sed affirm that if there was any
deception (which, however, is beyond the shadow of a doubt), they also
were deceived; and as they appear like honest men enough, I am inclined
to believe them.

Just now there is a new quartz-mine excitement. A man has engaged to
lead a company to the golden and crystallized spot. Probably this also
will prove, like the other, a mere yellow bubble. But, even if as rich
as he says, it will be of little value at present, on account of the
want of suitable machinery, that now in use being so expensive and
wasting so much of the precious metal that it leaves the miner but
little profit. It is thought, however, by men of judgment that in a few
years, when the proper way of working them to advantage has been
discovered, the quartz-mines will be more profitable than any others in
California.

A few days ago we had another specimen of illegal, but in this case at
least extremely equitable, justice. Five men left the river without
paying their debts. A meeting of the miners was convened, and "Yank,"
who possesses an iron frame, the perseverance of a bulldog, and a
constitution which never knew fatigue, was appointed, with another
person, to go in search of the culprits and bring them back to Indian
Bar. He found them a few miles from this place, and returned with them
in triumph, and alone, his friend having been compelled to remain
behind on account of excessive fatigue. The self-constituted court,
after a fair trial, obliged the five men to settle all liabilities
before they again left the river.

Last week the Frenchmen on the river celebrated the Revolution of
February, 1848. What kind of a time they had during the day, I know
not, but in the evening (apropos, part of them reside at Missouri Bar)
they formed a torchlight procession and marched to Rich Bar, which, by
the way, takes airs upon itself, and considers itself a _town_. They
made quite a picturesque appearance as they wound up the hill, each one
carrying a tiny pine-tree, the top of which was encircled with a diadem
of flame, beautifully lighting up the darker verdure beneath, and
gleaming like a spectral crown through the moonless, misty evening. We
could not help laughing at their watchwords. They ran in this wise:
Shorge Washingtone, James K. Polk, Napoleon Bonaparte! Liberte,
egalite, fraternite! Andrew Jacksone, President Fillmore, and
Lafayette! I give them to you word for word, as I took them down at the
time.

Since the