Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/409

Rh Lake and Walker lake and river, over the Sierra near the head waters of the Merced, and down into the San Joaquin Valley.

Whatever the route, they reached Monterey in November 1833; and all authorities agree that with fandangos and aguardiente they passed a gay winter at the capital; though somewhat strangely their presence there has left but slight traces in the archives. George Nidever and John Price are the only members of the company known to have remained in California, though Frazer and Moz were probably of this party. Several other men known to have arrived in 1833 may have belonged to it. In the spring Walker with most of his men started to return, skirting the Sierra south ward and discovering Walker Pass. Thence they kept to the north-east, and by a route not exactly known, rejoined Bonneville on Bear River in June 1834. That officer was altogether disgusted with