Lackey on a big speculation which was to capture all the wild goats they could on Catalina Island, and take them to San Francisco for slaughtering.
The goats were easily captured and taken on board the schooner, and thence to shore but many were drowned in the transit, and when driven to San Francisco the dead were scattered all along the route.

Although wild they seemed to lack the vitality that tame goats possess.

The speculation proved a disappointment to the projectors.
At the adobe house, kept by a Spaniard we had breakfast, then shouldered our packs for the march of ten leagues to Los Angeles for there was no chance to ride.

It was night before we reached the City of Angels, and here I staid a day to take a look at the first city I saw in California in March 1850.
I inquired for my mining companion, W.M.Stockton who worked with Bennett and myself near Georgetown in 1850, and found he lived near the old mission of San Gabriel nine miles away, whither I walked and found him and family well and glad to see me.

He had jumped an old pear orchard which was not claimed by the Mission Fathers, although it was only three-fourths of a mile away.