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Show 66 PERSONAL ADVENTURES graphic representation of a Death's head and cross-bones, which stood out in bold relief from a board nailed to the trunk of a tree a few paces off the road. Expecting to find inscribed under it the account of sorne horrible murder, I rode up to inspect it more narrowly, and was agreeably surprised to find that it was nothing more than the heading of a simple notification from Mr. Weaver, that any person found killing or maiming the cattle upon that gentlernan's ranche would be prosecuted with all the rigour of the law. The motive for adopting this terrible device was the probability of its attracting greater attention. On arriving at the San Joachin, I was somewhat puzzled as to how I should cross it. Seeing an American on the opposite bank, with a large \vaggon and a couple of yokes of oxen, I shouted out to him to inquire the direction of the bar. He told me to keep to the right, and make towards a certain point which he indicated. Following his instructions, I dashed in, and had got safely half IN CALIFORNIA. 67 way across, when I sank up to my arm-pits in the water. The Yankee called out to me to turn to the left, and in doing so I found that the bar had changed its direction. On emerging from the 'vater, I looked with some curiosity at the party with 'vhom I now came up. Amongst them were three females ; one apparently the American's wife, the second, a person of rather advanced age, and the third, an interesting girl of about sixteen. A little further on, I observed another Yankee, driving a waggon, who I supposed belonged to the same party. The first ntan I had seen was a person named Dean, from Monterey, whom I had frequently heard spoken of, us being churlish and disobliging; so I pursued my way, determined to have as little to say to him as possible. After proceeding for some time, I came to a spot on which several smoking logs gave evidence of a recent encampment, and here I resolved to pass the night. It was at a little distance from the route, surrounded by woods, and affording at intervals glitnpses of a vast |