California — 05 - Ch. 12-14

CHAPTER XII.

The party leave the Mormon diggings Cradles sold by auction Laughter and biddings The wagon sent back The route to the saw-mills A horse in danger A miss at a Koyott An antelope hit Mr. Marshall Venison steaks for supper The saw-mills Indians at work Acorn bread Where the gold was How it was got Gentlemen and horses New-comers "Yankee Doodle" and the "Star-spangled Banner."

_Sunday, July 2nd_.

--Yesterday, in accordance with the resolutions debated this day week, we left the Mormon diggings, and pursued our course up the Americans' River.

It was on Thursday night that we adopted the final determination of moving off from our late quarters;

and, accordingly, next day I walked with Bradley and McPhail through the diggings, to try to find purchasers for our cradles.

This was not a difficult task.

We had plenty of offers; and we were so importuned by some six or eight people, who were anxious to trade with us, that we decided in a minute on having an auction of them.

I was not bold enough to play the part of auctioneer myself; but Bradley very coolly mounted on the top of one of the machines, and called upon "gentlemen traders" for their biddings.

This was a capital move.

The highest offer we had previously obtained was one hundred and sixty dollars for the largest of the two machines; but Bradley succeeded in coaxing the purchasers on--stopping now and then to expatiate on the mint of gold which, he guessed, he would warrant it to produce daily; and then calling to their minds the fact that this was "the identical cradle into which the lump of gold weighing two ounces and three-quarters--the largest piece ever found at the Mormon diggings--was about to have been shovelled, when it was discovered and seized hold of by the fortunate digger--the gentleman on my right hand--who, as you all know, in accordance with the admirable laws of these diggings, laid claim to it as his private property."

This produced a roar of laughter; but, what was better, it produced a roar of biddings, and the cradle was knocked down at one hundred and ninety-five dollars, payable in gold dust, at the standard rate of fourteen dollars the ounce, or a discount of ten per cent, if settled in broad silver pieces.

The other cradle fetched us one hundred and eighty dollars.

For these two cradles, therefore, we got three hundred and seventy-five dollars' worth of dust.

The same night we occupied ourselves in constructing strong bags, made of rough hides, and well strapped round the person for the conveyance of the gold dust and scales which we had already amassed.

On Wednesday morning, before sunrise, we had sent the wagon and wagoner back to Mr. Sinclair's rancho, accompanied by José, who returned on the evening of Thursday with the horses.

We found, on starting, that our horses could not carry all the provisions, and at the same time perform a good day's work.

We, therefore, left some of the more bulky articles under the charge of a man from San Francisco, known to Bradley, and departed.

We made good progress for a mile or two; and, as we crossed the brow of a hill, halted a moment to observe the busy aspect of the washings, as they appeared from a distance.

The country, as we ascended the stream, became hourly more hilly and broken.

Its general aspect was grassy, and the soil appeared fertile.

Here and there deep gullies crossed our path, over which we had great difficulty in urging the horses, heavily loaded as they were.

At one of these ravines, the animal which conveyed the tent-poles lost his footing, and went scrambling down the edge of the descent, bearing with him a whole avalanche of gravel and shingles.

Malcolm and Lacosse went after the brute, and succeeded in forcing it up by a less precipitous path.

At noon we halted and dined.

During the afternoon, we observed a sort of small jackall, of the kind called Koyott, hovering about the line of march.

It only occasionally showed itself amongst the long rank grass and bushes.

Bradley, however, got his rifle ready; but, although he fired several shots, the animal was too nimble or restless for even the practised eye and hand of a Yankee rifleman to be certain of his aim.

In a shot at a young antelope which bounded past, however, Bradley was more successful; and we were rejoiced at the prospect of a supper on tender venison.

In a few minutes he had slung the animal over his horse's haunches, and we proceeded on our route.

