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Show 230 PERSONAL ADVENTURES ling. Parker, who had the care of our horses, proved utterly unfit for his charge. Drew was all carelessness : and as for myself, I felt that my place ought to have been in a snug apartment, with abundance of food and repose, to qualify n1e for the fatiguing journey before me. lVIonsieur Frederic, our new companion, beat us all hollow in activity, in energy, in endurance, ~nd in spirits, and we were heartily glad of his company. As we advanced further into the interior, we 'vere enabled to form some idea of the general character of the country. In most instances, the sides of the mountains are covered with plentiful crops of wild oats, hut trees and water are scarce, being, in fact, the two chief deficiencies both of Upper and Lower California. It was only at intervals of from ten to t·wenty miles that 've met with a few trees and a pond, or a stream, where we could obtain a little shelter from a broiling sun, and sufficient wood and 'vater to establish a tolerable encampment. On the Salina plains we saw innumerable IN CALIFORNIA. 231 herds of cattle, principally wild cows, with here and there a yet 'vilder-looking bull, which, pawing the ground and lowering his horns at our approach, simply out of bravado, would soon scamper off after his companions, already some distance a-head. We encamped, the second night, in the neighbourhood of a ranche, 'vhere, upon procuring, after no small difficulty, a supply of fresh beef, we paid at the rate of a dollar for what was scarcely worth sixpence. As we were on the point of starting in the morning, a Spanish ranchero, of a very noble and dashing appearance, and mounted on a fine-spirited horse, came rattling up to us. Round the pommel of his saddle was cast one end of a lasso, ready for use ; the other he kept swinging round and round his head, in such an artistical manner, that, as he surveyed us, I began to apprehend he had some design upon our cattle. However, he merely reined in his steed to salute us; and the next moment darted off, at full gallop, after one of the cows on the plain, which he noosed round her |