This day came John Bidwell, a witness for claimant, Emanuel Pratt, No. 235, before Peter Lott, commissioner for taking testimony to be used before the board of U. S. land commissioners in said State, and said witness being duly sworn, deposed as follows: The U. S. law agent is present.

Questions by Claimant's Attorney.

1st question. What is your name, age, and place of residence? Answer. My name is John Bidwell; my age 35 years; my residence Butte county, California.

2d question. Have you been examined as a witness in this case before? if yea, state what you know in regard to the boundaries of the rancho known as "Socayac," and also in regard to the map accompanying the petition to Micheltorena for a grant of the same, by John Chamberlain.

Answer. I have been examined twice before as a witness in this case; I was employed by John Chamberlain to make a map of the rancho known as "Socayac," in February, A. D. 1844, to accompany his petition to the governor for the land; I went upon the land in company with John Chamberlain and Mr. Daylor, who lived on the adjoining rancho and located the land called "Socayac," as follows: Commencing on the Cosumnes river at a certain tree near but just above a slough emptying into the river on the north side, and running up the Cosumnes river, in a direct line, three leagues, or fifteen thousand varas; thence running at right angles with the general course of the Cosumnes river, one league, or five thousand varas; thence down and parallel with the general course of said river to the eastern boundary of Sheldon's ranch; thence following Sheldon's boundary, one league, or five thousand varas, to the place of beginning, so as to contain three square leagues of land.

The map now shown me, contained in Espediente B filed in this case, is a correct copy of the original map which I made out for Chamberlain to present with his petition, and which I have seen filed in the office of the surveyor gen., and containing a correct general description of the land known as "Socayac."

2d question. Describe the natural objects mentioned or laid down on the map.

Answer. The north line of said ranch runs over a succession of high hills and spurs of hills which form the back ground, and are delineated on the map, and separate the water which runs into the American river from those which empty into the Cosumnes river. The three points represented by dots or marks just over the u in Cosumnes, and near the middle of said tract, are three buttes or isolated elevations in a valley as represented on the map. The extent and location of the said ranch were well known and recognised from the year 1844, until the country was taken possession of by the United States, as above indicated. I was requested by Micheltorena to make a map of Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys in the year 1844, which I delivered to Manuel Jimeno, secretary of the State. The above ranch of "Socayac" was then delineated by me upon said map, with the boundaries above mentioned; I have frequently testified in regard to this map which I made for Micheltorena before this old commission.

Cross-examined by U. S. Law Agent.

1st question. When did you first know the original grantee in this case, and where did he reside?

Answer. In 1841, at Sutter's Fort; he lived there till 1844 to my knowledge; after that he lived on the land claimed in this case.

2d question. How do you know he resided on said land in 1844? Answer. I saw him there once in that year, and I frequently saw him when he would come to the fort, where I made my headquarters, from his ranch, and because it was generally known there that he was on his ranch.

3d question. What was he doing on his ranch that year, and what was his general business in 1844?

Answer. When I saw him on his ranch he had a small blacksmith shop there, and was making bridle-bits and spurs; he had some cattle and horses, and lived there; was just making or beginning on the ranch; his business was blacksmithing, but he had men to attend to his outdoor matters; he had a Mexican there taking care of his stock that year.

4th question. Have you not on a former occasion sworn that said Chamberlain was in the year 1844 one of the colonists of Sutter, and a resident in said colony?

Answer. I believe I have; I am quite sure it was that year; he went to make his improvement on the Cosumnes river; he frequently returned to the fort after that, and left persons on his ranch to take care of it; he kept it occupied.

5th question. Did he not make his headquarters at Sutter's establishment, as long as he lived in the country?

Answer. He made his headquarters there, but made his ranch as others did, and had it occupied; we all considered the fort our headquarters.

6th question. State what you know of Chamberlain having his ranch occupied, and by whom.

Answer. I knew he had a man there for vaquero named Salinas, and he had Indians whose names I did not know; I saw Salinas there in 1845, but I do not remember when he went there or when he left.

7th question. Do you know of your own knowledge of Salinas being on Chamberlain's place more than once?

Answer. No, I do not remember of seeing him there more than

once.

8th question. How long did you see him there then, and how was he employed?

Answer. I saw him at the house; I merely passed the place. 9th question. Where did you make the map filed in this case? Answer. At Sutter's Fort.

10th question. How often were you on the land before you made the map?

Answer. Only once when I went to sketch for the map-the day before I made the map, I think.

12th question. Did you then understand the Spanish language? Answer. I did, tolerably well.

13th question. What gave the ranch its name?

Answer. It was the Indian's name.

14th question. What was its meaning?

Answer. I do not know.

