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Show 172 PERSONAL ADVENTURES carr1pment, in a deep hollow on our left, which was betrayed to us by the light of the fires. A~ ,ve were concealed from the Indians by a thick skirting of brushwood, 've crept cautiously forward, with a view to take them by surprise, when one of our men, perceiving a fi o·ure movincr in the obscurity, fired his 0 . 0 n1usket at it without orders; on which the Yakees all leaped up, with a loud yell, and disappeared instantly in the bushes. Alnlost immediately after, one of our guides presented himself in the tnidst of us, bleeding from a severe flesh-wound in the arm, he having been the victim of our comrade's rashness. This was another speeimen of the irregularities of the volunteer system. My poor " blood-horse,' was no'v so com· pletely worn out, that, finding him worse than useless- for he had become a burden -I tnade up my mind to abandon him, which I accordingly did, not far from a patch of pas· tnre, and fro1n a tolerably 'veil-beaten track. I was myself scarcely less fatigued, and lagged behind several titnes to snatch a little rest. IN CALIFORNIA. 173 Many of our party did the same; indeed, I remarked, that the stoutest and biggest gave in first; whilst the little fellows-! an1 small myself-battled it out bravely, and got along with much less seeming difficulty. On 011e of these occasions, I tarried behind a full honr after the last of our laggards had passed me; }Jut, finding dusk fast setting in, I recornmenced my journey, and went on until I lost the path. At first, I stood aghast, looking behind and before, to the left, to the rightand, in short, in every direction, but in vain. I went a little way back, and tried to make out the track ; then, not succeerling, pushed on ahead, but with no better fortune. I turned roun(l and struck off at randon1, continuing my course until I can1e to a dead stop at an u o·ly shelf of rock overlookiug a deep chasn1 between the crags. I will not attempt to describe my feelings. I reme1nber thinking of my mother and friends, and of a picture I had somewhere seen of the finding of a lost traveller's skeleton. I think I then said the "Lord's Prayer," and afterwards sat down and |