Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/55

 fluctuation this morning just below the internal Maleolus [Malleolus]— the discharge from the wound is bloody and extremely foetid. The Sloughs from Copes wound has come away, and the surface is clean and filling up with fine healthy granulations— The Indian who was shot a few days since died this morning— I was sent for and went immediately to the hospital ward. There I found a priest— who I suppose had come to give the poor fellow a safe con- duct to the next world. The padre had a little silver vessel around his neck— the contents of which he seemed anxious to put upon the dying man. The virtues of the remedy seemed to depend entirely, upon there being a spark of life remaining— if the vital spark were extinct— the powers of the fluid seemed to be nul— he therefore wished my opinion as [to] whether there was not a spark remaining; I did not at first understand what the padre wished. I therefore examined the man and told him it was no use— the man was dead. This seemed to give great distress to those around— who I judged were rela- tions, as they seemed to be firmly convinced that the padre could have ab- solved the poor fellow from all sins, by the miraculous virtues of the fluid. The man who committed the murder was placed in double irons and under guard— A heavy snow fell last night on the mountains, yet in the day it is pleasant down here in the valley— everything is green, and presents the ap- pearance of Spring— the contrast between winter and spring is very great— and quite agreeable— the nights are rather cool— and none or very few of the houses have fire places in them.

if^ Jany: This has been a most beautiful clear day. I wish I could say it was the same in our political afiFairs, but they seem to be in the greatest state of confusion. This morning report says, that Commodore Stockton com- menced organizing a civil government, his first act was to appoint Col Fremont governor, to this Gen^ Kearny is said to have objected, as the Presi- dent had sent him to this country as governor, and with powers to organize a government for the country, the General did not object to the man, as I have frequently heard officers say that Gen^ K had said if Col. Fremont, would accept the appointment he should have it— to the General's com- munication the only reply the Commodore gave was an order suspending Kearny from all command.^^^ Previous to this the General had given Fre- mont orders to make a report of the State of his command, and several other orders, the nature of which I do not recollect, all of which the Col utterly refused to obey, or disregarded. In the opinion of some Fremont's conduct has laid him liable to the charge of mutiny— at all events I think no other Lt Col. in the service would have paid so little attention to the orders of his commanding officer— As I predicted the whole force now assembled here will vanish, and we will have another revolution in the country in less than two months, tomorrow Gen^ Kearny marches to San Diego, with what is left of his Dragoons, all told I do not believe we can muster over fifty men. On Wednesday it is said the Commodore marches with all of the naval force