OCR Text |
Show 206 PERSONAL ADVENTURES a little way out of the town, and were not so likely to be stolen from them. We all felt anxious to be moving towards the valley of gold as soon as possible, but not a word had we yet heard respecting what was j nst then of very considerable importance to us, namely, the pay which the Government owed us for several months' service, and an honourable and formal discharge-lacking which latter document, we should want our title to the one hundred and sixty acres of land that had been promised to the volunteers as an additional incentive- over and above their pay -to remain faithful to their country's flag. Indeed, so many were the difficulties experienced by us at last in procuring this important instrument, and so desirous were we to depart, that, with two exceptions, the whole body of us were obliged to take the Colonel's verbal dismissal ; a circumstance that ultimately involved the majority in an extreme difficulty, when they sought to prove their right to the land in question. As 've found that no intimation was given IN CALIFORNIA. 207 us of the period when we might expect to be dismissed, and the time was rapidly passing away, we applied to the Colonel, who replied that he had no power, in the absence of the Governor, to formally discharge the volunteers, and they must, therefore, wait. But the men were growing too impatient to accept this answer as final, and appealed to the Commodore. He, however, refused to interfere, on the plea of this matter being a military question, but expressed an opinion that the Colonel possessed sufficient authority as commander of the post~ Further delays ensued, additional remonstrances, more procrastination, stronger representations-but we persisted in our demand until the Colonel finally yielded ; probably in consequence of orders received, in the interim, from Governor Mason. A day was accordingly appointed for us to be paid off~ when, it being discovered that four or five of the tents had been secreted or car .. ried off, we were informed that we should not be discharged until they were forthco1ning. This proceeding, although perfectly just, so |