Your note of the 14th has just reached me. I am glad to hear that you are getting on so well, and like your plans. I will send you the tape-lines and level by first opportunity. I cannot find an advertisement stating when the November steamer sails. You cannot be thinking of sailing in November, nor at the earliest till late in December. I have a month’s work for Mr Gardner to do after everything you can do about the Yo-Semite

I am depending on you—and it’s a matter of great importance—to survey and determine the best route for a stage-coach road from the Yo Semite to the Big Trees, and from Clark’s to Mariposa. The first I want as soon as practicable, that I may proceed upon it to prepare a memorial to Congress, asking a cession of land on each side of the route of the proposed road. Convenient camping grounds should be secured at distances of from five to seven miles, with if practicable, springs and pasture. The route is also to be carried where, other things being equal or nearly equal, the most interesting views are to be commanded, and where the finest forest trees abound. Much shorter curves and steeper grades will be advisable than would be the case on a road designed to accommodate heavy teaming, but there should be no very long hills of a grade so high that six good horses could not be kept upon a slow trot, taking up an ordinary stage coach load.

I also want the survey from Clark’s to Mariposa as soon as I can get it, so that I can take measures to raise funds if possible by subscription [270]in Mariposa to open it in the spring, & for other improvements which will depend upon my success in that. The best route, in my present judgment, would be one which, starting from Clark’s, crosses the Big Creek, somewhere within quarter of a mile of its mouth, (I have seen a very picturesque little defile which I think could be cheaply bridged); working then up to the old trail, on the ridge south of the creek, thence along the ridge, (commanding the finest views of the South Fork scenery that I have seen); turning to the right on the main divide & following this past the head of Devil’s Gulch—so as to look into it—thence taking some one of the spurs & working down the west side to the comparatively level country which I told you that I found between Hogan’s lower Ranch (Chowchilla water) and Lovejoy’s Saw Mill. The road now used between Lovejoy’s & Mariposa will require some improvement but can be mainly followed. It is not essential that your survey should extend beyond Lovejoy’s, but I should like to have you at least be able to lay down the road, as it is, somewhat approximately on a map.

I am much occupied in thinking what can be done, and in trying to make sure that it is done, to get all the Union votes practicable here secured before election, and this occupation is likely to hold me here till after election, so that I don’t think I shall undertake to join you as you propose. Silliman writes me that it is possible he may want me to go with him to the Big Tree Grove, which I promised to do if he called on me. In case he does, I shall send on for you to meet me at Clark’s.

Miss Errington continues to find fossils—in new localities. Ashburner & Silliman seem to think her discoveries have extraordinary importance. Ashburner has been here for a fortnight; will probably return after election. Brewer I suppose to have gone—overland. I have heard nothing recently of Hoffman. Silliman writes as if he had no definite plan of return—was bound for Copperopolis.