Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/174

156 When next heard of in May, Smith had moved northward and was encamped in the country of the Moquelumnes and Cosumnes. Padre Duran, of Mission San José, accused the Americans of having enticed his neophytes to desert, but Comandante Martinez pronounced the charge groundless. New communications and orders to investigate passed between the authorities; and a letter came to Padre Duran from Smith himself, bearing date of May 19th. It was a frank statement of his identity and situation, of his failures to cross the mountains, and of the necessity of waiting for the snow to melt. He was far from home, destitute of clothing and all the necessaries of life, save only game for food. He was particularly in need of horses; in fact, he was very disagreeably situated, but yet, "though a foreigner unknown to you, Reverend Father, your true friend and Christian brother, J. S. Smith."

The next day after writing this letter Smith started