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Show 294 PERSONAL ADVENTURES as I have before observed, are a perfect nuisance; but they are au excellent watch, and are far more trustworthy, as night sentinels, than men tired out by the fatigues of the day. IN CALIFORNIA. 295 CI-IAPTER XV. The San J oachin-The ford-Exorbitant ferryageHalliday's ingenious contrivance for crossing- A prairie on fire- The Stanislaus river- Almost lost again- Indian Salmon-fishery-A return party-Tobacco at a premiumThe Stanislaus mine. We now continued our journey with the party of Don Emanuel ; a great convenience to us, as, through his kindness, we were enabled to place our horses, with his, under the care of the Indians, who kept a vigilant watch over them at each successive encampment. Our party, however, did not trespass so far upon the Don's as to be confounded with it. We kept so far distinct fron1 it as to bnild a separate fire and perform our culinary operations for ourselves; but if we wanted an axe, a pan, or a log of wood, our friend's party proved a never-failing resource on such an |