The country became more broken and mountainous as we advanced; and in approaching the location of the saw-mills, the hills appeared to rise nearly one thousand feet above the level of the Sacramento.

They were diversified by groves of gigantic pine and oak trees.

We were looking anxiously about for the saw-mills, when we heard the crack of a rifle;

and presently a man in white linen trousers, with his legs defended by buckskin mocassins, wearing a broad Mexican sombrero, and carrying his rifle in his hand, approached us.

This person turned out to be Mr. Marshall.

He received us kindly, and asked the news from the lower washings, and also how matters were looking at Sutter's when we passed through.

Mr. Marshall had a gang of fifty Indians employed, and Captain Sutter had another party of nearly double that number, on the same bank of the river.

We encamped in a woody bottom, by the side of a small stream, which joined the main torrent here, and where there was good pasture for the horses.

Mr. Marshall's house was about a mile and a half further up the river.

After a good supper of venison steaks--thanks to Bradley's rifle--we turned in for the night.

Nest day, Lacosse and McPhail, attended by Horry, and driving two extra horses, rode down to the Mormon diggings, for the purpose of getting up the provisions which we had left behind.

Meantime, I walked out to reconnoitre our new quarters.

I soon arrived at the mills, and saw the spot where the discovery of the gold had first been made, by the torrent laying bare the sides of the mill-race.

Here I met Mr. Marshall again.

Of course the operations of the saw-mill had been stopped, for the workmen were employed in the vicinity, either above or below the works, digging and washing on their own account.

Mr. Marshall paid the Indians he had at work chiefly in merchandize.

I saw a portion of the gang, the men dressed for the most part in cotton drawers and mocassins, leaving the upper part of the body naked.

They worked with the same implements as those used in the lower washings.

Not far from the place where most of them were employed, I saw a number of the women and children pounding acorns in a hollow block of wood with an oblong stone.

Of the acorn flour thus produced they made a sort of dry, hard, unpalatable bread, which assuredly none but an Indian stomach could digest.

Upon instituting a more particular search into the nature of the country and our prospects, we found that the places where the gold was found in the greatest abundance, and in the largest masses, were the beds of the mountain torrents, now dry, which occasionally descend into both the forks of the stream.

We clambered up some of those precipitous ravines, and observed, upon several occasions, as we scrambled among the shingle, shining spangles of gold.

The soil was evidently richly charged; but the great disadvantage was the comparative distance from water, in the evening our friends arrived from the lower diggings, with the provisions all safe and sound, and the next day we determined to set to work.

_July 3rd_.

--Selecting a likely place in the heart of a steep mountain gorge, we transported thither the larger Indian baskets which we had purchased at Sutter's Fort, and, shovelling the earth into them, passed poles, cut from the nearest pine tree, through the rope-handles we had affixed to these baskets.

Resting the poles on our shoulders, we carried the loaded baskets to the brink of the stream, and then set to work after the old fashion, with our hands in the baskets.

Our success was great, and the day's return shows a decided improvement upon the Mormon diggings.

The soil here is more richly impregnated with gold than below; but the labour of carrying the earth to the water is excessive, and I am so tired this evening that I very reluctantly opened my journal to make this short entry.

_July 4th_.

--As we were starting off to the river with our first basket loads of gravel this morning, Lacosse suddenly remarked that he did not see why the horses should be living like gentlemen when the gentlemen were working like horses; and he proposed to use the shoulders of our nags, instead of our own, for the conveyance of the earth.

We all fell in with this proposal, wondering it had never struck us before, and the horses were soon fetched from their comfortable quarters among the tall rank grass, and set to work, with the baskets slung over their backs, like panniers.

Several new-comers from the Mormon diggings passed us to-day, bound further up the Fork.

In the morning Mr. Marshall paid us a visit, to know how we were getting on.

He had heard from Captain Sutter, who stated that he thought of starting for the upper or lower washings himself, as soon as he had gathered in his wheat harvest, which he hoped to accomplish during the present week.

