ThemonthofJanuarypassed，andthegreaterpartofFebruary，too。
Aswasusual，thearmyofficerscelebratedthe22dofFebruarywithagrandball，giveninthenewstoneschool—house，whichAlcaldeWalterColtonhadbuilt。ItwasthelargestandbesthalltheninCalifornia。Theballwasreallyahandsomeaffair，andwekeptitupnearlyallnight。Thenextmorningwewereatbreakfast:
present，DonaAugustias，andManuelita，Halleck，Murray，andmyself。Weweredullandstupidenoughuntilagunfromthefortarousedus，thenanotherandanother。\"Thesteamer\"exclaimedall，and，withoutwaitingforhatsoranything，offwedashed。I
reachedthewharfhatless，butthedonasentmycapaftermebyaservant。Thewhitepuffsofsmokehungaroundthefort，mingledwiththedensefog，whichhidallthewaterofthebay，andwellouttoseacouldbeseentheblacksparsofsomeunknownvessel。
AtthewharfIfoundagroupofsoldiersandasmallrow—boat，whichbelongedtoabrigatanchorinthebay。Hastilyorderingacoupleofwillingsoldierstogetinandtaketheoars，andMr。