April 5, 1861: Nojoqui Valley

Aerial view of Santa Ynez Mountains east of Gaviota Pass; by dsearls, on Flickr

Camp 21

Rattlesnake; by Tom Hilton, on Flickr

As I could not agree with Dr. Antisell, of the Pacific Railroad Survey, in his notions of the geology of the pass…[today] Averill and I rode through it, and climbed two high hills. We had fine views of the ocean over the pass, and the labyrinth of hills to the north of the Santa Inez River. We got some fossils and I killed a rattlesnake that we came upon—he was inclined to get away at first, but fought bravely when attacked. He was not very long—two and a half feet—but was very thick—half as large as a large man’s wrist—and had eight rattles.