away, and a perfect caravan was moving along in the direction of the
now no longer ridiculed El Dorado.

We pushed along, as may be believed, with the utmost impatience,
conjuring up the most flattering visions of our probable success as
gold-hunters. The track lay through a spacious grassy valley, with the
Americanos River winding along it, on our left hand. At first, the
stream was nearly two miles distant from the track of our caravan, but
as we advanced we approached its banks more nearly. The country was
pleasant, consisting of a succession of small hills and valleys,
diversified here and there by groves of tall oak trees. We passed
several wretched Indian villages--clusters of filthy smoky hovels, and
now and then caught sight of the river and the line of oak trees which
bordered it. We managed tolerably well with our horses, but it requires
great experience to be able to fasten securely the loads of provisions
and stores which they carry on their backs. Flour, of course, formed
the principal article of our commissariat. This was packed up in sacks,
which were again enclosed in long pockets, made of hides, and called
"parfleshes," the use of which is to defend the canvas of the sacking
from being torn by branches of fern and underwood. The sacks we secured
on strong pack-saddles, between which and the back of the horse were
some thick soft cloths. All our baggage-horses were furnished with
trail ropes, which were allowed to drag on the ground after the horse,
for the purpose of enabling us to catch him more readily. Besides the
animals we rode, we had seven horses, for the conveyance of our
provisions, tents, etc. The two we bought from Captain Sutter, though
strong, were skittish, and gave us much trouble, for our newly engaged
servant, whose name is James Horry, knew more about harpooning and
flenching whales than about the management of horses. He was certainly
willing and did his best, but he occasioned some mirth during the day's