrived at the junction of Mariposa Creek and the river. The guide whom we took with us, who was from that village, had previously told us that he was familiar with the village of Malim, but when he got there he said he did not know where it was; but he did know that this was his country and we were hunting for his village. I ordered him given ten lashes. While this was being done, the soldiers spied some heathen who were coming up Mariposa Creek. By scattering out in various directions the troops succeeded in catching two Christians from Santa Cruz and three heathen. The latter were to take us to the village but previously we encountered one of their little ranchos. The inhabitants all fled to the swamps without our being able to seize a single one. The village was located at a distance of three leagues west. However, after we had passed it by about a quarter of a league, they [the Indians] said it was behind us. On arriving [at the village] we found by our trail that we had missed it by no more than a gunshot. From this it was obvious that the captives had acted with malice, giving opportunity to the others [their countrymen] to escape. Here two horses and a very few tracks were discovered. (According to the signs observed this village does not have many horses, yet the region where it is known that the heathen have done terrible damage is from Tappee, inclusive, to Cheneches. We found in those places more than 500 dead animals.)[13] From here we retired to Arroyo de Santa Rita where Corporal Juarez was sent with six soldiers to join the other troops who were escorting the horses and proceed the following day to San Luis Gonzaga.[14] Here it rained. No other incident.

_29th day._ We set out for San Luis Gonzaga, arriving about two o'clock in the afternoon. Corporal Juarez got there about five o'clock, having killed and left behind fourteen worn-out horses from among those picked up in the swamps. The sick soldiers continued to recover. No other news.

_30th day._ We set out from this place at about six o'clock in the morning and arrived at Ausaymas at about five in the afternoon, leaving in the vicinity seventy-eight used-up animals. Most of these had been recovered from the Tulares and were killed. The others were brought to this place with some difficulty at eight o'clock in the evening. Nothing else of importance occurred.

_1st day of December._ We stayed in the place previously mentioned in order to rest the horses. Nothing else of importance.

_2nd day._ We arrived at Mission San Juan with ten soldiers ill with stomach ailments. No other news.