Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/66

 between this point and San Diego, and keep them subject to my order, or the order emenating from some officer under my orders- Very Respectfully

Your Obdt Servt—

(Signed) J. C. Fremont. To Capt D

Santiego Arguillo Calif Battln.

If the above be not orders then I have never seen one. They are not signed officially, but they are directed so— and it v^ould seem that the whole tenor of the order was that a superior, the commander, was giving the most positive instructions to an inferior— It is said the Congress leaves here to- morrow—

27 April. Last night the wife of Captain Hunter died of Typhoid fever— or rather I think a malignant form of Quotidian fever. The attack was issued [ushered] in with severe rigors, some six days ago— with great difficulty of breathing and oppression, followed by high fever. About 1 1 A M each day the same attack came— with cramps & irregular nervous twitchings— serous diarrhoea— mind affected— purgative of Calomel, Massa ex Hyd &c given until slight ptyalism produced— her breasts became inflamed, and before death suppurated. The nervous twitchings were stopped by the use of small doses of morphia & Assafoetida. The chill checked by Quinine— her brain became very much excited Delirium for two days previous to death— and deafness— She finally died last night about i o P M in great pain— This was the first American woman who ever bore a child in San Diego—

The Frigate Congress got out of the harbor yesterday. She sails today for the South, if there be any truth in the report of the arrival of a Mexican force to the South. Commodore Stockton proclaimed his intention of fight- ing them, if there was any chance of success— his object is also to ascertain if there be any truth in the report as to arms having been landed— San Vin- cente [Vicente] & San Tomassa [Santo Tomas] are said to be the points where they were landed— it is said a French brig brought them there from Acapulco. Stockton made a speech to his men before sailing yesterday— it seems from what he says that if pushed to the last, he will make the pass of San Vincente as renowned as Termopylae [Thermopylae]. Ye Gods what gass—

6^^ May— So little happens at San Diego, that journalizing is a most dull business, one naturally takes notice of all the reports— and considering the communication we have a plenty of them, on the 28*^ the Merchant Ship Vandalia, arrived from the north. She created quite an excitement as she is so large and fine a vessel, that she was taken for a Man of War. On the 2^ of May, payniaster Cloud arrived and payed the Troops— on the 4**' this has