There were several wagons, light and heavy, waiting to convey the newly-arrived and their luggage to the Alamar rancho. Darrell, having his choice of conveyances, preferred to go in a light wagon with Romeo Hancock, but Gasbang and Mathews joined him. Miller and Hager had come to meet their prodigal sons, who had been in San Francisco for several months, when they had permission to remain only a few weeks. But they had fallen into Peter Roper's company, and that individual had represented the fascinations of whiskey most alluringly to them, advising them to have a good time now that they had the opportunity. They yielded to the tempter, and now had returned home like repentant prodigals.
In a few hours Darrell was driving by Don Mariano Alamar's house, a one-story mansion on a low hill, with a broad piazza in front, and in the interior a court formed by two wings, and a row of rooms variously occupied at its back. That the house was commodious, Darrell could see. There was a flower garden in front. At the back there were several “corrales” for cattle and horses. At the foot of the hill, on the left, there was an orchard, and some grain fields enclosed with good fences.
Darrell took notice of all these particulars. He also noticed that there were females on the front piazza. He was taken to see the best unoccupied lands to make his selection. He ran his practiced eye over the valley from the highest point on the hill. He then came to the next bench; he stopped there, also, and finally came to the broad slope of the foothills.
“I think I'll locate here,” said he, “if no one else has already filed a claim to this land.”
This he said to his fellow-settlers, all being present, addressing all.
“I am sure I have no objection,” said Hughes.
“Nor I, neither,” said Gasbang. “What do you say, Pittikin and Mathews? Do you know if this land is located, or who done it?”
Mathews shook his head in the negative, and kept on chewing his tobacco in silence.
Pittikin said, “I reckon nobody is located here, and if they done it, why don't they leave stakes? They leave no stakes, no notice to settlers; they can't make any row if somebody else takes the land.”
“Well, I want to respect everybody's right; so I want you all to bear witness, that I found no stakes or notices of anybody. I don't want to jump anybody's claim; I want a fair deal. I shall locate two claims here—one in my own name and one for my oldest son, Clarence,” said Darrell.