by myself. On the 8th encamped on the Mattole, discovering no fresh Indian sign. On the 9th we marched to near Bear Harbor, on the coast. During the day on the head of Mattole I found fresh shoe tracks going in the direction of Bear Harbor, still finding no Indian sign. On the morning of the 10th, taking another route, returned to the Mattole and traveled down it till near White Thorn Valley and camped for the night. On the morning of the 11th marched down the Mattole a distance of about fifteen miles, finding a number of Indian camps, some of which had been occupied this winter by the Indians, but not late enough for me to trail them. Camped near Ross' Defeat. On the morning of the 12th met the train at Ross' Defeat. The squad in charge of Sergeant Byrnes not having returned yet, I sent four men to search the country between this camp and the coast. They returned on the 13th, reporting no trace of Indians. Sergeant Byrnes returned the same day; reported no sign of Indians, but in scouting for Indians he fell in with Captain Hull, in command of twenty-three men, scouting in the vicinity of Bear Harbor and the head of Mattole. On the 18th I dispatched Corporal Riding with four men and five days' rations to scout the country between this camp and the Lower Mattole by way of the coast and Kushka. On the same day I marched for Salmon Creek and the South Fork of Eel River with three men, ordering the pack train to meet the parties at the mouth of McGinnis' Creek. On the 14th [19th] I camped near the Bear Butte on the waters of South Fork of Eel River. On the 20th on South Fork, thence down the South Fork. On the 22nd called in to Camp Grant and procured rations, to do us on the intended scout up Bull Creek. On the 24th marched from Camp Grant and camped on Bull Creek. On the 25th marched to the head of Bear River and found fresh Indian sign farther in the direction of Salmon Creek. The indication showed they were not more than one hour ahead of us. Followed their tracks into a deep canon on the head of Bull Creek. Darkness overtook us and we camped for the night. At daylight the next morning we continued the pursuit and found the ranch within 400 yards of where we had camped for the night. I discovered their smoke when in about fifty yards of it. They discovered us at the same time and made good their escape in the dense thicket that was close by. We only captured one squaw and a child. I found in the ranch about 100 pounds of beef, which was partly dried, and several articles of clothing, supposed to be taken from Mr. Russ' house when robbed by them some time since. On the 26th I returned to camp on the Upper Mattole with the prisoners. I expected to get an interpreter. I did so and found this party of Indians had just left the gun party, where they were killing horses and cattle on Bear River. I then sent word to Corporal Riding to bring the train to camp along with his command. He had arrived at the mouth of McGinnis' Creek, in Lower Mattole, after a hard tramp of five days, and reported having seen no signs of Indians. On mtizens informed me that the Indians had been killing stock on Bear River. A squaw came into Mr. Longdon's, on the Lower Mattole, and claimed protection. By his request Sergeant Byrnes took her to our camp, where she remains at present. She speaks English and says she came from the gun party, where they are killing stock. She says they have got only three guns and one revolver and that there are only four bucks, but plenty of squaws. I am preparing to go in pursuit of them, but the rain is pouring down.

W. W. FRAZIER,

Lieutenant, Company E, First Battalion Mountaineers,

California Volunteers, Commanding Detachment, Upper Mattole.