A number of wild ducks haunt the, river, and especially abound in the grassy and weedy pools which skirt its edges.

This morning we shot some of these, and found them an agreeable addition to our dinner bill of fare.

The afternoon has been passed among the greater part of the miners here as a celebration of the anniversary of American Independence.

Something like an out-door feast was got up, and toasts were drunk and songs sang; "Yankee Doodle," and the "Star-spangled Banner," being the chief favourites.

Bradley made a smart speech: and, contrary to his usual practice, complimented us Englishmen with a round of pleasant allusions to the mother country.

CHAPTER XIII.

The party again shift their quarters The river forded Horry in the water Mr. Sinclair's party of Indians Deserted Indian Villages Weber's Creek A halt made Cradles hollowed out A commotion in the camp Colonel Mason arrives on a tour of inspection His opinions as to what Congress should do Military deserters, and what ought to be done with them Return of Colonel Manson's party to Sutter's Fort Bradley accompanies it with a stock of gold How the gold was packed, and what precautions were taken for its security.

Weber's Creek.

--_July 9th_.

--A few more days' experience at the saw-mills convinced us that much time and labour was lost in consequence of the distance between the digging we worked at and the water, and we therefore determined to seek a more desirable location.

Ever since we had been at the saw-mills we had heard it constantly said, that at Weber's Creek the gold was to be found in far greater abundance; and to Weber's Creek we determined to go.

The stream thus called is a small tributary to the northern fork of the Americans'.

We struck our tents yesterday morning, loaded our horses, and took our departure.

The river, at the fording-place, was broad and rapid, but shallow; the principal difficulties in the ford arose from the number of smooth round stones, covered with green rince slime, which formed the bed of the river, and over which our horses stumbled, with a violence which threatened to disturb the fastening of their burdens.

No disaster, however, actually occurred, except to poor Horry, whose horse stumbled over a large boulder, and pitched its luckless rider over its head into the water, to the undissembled delight of the entire party, who hailed the poor sailor's discomfiture with loud bursts of laughter.

Horry made the best of his way to the farther bank, without paying any more attention to his horse, which, however, emerged from the water, and was on dry land as soon as Horry himself.

We now proceeded along the right bank of the North Fork, and on the opposite side we caught a glimpse of a party of Indians at work, which we afterwards learned were that of Mr. Sinclair.

In one week this party had gathered sixteen pounds troy of fine washed gold dust.

They worked hard, were well fed, and had liberal rations of "strong water" daily.

We rested a couple of hours at noon, in a pleasant bottom, heavily timbered, and afterwards, striking away from the river at an acute angle, moved leisurely on through a broken country, intersected by many water-courses, and overgrown with dense clusters of trees.

During our afternoon march we passed several deserted Indian villages--the round-shaped skeletons of the huts alone remaining to mark the former settlements.

Not a member of the tribe, however, was to be seen; the beaver may build and the deer pasture hereabouts in peace.

Towards evening we entered the valley drained by the stream called Weber's Creek.

Its appearance was very beautiful, and the stream descended along a steep rocky bed, foaming round large boulder stones, and tumbling down low ledges of granite.

The grassy slopes of the valley are cut up in all directions with rivulets, the courses of which are marked by luxuriant underwood, rank grass, and groves of stunted oaks.

Two or three arbours were to be seen with one or two rude-looking tents, all with blazing fires before them.

We encamped forthwith, hoping the next day to reach a station which we could make available for our purpose.

We were early on the move this morning, and soon saw several parties of threes and fours washing in the bed of the river, or exploring the mountain gorges with their shovels and mattocks.

The weather was getting oppressively hot; indeed, the further we got from the Sacramento the hotter did it become.

The sea-breeze never penetrates here to refresh us, and, except when an occasional squall comes sweeping down from the hills, the air is very oppressive.

