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Show li6 PERSONAL ADVENTURES Now, as I did not relish being left behind, and had not yet lost all hope, I made no cereJnony, but nin1bly leaped upon the mule I had selected, j nst as its rider had taken his seat ' whom I finnly grasped, and who, to my surprise, and no small satisfaction, gave his animal the spur without taking the least notice of 1ne. In fact, I thought he seemed rather amused, if anything. I could not help wondering, however, where this ad venture \Vould terminate, for, although I retained my rifle, they were not unarmed, and I felt myself wholly in their po,ver, and even fancied how easily they n1ight carry me off a prisoner. The first intimation I procured of their possibly being friends, "vas by rny hand coming into contact with an India rubber knapsack, \Vhich my con1panion carried before him, and which he had hinted to me his desire that I should grasp, probably because, as I sat, I somewhat inconvenienced his move· ments. I knew, by the peculiar make of this knapsack, that it belonged to our volunteer corps, and began to conjecture whether these IN CA.LIFORNIA. 177 two men n1ight not form a part of our body of Californian guides; on the other hand, it might be spoil taken from one of the coinrades we had lost: however, my doubts lvere in due time set at rest by oilr coming up to a ranche, about ·which my companions were congregated, and feasting right merrily. They were heartily rejoiced to see me, and I returned the compliment with great sincerity. I related my rnishap, which was interpreted to my two friends, who then inforrned me that they had stayed behind to rest and refre~h, and that I tn11st have been O'Oino· round and 0 0 round the very place where they fir~t saw me, from the moment I n1issed the path, until I so luckily fell into it again. I-Iad I pusherl boldly onwards, \Vhen I fancied I had lost myself, I should not have incurred so much anxiety, but have come up at last with the main body of the volunteers. After taking some refreshment, we renewed our march; the country through which we pa~sed being, if anything, even wilder than our former route. No circumstance ' I 5 |