_September 9._--This morning I despatched the mail from San Diego in charge of two men, with directions to deliver it at Fort Yuma to the party I had left there, who would in turn carry it to the Pimos villages at Maricopa station, or at Tucson, where a coach would be in readiness to carry it on to La Mesilla, at which last place a second coach would carry it to the Presidio of San Eleazario. Each of these parties going east, after delivering their mail, were under instructions to wait and bring back a return mail over that portion of the road allotted to them. [These were the arrangements I had made _en route_, and up to this date they have insured the prompt delivery of the mails at each end of our line.] When Mr. Birch and myself parted in New York, on the 23d of June, we made an arrangement to meet in San Diego as soon as I could get there; I would then have travelled across the continent, and thus be able to report understandingly about the route, with estimates of expenditures made up to that time, obligations incurred, and promises given. Together we could then estimate for the future, and Mr. Birch was to give me, in San Diego, all the money I needed in retracing my steps to San Antonio, at which latter place he would again meet me on my return. With this understanding, I had promised all along the line, to whomsoever should aid us, that I would return from California with the coin to pay up all obligations. Mr. Giddings also made use of this promise for me during my absence. Under my understanding of this agreement, I was not only very much surprised but embarrassed, on reaching San Diego, to hear of Mr. Birch’s departure from San Francisco per mail steamer of August 20. Neither did I find here any advices as to his movements; furthermore, the coast steamer had left for San Francisco on the 6th, two days before my arrival, and would not be here to leave again until the 21st. Thus I was compelled to entire inaction towards placing the Pacific end of our line in good condition until I could send to San Francisco for coaches, harness, provisions, general equipment, and money. My time, from the 9th to the 21st, appeared to be nearly or quite useless to the line, except in scouring the country for mules, which proved to be not particularly plenty in that section of California. [Had not Mr. Birch been lost in the Central America September 11, no trouble would have arisen from his not having met me according to agreement. He could have explained everything satisfactorily, and shown, in my opinion, that he had otherwise planned well for the maintenance of our credit.]