I asked him if
he would let Johnny out if I would pay the fine. He said: "Yes. As
soon as he is sober to-morrow morning, you can come around. The
charges will be twenty dollars."
If the reader ever had any experience with a drunken man, which to
me is the most disgusting thing on earth, he can realize something
of the time I had with those two men, for it took me all the next
day to get Johnny West home and get him reconciled.
He was determined to return to Sacramento, and it took me two more
days hard work and coaxing to get Jim Bridger home. I have it by
good authority that this was the last drunken spree that Johnnie
West ever took. He remained on his ranch some six years longer and
having accumulated considerable wealth, sold out for a good price
and returned home to his relations in Texas, and there died a
short time afterwards;
Jim Bridger and myself stayed at Johnny's until about the middle
of January. This now being 1861, we started for New Mexico, via
Los Angeles, with the intention of laying over in Los Angeles
until we could cross the Rocky Mountains. There was a good wagon
road from Sacramento to San Jose, and from San Jose to Los
Angeles.
At this time the Indians were all peaceable through California,
the only trouble with them was their begging. At that I think,
beyond any doubt, that they could beat any class of people it has
ever been my misfortune to meet.
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