Supreme court of the United States. No. 135. The United States, appellants, vs. John A. Sutter. Appeal from the District court U.S. for the Northern district of California.

578 The United States vs. Sutter.
6th question. What instruments did you take with you when you
went to the Sacramento valley to make the survey?
Answer. I took a compass with sights; a sextant and chain, and an
artificial horizon. The chain was made of wire at New Helvetia, 50
varas in length.
7th question. What time did you arrive at Capt. Sutter's
509 establishment?
Answer. It was either at the latter part of December, 1840,
or in the beginning of January, 1841.
8th question. How long after your arrival there was it that you
commenced your explorations?
Answer. I think it was about a week; they were hurrying to make
the claim.
9th question. Was Capt. Sutter with you all the time you were exploring that land? If nay, what part of the time?
Answer. He was not with me at any of the time.
10th question. Who were with you?
Answer. Three white men and six Indians. I do not remember any
of their names.
11th question. Did you make field-notes of your survey or exploration?
Answer. Yes; I did.
12th question. Where are they?
Answer. They are lost. I did not keep them.
13th question. Upon what date did you make your survey?
510 What guided you in your courses and distances?
Answer. It was an unexplored country. Capt. Sutter wished
to ask of the government some land on the Feather river; he requested me to go and survey off a tract for him. I had no particular
guide as to the courses or locality of the lines beyond my own judgment; I surveyed what I supposed he wanted.
14th question. Who were the chain-bearers when you made the
survey?
Answer. Two of the white men; but I do not remember their
names.
15th question. When do you remember having last seen the fieldnotes you then made?
Answer. I have very little recollection about them. I think the
last I remember of them, I had them here in Yerba Buena some ten
or twelve years ago.
16th question. When and where did you make the maps of that
exploration?
Answer. I made them at Capt. Sutter's house, at New Helvetia,
immediately after I made the survey.
11 17th question. How many times, and where did you take
observations to ascertain latitude during that survey?
Answer. About at 4 places: one at the southern part of the lagoon
between the Sacramento and American rivers, being the boundary of
the New Helvetia claim; at Capt. Sutter's house another; the
mouth of Feather river the third I)lace; and the northern boundary