Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/53

 at the Mission of San John's, badly hurt, who had been shot in the action of San Pascual and Picot— declared he had no wounded. We heard when we arrived here— that they brought to this place 1 2 wounded, & 2 dead, these were probably persons of some property.

1 5 Jany. Everything in town going on, in the most quiet, and orderly man- ner, one would not suppose that there was in town more than the ordinary staid and quiet citizens, instead of over 1000 devil may care Jack tars and back woodsmen with thousands of gallons of liquor, to be had for the search- ing—not an outrage of any magnitude has been committed, nor half the dis- order that would have been on any public day in the states— the terms of the treaty still remain enveloped in mystery and what will be our future course no one knows, nor do they seem to know, whether peace or war actually exists, such an uncertain state of affairs to say the least is very disagreeable to the uninitiated— Picot and several of the Mexican leaders have been in town nearly all day. Many believe that Picot is an honorable man and can be trusted, many believe that all of them are a pack of scoundrels, that fear alone can controle and that now they are only brought [to] terms by abject fear, and that the very first chance they get will turn against us. I heard that the leaders were in conference with the commodore. It is reported outside, that Flores has run off for Sonora, with one hundred men, 2 1 [ ? ] pieces of artil- lery, and four hundred horses— Others say that he has burnt the gun carriages and cashed the guns. None of these stories are believed by us outside barbari- ans, except that Flores may have run off, and stolen 400 horses. I have not seen Picot yet— but any way a despatch goes to the U.S. tomorrow— I un- derstood that Col Fremont had told the Californians to disperse, and then deliver up their arms I wonder why they could not have been made to march in and deliver up their arms in a body, it would seem that it was a much more convenient way of obtaining them— and much more certain also. —My wounded still continue [to] improve— nothing like violent inflamma- tion in any of the cases— Childs I look upon as being in the most critical situ- ation, and at this present time I cannot discover a single bad symptom, the Indian who was shot yesterday, is in a very bad condition, his breathing is laborious— & quick, his pulse weak, and as far as I can comprehend him, he labours from excessive pain over the chest and abdomen. The man who shot himself, McNealy of C Company, ist Drags, at the camp of the Alcytos is rapidly recovering. Two deserters have been found in Fremonts ranks, these men ran off from their companies G & F ist Dragoons— at Fort Leavenworth last spring, one stole a fine horse belonging to Uncle Sam, the other stole nothing,— I forgot to mention that Dr. Henderson^ °^ thinks he discovered bilious matter oosing out of the wound on the Indians back— when the ball came out, judges that it was bile by the color & taste— It was discharged in considerable quantities— It is said in town that the Californians are in arms to the north, in Fremonts rear, that they threaten to attack Monterey. This of