We travelled but slowly, still in an hour or so we reached a station, about fifteen miles as the crow flies, or about twenty by the windings of the stream, from the point of its junction with the Americanos, where we determined to try our luck.

There was quite a camp here--not to the same extent as the Mormon diggings, but still the washers were numerous, and the larger part of them were Indians.

Some few worked in the bed of the river, but the great majority were engaged in the ravines leading up the mountains.

The greatest quantity of gold dust was found in the former, while the latter yielded the best specimens of lump and scale gold.

We were told that, though the side gullies were very rich, yet they were more uncertain than the main stream.

Lumps of gold, weighing several ounces, were continually met with, but a morning was often wasted and nothing found; whereas, if a man stuck to the main stream, and washed all day long, he was sure of his ounce or couple of ounces of gold.

For these reasons we determined to stand by the river.

Our first business was to see if we could manage to construct a couple of cradles.

At a large store here we met with some pine planks, but the figure was most exorbitant.

Taking a hint from what we had noticed among the Indians at the saw-mills, we determined to fell a couple of stout trees, and hollow them out so as to serve our purpose.

We obtained the assistance of a man here, a ship's carpenter, and a most civil obliging sort of fellow, who gave us a day's help for thirty dollars.

He superintended the felling of the trees, and then put us in the way of proceeding with the work.

We found the toil sufficiently severe, and began to feel the heat, as I thought, to a far greater extent than was the case in the lower part of the country.

_July 8th_.

--Yesterday we were employed, from early in the morning till beyond noon, in trimming and hollowing out our cradles.

While we were seated together outside the tent enjoying a few whiffs of our pipes and cigars, after a famous dinner of smoking-hot steaks and frijoles, we saw the camp below was all in commotion.

People were running out of their tents, and shouting to their neighbours, and gradually a little crowd was formed round a group of horsemen, who were just then brought to a halt.

That same feeling of curiosity which gets together a London crowd to see the lion on the top of Northumberland House wag his tail, caused us to make our way, with the rest of the gapers, down to Bennett's shanty, against which all this bustle appeared to be going on.

As soon as Bradley and myself could force our way a little through the crowd, we recognised in a moment the features of Colonel Mason.

The Colonel, who wore an undress military uniform, had just dismounted from his horse, with the intention, it appeared, of walking through the diggings.

In a couple of minutes' time my friend Lieutenant Sherman came up, and we were soon engaged in an animated conversation in reference to the gold district.

The fact was, the Governor was on a tour of inspection for the purpose of making a report to the Cabinet at Washington.

I took care to thank Lieutenant Sherman for his letter of introduction to Captain Sutter, and to explain to him the friendly manner in which Captain Sutter received me.

I then joined in the conversation being carried on with Colonel Mason, who was giving his opinion as to what the Government would do with respect to the gold placer.

The Colonel was very guarded in his statements.

He, however, hinted that he thought it would be politic for Congress to send over proper officers and workmen, and at once to establish a mint at some convenient point on the coast.

He fully admitted the difficulties of keeping men to their engagements under circumstances like the present;

but said some steps must be taken to check the system of desertions on the part of the troops quartered at Monterey and San Francisco.

The pay of the soldiers, he considered, ought to be increased; but, without reference to this, he told the gentlemen round him that, as good citizens, they were bound to lend their utmost endeavours to secure in safe custody all known deserters--men who had abandoned their flag and exposed the country to danger, that they might live in a state of drunkenness at the mines.

Colonel Mason next proceeded to visit Captain Weber's store, whither Bradley accompanied him.

On his return, Bradley informed us that the Colonel and his escort intended to set off on their way back lo Sutter's Fort that very afternoon, and they reckoned upon encamping some few miles below the saw-mills that night.

Bradley then took me aside and asked me whether this would not be a good opportunity to send our stock of gold dust down to Captain Sutter, who would, for a reasonable commission, consign it to a merchant at Monterey on our account.

