found the road an excellent one, going in the right direction; and we soon found ourselves upon the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The summit was almost a dead level, covered with stunted pines. We passed between two peaks. The ascent on the eastern side was very gradual and easy. We encamped one evening on the summit near a small lake; and it was so cold that night that ice formed along its margin. This was about the 20th of October, 1848. We knew when we had passed the summit, from the fact that the streams flowed west. Though the beds of the streams were dry at that season of the year, we could tell which way the water had run from the driftwood lodged in places.
While on Pitt River, we knew from the camp fires that Lassen's party had ten wagons; and from all appearances we were pretty sure that they were some thirty days ahead of us.
OVERTAKE PETER LASSEN AND HIS PARTY—ARRIVAL IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY.
We pressed on vigorously, and soon reached the wide strip of magnificent pine timber found on the western side of the Sierra Nevada. We had not proceeded many miles, after entering this body of timber, before I saw a large, newly-blazed pine tree standing near the road. Approaching, I found these words marked in pencil: "Look under a stone below for a letter." It was a stone lying upon the surface of the ground, and partly imbedded in it. It had been removed, the letter placed in its bed, and then replaced. No Indian would ever have thought of looking under that stone for anything. I did as directed, and found a letter addressed to me by my old friend and law partner in Oregon City, A. L. Lovejoy, Esq., one of the packers who had gone ahead of us. The letter
