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1 1877 1419 Taylor St San Francisco Dec 3d 1877 My dear General. I arrived in my old winter quarters here a week ago,
My seasons field- -work done, I was just sitting down to write to Mrs Bidwell when your letter of Nov 29th came in. The tardiness
of my Kings River post. is easily explained. I committed it to the care of a mountaineer who was about to descend to the lowlands,
he probably carried it for a month or so in his breeches pocket in accordance with the well known business habits of that
class of men. now since you are so kindly interested in my welfare I must give you here, a sketch of my exploration since
I wrote you from Sacramento. I left Snag Jumper at Sacramento in charge of a man whose name I have forgotten. He has boats
of his own, I tied Snag to one of his stakes in a snug out of-the-way nook above the railroad bridge. I met this pilot a mile
up the river on his way home from hunting. He kindly led me into port, then conducted me in the dark up the Barbary Coast
into the town; on taking