The weight of it was becoming cumbersome, and we were besides in constant apprehension of some unfortunate accident happening to it.

Now was the time, Bradley urged, to place all we had as yet realised in security.

He knew Colonel Mason--in fact, had served under him, and undertook, if the remainder of the party were agreeable, to carry the gold, under the protection of Colonel Mason's escort, to Sutter's Fort.

There was something reasonable in this proposal, and Colonel Mason, on being appealed to, said he would gladly give Mr. Bradley such protection as his escort would afford him, and would be, moreover, happy of his company.

Our party was, therefore, summoned together, and the whole, or nearly so, of the gold dust being produced, it was weighed in our presence, and found to amount to twenty-seven pounds eight ounces troy--valued at over four thousand six hundred dollars.

Bradley gave a regular receipt for this to the company, and engaged to obtain a similar one from Captain Sutter.

The gold dust was then packed in a small portmanteau well secured by numerous cords, and firmly bound on the pack-saddle of an extra horse, which Bradley was to ride alongside of, the bridle of the animal being secured to his arm, and its trail-rope made fast to the saddle of the horse which Bradley himself rode.

He was well armed with pistols and a rifle, and started with Colonel Mason's party a couple of hours before sundown--so that they might ford the river ere it was dusk.

After accomplishing this, they intended to ride part of the way by the light of the moon.

CHAPTER XIV.

Smoking and sleeping Fever, and how caused Bradley returns A doctor wanted A doctor's fee at the mines Medicine scarce A hot air bath and a cold water bath Indians engaged to work Indian thimble-rigging An Indian gamester, and the stake he plays for More sickness Mormons move off A drunken dance by Indians An Indian song about the yellow earth and the fleet rifle An immodest dance by Indian women.

_July 12th, Wednesday_.

--We finished our cradles late upon Saturday night, but delayed working until Monday.

A few of the miners pursued their avocation on the Sunday, but the majority devoted the day to rest--smoking and sleeping in the shade alternately.

I walked through the washings, and heard that many of the miners had been taken ill with intermittent fever, a circumstance which did not astonish me.

Bad diet, daily exposure to the sun while it is at its greatest height, followed by an exposure to the cold damp air at night time--these conjoined were quite sufficient to bring on the most severe illness.

On my return to the tent I looked over our little stock of medicine, which I foresaw I should soon be required to use.

On Monday we commenced operations in the old style--digging, fetching water, and rocking the cradle.

The sun came blazing down with great power, causing headaches to most of the party, particularly Malcolm, who complained much.

The day's taking was very good; we having realised nine ounces with one machine, and seven and a half with the other.

At night, as Malcolm still continued to complain of his head, and as there was evidently a good deal of low fever about him, I gave him a dose of calomel and a febrifuge mixture, which by the morning produced a good deal of relief.

Bradley made his appearance during the forenoon, after a fatiguing ride from Sutter's Fort.

He had seen the Captain, had delivered the gold, and settled the transaction.

We were hard at work the whole of to-day.

In the evening a man came crawling into the tent to know if we had any medicines we would sell.

I told him I was a doctor, and asked him what was the matter.

He had been suffering from remittent fever of a low typhoid type.

I gave him bark, and told him he must lay up and take care of himself.

He said he would; but next day, during the intervals of fever, I saw him working away with his pan.

The news of there being a doctor in the camp soon spread, and I am now being continually called on to prescribe for a large number of patients.

An ounce of gold is the fee generally given me.

This sort of work is as much more profitable as it is less laborious than working at the cradle.

But the great drawback is that one has to do something else beyond advising.

People require physicking, and as I cannot submit to be deprived of the little stock of medicine I had brought with me in case of my own friends having occasion for it, I am obliged to give over practising in those cases where medicine is absolutely necessary.

The native Californians, both Indians and whites, have an universal remedy for febrile affections, and indeed for sickness of almost any kind; this is the temascal, a sort of hot air bath, shaped not unlike a sentry-box, and built of wicker-work, and afterwards plastered with mud until it becomes air-tight.

