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106
John Ball.

their places. The end of the lasso was fastened to the pommel of the saddle. The men then dismounted to cut the bullock's throat.

One day I wandered to the mission; another day to the presidio. They are both built of mud or adobe, with tile roof, much dilapidated. Another time I wandered to the woods, and over the hills to the seashore and up to the Gate. I found in the grass, dismounted, three or four cannons, which probably were once used for guarding the entrance to the bay. (For want of "the needful" and not being well, I did not go about as much as I wished. )

The geology of the country is the same as at Cape Disappointment. The climate is lovely, and they say they seldom have frost. Most of the country east of the bay is an open prairie. Near the bay were some shrub oak and other small timber. On the distant mountains were large and lofty trees.

We came into this bay in company with an American whaler homeward bound, the Helvetius, Capt. George S. Brewster of New London, Connecticut. J. Sinclair and two others who crossed the mountains with me went on board of her. They left on the twenty-seventh. I met here a Mr. Renson, who resides up the coast and raises wheat to supply their trading post at Sitka and other places in Alaska. One of the articles of trade was tallow, sewed up in bags of skin. When asked about it, he said the French and Indians used it with corn and other grain to make their soup.

November 29—We sailed for the Sandwich Islands.

KATE N. B. POWERS.