Continuing On

Onward toward San Bernardino, then the Mojave

I left San Gabriel and moved on toward San Bernardino. The most distant farmhouse belonging to the Mission is about 60 miles from San Gabriel and a few miles south of the route I had come in. In three days, I arrived at San Bernardino, where I remained for several days, drying beef and breaking my young horses, and looking for some that had strayed away. On leaving Father Sanchez, he directed me to kill beef and as much as I could dry and to take meal peas, corn, wheat, or anything I wanted and such quantities as I chose, in this case as in many others evincing the most benevolent regard for my welfare. Occupied in these preparations for continuing my journey, I remained until the 1st day of February 1827 when I left San Bernardino accompanied by two or three Indians and moved on to the place where I had passed through the mountains and first came in sight of cattle as I went into the beautiful valley of San Gabriel and there I encamped. The Indians that came with me thus far killed a beef. It snowed during the night, and in the morning, I moved on nearly north, crossing my old track on the third day from San Bernardino. I had gotten on the mountain's east side without snow.* (* It was in this place I first saw a tree named the dirk pear tree. It grows from 15 to 30 feet high and 12 inches in diameter with porous wood bark rough like the walnut. The leaf, like the blade of a dirk, is about eight or ten inches long the point resembling that of a porcupine quill.) I was then obliged to turn my course northwest for want of water, having the low range of mountains on my left and the barren desert on my right. I encamped without water or grass, and my horses then scattered over the country. I was forced to look for water and grass and spent three days employed collecting my horses. In this country, I had observed some track of the grizzly bear and the black-tailed deer, but they were not numerous.

Leaving the Mojave and into the San Joaquin

Once we collected the horses, I resumed my northwest course for two short days, traveling the low mountains still on my left and barren plains on my right. I fell in with some Indians who I suppose were runaways from some mission as they had some horses. I ascertained by inquiry of them that some streams and lakes were ahead. I engaged a guide to conduct me to them. After two days of travel, continuing in my northwest direction, I arrived at a lake called, by the Spaniards, Tulare or Flag Lake. I arrived at the lake quite late and found the bank so muddy that my horses couldn't get any water, yet I was obliged to encamp. From what I could learn of the Indians, the Spaniards had named it from a report but be that as it may, the name was entirely appropriate. Tulare Lake is about 12 miles in circumference and is in a fine large valley that commences about 12 miles south of it.

Coming into the valley from the southeast, I had passed over a range of hills that appeared to increase in height in their course, a little east of north. On the slope of these hills, there was some oak timber. I observed the trees had many holes made in their trunks, and in each, there was an acorn pressed so tight that it was difficult to get it out. By watching, I found this to be the work of a woodpecker bird who takes this method to lay up his stock of provision for the winter. The bird is of a seal color and somewhat larger than the redhead woodpecker. I called this bird the Provident woodpecker.

The following day in moving along the bank of the lake, I surprised some Indians who immediately pushed out into the lake in canoes or rafts made of tule. My guide succeeded in getting them to return to the shore. One could speak some Spanish, and I engaged him as a guide.

I watered my horses and got some fish from the Indians (who I observed had some horses stolen, no doubt from the Spaniards) and moved on about 3 miles along the lake and then up an inlet about 10 miles crossed over and encamped. On this inlet were some timber cottonwood and willow. Where I crossed, it was 8 or 10 yards wide rapid current a foot deep, and came from the east. Several Indians, some of them had horses, visited the encampment. The principal characters brought with them each a small sack of down and sprinkled me from head to foot. To this, I submitted, knowing it was a custom among them and wishing to avoid giving offense. They told me of a river to the north with an animal which I supposed from their description to be the beaver. Although they had no name for the animal, it was known to me. These Indians call themselves Wa-ya-la-ma. The Indian that spoke Spanish and the same I engaged at the flag Lake told me he would go on with me, and my other guide returned.

The following day, I moved northwardly 15 miles across low hills, which were spurs of the mountain on the east. This mountain had gradually increased in elevation and had now attained a considerable height. The next day I moved nearly northwest 30 miles over a level country, the ground entirely undermined by the paths of an animal like the lizard. The horses were sinking into the ground frequently up to the knees. I encamped on the bank of a Lake. Since leaving the Wa-ya-la-ma the country has been dry and destitute of water and grass. I found water in but one place in the bed of a nearly dry stream. East of my route at the foot of the mountains, there was timber and plenty of grass and water. The lake I encamped was large, extending to the northwest so far that the shore was not visible. But as I supposed it was not more than 80 miles to the ocean, I did not think it to a great extent. It appeared shallow from the number of boggy islands in many parts.

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Smith led his men north to the Stanislaus River lookin for beaver and a way east to the mountains, however becoming stranded. Smith left his men encamped and found his way to the rendezvous bringing supplies and another rescue expedition back through the Mojave the way they came the first time.