--Parties were sent back this morning to gather up horses
and baggage left on the march yesterday, and it was one o'clock before
the rear-guard, waiting for the return of those, left camp. The main
body made a short march and encamped early, in a small hollow near the
rancho of Mr. Faxon, through which flows an _arroyo_, the surrounding
hills being timbered with evergreen oaks. The men amused themselves
during the afternoon in target-shooting. Many of the battalion are fine
marksmen with the rifle, and the average of shots could not easily be
surpassed. The camp spread over an undulating surface of half a mile in
diameter, and at night, when the fires were lighted, illuminating the
grove, with its drapery of drooping Spanish moss, it presented a most
picturesque appearance. Distance 3 miles.
_December 21_.--Clear and pleasant. A foot march was ordered, with the
exception of the horse and baggage guard. We marched several miles
through a winding hollow, passing a deserted rancho, and ascending with
much labour a steep ridge of hills, descending which we entered a
handsome valley, and encamped upon a small stream about four miles from
the mission of St.
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