by name [Eugene] Russell— a Volunteer has been in hospital for two weeks— with Typhoid Fever— he had been sick for some time previous to being ad- mitted. When he was admitted his pulse slow— skin cool— tongue dry and glossy— Mind much affected— not being able to fix his attention at any time upon any subject. When questioned answered slowly and frequently not to the purpose— deaf— picking at bed clothes &c— his treatment Cal[omel] — purgatives— Wine— Quinine— blistering &c&c— cups to Spine— & abdomen & shaving head, his gums touched with mercury— on the 24*^^ he had low mut- tering delirium passing urine & faeces unconsciously in which state he is at present— his gums have been touched with mercury but I do not see that it has done any good. This fever I should judge was common to the country as it is the fourth case I have seen of it.
As to public affairs we know little or nothing— The Sloop Dale passed by here some time since— on her way to Panama, by this vessel we learned of the arrival of Commodore Shubrick in the Independance— at Monterey— and also of the arrival of the Lexington, with the artillery from the U.S. That Commodore Biddle in the line of battle Ship Columbus would soon be here^^^— We have also had a visit from the Secretary of State, Co^ RusselP^^ —who arrived at this place from the Puebla— on the 22^^ of February— he was received on the Congress with a salute of five guns— from this gentleman we learned that all was peace and quietness about the puebla— that the Cali- f ornians were well contented— The Co^ had with him a Calif ornian— named Boneea (I believe) [Jose Mariano Bonilla? ] this man was appointed a Cap- tain by Fremont— he is said to be a fellow of notorious bad character— a gambler and the very first man who entered into the last revolution— two Californian gentlemen, who have been our friends since we landed here— who have contributed as much as any men in the country to the success of our flag— and had been appointed captains by Commodore Stockton, offered their resignations upon hearing of the appointment of this fellow Boneea, one of the above mentioned persons Don San lego, offered to resign.^^^ Don Miguel Pedreorano^^^— did not offer to resign, but informed me that he would do so if thrown in contact with Boneea. The Secretary of State [Colonel Russell] entered into conversations with the different officers freely and seemed to me to be very anxious to get their opinions as regards Fremonts controversy with Gen^ Kearny— The Co^ & myself had quite a hot discussion entering unpremeditated on my part but the whole tenor of his conversation seemed to invite argument and discussion— from this dis- cussion I learned that Fremonts commission as Governor had been dated back to November 1846— Now I know from having heard Commodore Stockton so style himself— particularly on the occasion when the Flag of truce was received from Flores, near San Matteo— that he (Stockton) re- garded himself as the Governor and Commander in chief of Calif ornia— and
