They annoyed me so that I moved my lodgings to the ferryboat, but here they quickly found me and troubled me all night.

These insects were the first I had seen since I left the lower Platte river, and I thought them as bad as on the Mississippi.
From here the road led up the Merced river near the bottom, and as we came near groves of willows, big, stately elk would start out and trot off proudly into the open plains to avoid danger.

These proud, big-horned monarchs of the plains could be seen in bunches scattered over the broad meadows, as well as an equal amount of antelope.

They all seemed to fear us, which was wise on their part, and kept out of rifle shot.

As were not starving as we were once, I did not follow them out on the open plain, for I thought I could get meat when we were more in need.
We followed up the river bottom and saw not a single house until we reached the road leading from Stockton to the Mariposa mines, where we found a ferry and a small store.