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Show 298 PERSONAL ADVENTURES endeavoured to strike a bargain for the trans· port of his waggons and cattle, but the demand was so enormous, that he hesitated and turned about to consult 'vith us what was best to be done to meet the exigencies of the case. After a lengthy consultation, and after the consideration and rejection of numerous plans, Halliday suggested one 'vhich was adopted, and tneasures were instantly set on foot for carrying it into effect. The Indians of the party were despatched to hunt up the banks of the river for toolies. Of these, they collected as many as were necessary for the purpose, conveying them to the bar of the stream, where we all set to work to tie them up in large bundles of equal size, in as compact a form and as tightly as possible. Some five or six of these bundles being prepared, they were strongly bound together, side by side, by means of a few long pieces of raw hide, so that they assumed the form of a boat or raft. These were next launched upon the water, and some of the planks, taken out of the waggons, , IN CALIFORNIA. 299 placed on the top ; a man furnished with a long pole taking up a convenient position, so as to push the raft across without difficulty. In the course of a couple of hours, the whole of these arrangements were completed, the waggons unladen, and their contents successfully conveyed to the opposite side; greatly to the mortification of the ferrymen. Those who had horses prepared to ford th.e stream at the point or bar selecteu by the Indians as the safest for the 1nules and cattle. I n1ay state that, even at this point and at lo'v water, the San Joachin is extrernely dangerous ; and that, when it is at the shallowest-as it 'vas at this tirne-a false step may precipitate the traveller and his steed into deep and rapid 'vater, leaving him no resource save that of swimn1ing for his life. I lent I-Ialliday my horse, which stood a span or two higher than his own, and he proceeded to ride across, but had scarcely got half way over, having kept pretty well on the |