The church is the largest I have
seen in the country, and its interior is in good repair, although it
has not probably been used for the purpose of public worship for many
years. The Englishman professes to have purchased the mission and all
the lands belonging to it for 300 dollars.
Our stock of cattle being exhausted, we feasted on Californian mutton,
sheep being more abundant than cattle at this mission. The wool, I
noticed, was coarse, but the mutton was of an excellent quality. The
country over which we have travelled to-day shows the marks of long
drought previous to the recent rains. The soil is sandy and gravelly,
and the dead vegetation upon it is thin and stunted. About eighty of
our horses are reported to have given out and been left behind.
Distance 20 miles.
_December 12_.--To relieve our horses, which are constantly giving out
from exhaustion, the grass being insufficient for their sustenance
while performing labour, the entire battalion, officers and men, were
ordered to march on foot, turning their horses, with the saddles and
bridles upon them, into the general _caballada_, to be driven along by
the horse-guard.
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