Crusoe's island . s of Sonora-nians and lawless native Californians. Several drovers,who had started from San Francisco by this route topurchase cattle on the southern ranches, had never reach-ed their destination. It was generally believed that theyhad been murdered on the way. Indeed, in two instan-ces, this fact was established by the discovery of themutilated remains of the murdered men. No clew couldbe obtained to the perpetrators of the deed, nor do Iknow that any legal measures were taken to find that period the only laws existing were those admin-istered by the alcaldes, under
Crusoe's island . s of Sonora-nians and lawless native Californians. Several drovers,who had started from San Francisco by this route topurchase cattle on the southern ranches, had never reach-ed their destination. It was generally believed that theyhad been murdered on the way. Indeed, in two instan-ces, this fact was established by the discovery of themutilated remains of the murdered men. No clew couldbe obtained to the perpetrators of the deed, nor do Iknow that any legal measures were taken to find that period the only laws existing were those admin-istered by the alcaldes, under the Mexican system, whichhad been temporarily adopted in connection with theprovisional government established by General people generally were too deeply interested in thedevelopment of the gold regions to give themselves much 168 A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. concern about the condition of other parts of the conn-try, and the chances of bringing criminals to punishmentin the southern districts were very illKAGE IJf THE SALINAS VALLEY. My business was connected with the revenue vessel laden with foreign goods had been wrecked onthe coast within a short distance of San Luis. It wasnecessary that immediate official inquiry should be madeinto the circumstances, with a view of securing paymentof duties upon the cargo. I was also charged with acommission to establish a line of post-offices on the land-route to Los Angeles, and enter into contracts for thecarrying of the mails. By the advice of some friends in San Francisco, I pur-chased a fine-looking mule recently from the Colorado. ? A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 109 The owner, a Texan gentleman, assured me that he hadnever mounted abetter animal; and, so far as I was capa-ble of judging, the recommendation seemed to be justlymerited. I willingly paid him his price—three hundreddollars. Next day, having provided myself with a goodpair of blankets, a few pounds of coffee, sugar, and hardbread, and a hunting-knife and
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