the port of Monterey, but in vain, and now, despairing of finding it,
their provisions nearly gone, they return to San Diego. Then follows the
latitude at various points as observed by Costanso. It requests the
commanders of the San Jose or San Antonio, if they, or either of them,
should be informed of the contents of the letter and the condition of
the expedition, to sail down the coast as near the land as possible,
that the expedition might sight and obtain succor from them.

The march that day was across the Point of Pines, one league and a half,
and they camped on the shore of Monterey Bay, where they erected another
cross with an inscription announcing their departure. On the 11th, they
ascended the Salinas and began to retrace the route of their coming.
They killed many geese, which relieved their necessities somewhat, and
on the 21st were clear of the Santa Lucia mountains. The hungry soldiers
stole flour, and to prevent further theft, the comandante divided the
remainder among them. On the 28th the command was stuck fast in a
mudhole near San Luis Obispo, and were unable to say mass, though it was
a feast day[37]. On January 3d, they passed Point Concepcion. Here,
among the Channel Indians, food was abundant, their severe trials were
over, and the health of the command improved daily. Instead of following
up the Santa Clara river, they crossed the Santa Susana mountains, into
the San Fernando valley, and followed down the Los Angeles river,
crossed the Santa Ana, January 18th, and reached San Diego, January 24,
1770, with the command in good health and without the loss of a man,
"with the merit of having been compelled to eat the flesh of male and
female mules, and with not having found the Port of Monterey, which we
judged to have been filled up by the great sand dunes which were in the
place where we had expected to find it."[38]

Portola found a joyful welcome at the little camp at San Diego. Many had