There is one of these machines at the Weber Creek washings, which has been run up by the Indians during the last few days.

One of them used it for the first time this afternoon, and to my surprise is still alive.

After a great fire had been made up close to the door--a narrow aperture just large enough for a little man to squeeze through--it was afterwards gradually allowed to burn itself out, having in the meantime heated to a very high degree the air in the interior of the bath.

Into this the Indian screwed himself, and there remained until a profuse perspiration was produced, which he checked forthwith by a plunge into the chilly water of the river.

Here he floundered about for a few minutes, and then crawled out and lay down exhausted on the ground.

The atmosphere continues exceedingly sultry, and the miners who work by the river, out of the shade, have in several instances sunk exhausted under the toil.

Dysentery, produced probably by unwholesome food, has also begun to show itself, and altogether the aspect of things is anything but cheerful.

_July 15th, Saturday_.

--We have engaged a large party of Indians to work for us in the ravines.

They belong to the Snake tribe, and appear to be a poor set of half-starved wretches.

We pay them in provisions, and occasionally drams of pisco--a spirit made from Californian grapes.

On visiting the encampment of our Indians, last night after work was over, I found about a dozen of them eagerly engaged gambling away--the stake, in some instances, being the supper which had just been served out to them--with an ardour equal to that of the most civilized gamesters.

So far as I could make out, the game had some analogy to our "thimble-rigging;" but appeared to be fairly played.

A small ball was passed by three of the Indians from hand to hand, with such rapid dexterity, that no eye could keep pace with their movements; three others watched it with peculiar eagerness.

Every now and then the latter made a correct guess, and one was scored in their favour--if wrong, a mark was scored against them.

The Indians are in general strongly addicted to games of chance, and they sometimes gamble away all the clothing on their backs.

I heard of an instance which occurred near the saw-mills, of an Indian who, after having lost every article of clothing he had, one after the other, to his more fortunate antagonist, staked his labour for a week against the cotton shirt which he had lost only a few minutes before.

He had a run of bad luck, and, when he left off, had to work for six weeks, at gold-washing, for his antagonist, who fed him on nothing better than acorn bread.

Mr. Neligh, who told me of this circumstance, had seen the man at work duly fulfilling his engagement.

The sickness amongst the miners continues to increase, and in our own party Lacosse has been laid up for two days with fever; however, I think he is now doing well.

The climate does not appear to be unhealthy.

It is the exposure to the work which does the mischief.

There is some talk afloat among our party of removing further up the country, nearer to the mountains, where gold is said to be in greater abundance.

Yesterday, a large party--many of them Mormons--started for the Bear River, a small stream which runs into the Sacramento, and is said to be about fifty miles distant, due north from where we are encamped.

The Indians at work here have caused the price of pisco and whisky to rise to a most exorbitantly high rate.

They content themselves with feasting on the bitter acorn bread, and spend all their earnings on "strong water" and a little finery.

Sometimes a party of them, when intoxicated, will get up one of their wild dances, when the stamping and yelling are of a far more fearful character than is generally the case at these singular exhibitions.

The dance begins generally with a rude song, the words being of the usual harsh guttural character, but the ideas are generally striking and peculiar.

One has been explained to me which recites the praises of the "yellow earth," because it will procure the Shoshonee the fleet rifle with which he can slay his Pawnee foe.

It says nothing, however, about the "strong water," which renders the arm of the war-chief weaker than that of a child; for, with all their vices, there is still that pride about the Indian character which makes them ashamed of those weaknesses they are unable to resist.

Frequently, while the Indian warriors repose from their exertions, after the termination of one of these wild dances, the women of the tribe will occupy their place; but in general their postures and movements are indelicate in the extreme.

But modesty is hardly to be looked for in the amusements of savage life.