15th question. What was it the name of? Answer. I do not know.

16th question. Have you any instruments of measurement when you went to sketch the land?

Answer. No.

17th question. At what point did you start to make your survey?

Answer. I made no survey; I merely rode over the land and plotted it out by the eye.

18th question. What governed you in making your starting point?

Answer. Sheldon's ranch on the west, and the Cosumnes river on the south.

19th question. How did you ascertain the boundary of Sheldon's ranch on the west, and to what point of the compass did it extend towards the north?

Answer. The upper part of Sheldon's ranch was pointed out to me by Daylor and Chamberlain, which was marked by a certain deep gulch on the bank of the river. The exact direction of the line I cannot state, though I understand it to be about at right angles to the river; it would be in a northerly direction.

[REC. CLXXXIV, D. T., 1858.]-4

20th question. How far did you go up the Cosumnes river on that occasion?

Answer. I cannot now remember, but I believe about 10 miles. 21st question. Did you ascertain the dimensions of the land in any other way than by riding over it and sketching it down on paper; if yea, in what other manner?

Answer. In no other way.

22d question. How did you fix the northeastern and northwestern corners of the ranch?

Answer. I did not fix them at all, except to map them on the paper, so that they could afterwards be traced,

23d question. When were you last over the land?

Answer. In March, 1853.

24th question. How far did you fix the northeastern corner from the present mining settlement of Michigan bar?

Answer. I do not know where Michigan bar is; have visited a place of that name.

25th question. How far did you fix that corner from the first rocky point of hills on the north bank of the Cosumnes river above Pratt's house?

Answer. I never fixed any point; I could not fix it without actual measurement.

J. BIDWELL. Subscribed and sworn to before me on this 22d day of July, A. D. 1854.

Promovido por el cuidadano naturalizado Dn. Juan Chamberlain en solicitud del terreno nombrado "Socayac.'

Note. These papers were filed in the archives this 8th day of May, 1852, at the request of Judge Morse, who deposited them for that purpose,

Surv'r gen'l office, San Francisco,

S'R G'L.

Juan Augusto Sutter, juez de paz y comandante militar de la frontera nueva alvecia á los viente y nueve dias del mes de Marzo del mil ochocientos cuarenta y seis, comparecieron en este jusgado los Señores Juan Marelino y Perry McCoon el primero vendiendo su casa ocho fanegas de trigo sembradas y el derecho de sus tierras de quince mil varas, Como consta por los documentos por el

gobierno al segundo por la cantidad de mil pesos en donde que daron conformes por parte de los dos.

Y para que conste me firme con los de asistencia.

De ass'a: J. BIDWELL.

Ass'a: H. A. HEUBER.

J. A. SUTTER.

Deposited in the archives of Judge Morse, 8th May, 1852.

SAM'L D. KING,

Sello Cuarto-Dos Reales.

Surv'r Gen'l Cal.

Habilitado provisionalmente por la aduana maritima del puerto de Monterrey, en el departamento de las Californias, para los años de mil ochocientos cuarenta y cuatro y mil ochocientos cuarenta y cinco. PABLO DE LA GUERRA.

MICHELTÓRENA.

[SEAL.]

Ex'mo S'or Gobernador:

Juan Chamberlain natural de los E. U. del norte y naturalizado en este territorio, ante V. E. con toda sumision y respecto se presenta y dice: que hallandose posedor, de algunos bienes del campo y faltando un sitio para procrear los, he encontrado uno cerca del establecimiento del Señor Sutter, llamado "Socayac" y que consiste de quince mil varas, segun consta el adjunto diseño. Por tanto A. V. E. suplico humildemente que me conceda esta mi peticion por lo cual recibire merced y gracia.

Monterrey, 27 de Marzo de 1844. A ruego del interesado. JORGE ALLEN.

Monterrey, Maro. 27, de 1844. Inf'e el S. s'rio del despacho tomando los que necesite.

MICHELTORENA.

Deposited in the archives by Judge Morse, 8 January, 1852. SAMUEL D. KING,

Surv'r Gen'l.

Como dispone el ex'mo s'or gobernador pase la presedente instancia al S. Sutter para que informe sobre su contenido y despues diga lo que le ocurra al señor juez del pueblo de San José. Monterrey, 27 de Marzo de 1844.

MANUEL JIMENO.

Ex'MO S'OR: Al agregar á este espediente el documento que V. E. me previene por decreto del dia de ayer, veo que es un informe favorable al interesado y como el terreno que solicita esta valdio siendo el pretendiente hombre de bien, ocupandose en su oficio desde que se introdujo al pais segun los informes que he adquirido creo que no hay inconveniente alguno para que se le conceda pro