money. Trial and acquittal of the miner's companions. Their
story improbable, their actions like actual murder.

LETTER _the_ TWELFTH PAGE 163

A STORMY WINTER--HOLIDAY SATURNALIAS

Saturnalia in camp. Temptations of riches. Tribute to the miners.
Dreariness of camp-life during stormy winter weather. Christmas and
change of proprietors at the Humboldt. Preparations for a double
celebration. Muleback loads of brandy-casks and champagne-baskets.
Noisy procession of revelers. Oyster-and-champagne supper. Three days
of revelry. Trial by mock vigilance committee. Judgment to "treat the
crowd". Revels resumed on larger scale at New Year's. Boat-loads of
drunken miners fall into river. Saved by being drunk. Boat-load of
bread falls into river and floats down-stream. Pulley-and-rope device
for hauling boat across river. Fiddlers "nearly fiddled themselves into
the grave". Liquors "beginning to look scarce". Subdued and
sheepish-looking bacchanals. Nothing extenuated, nor aught set down in
malice. Boating on river. Aquatic plants. Bridge swept away in torrent.
Loss of canoe. Branch from moss-grown fir-tree "a cornice wreathed with
purple-starred tapestry". A New Year's present from the river. A
two-inch spotted trout. No fresh meat for a month. "Dark and ominous
rumors". Dark hams, rusty pork, etc., stored.

LETTER _the_ THIRTEENTH PAGE 177

SOCIABILITY AND EXCITEMENTS OF MINING-LIFE

Departure from Indian Bar of the mulatto Ned. His birthday-celebration
dinner, at which the New Year's piscatory phenomenon figures in the
bill of fare. A total disregard of dry laws at the dinner. Excitement
over reported discovery of quartz-mines. A complete humbug. Charges of
salting. Excitement renewed upon report of other new quartz-mines. Even
if rich, lack of proper machinery would render the working thereof
impossible. Prediction that quartz-mining eventually will be the most
profitable. Miners leave the river without paying their debts. Pursued
and captured. Miners' court orders settlement in full. Celebration, by
French miners on the river, of the Revolution of 1848. Invitation to
dine at best-built log cabin on the river. The habitation of five or
six young miners. A perfect marvel of a fireplace. Huge unsplit logs as
firewood. Window of glass jars. Possibilities in the use of empty glass
containers. Unthrift of some miners. The cabin, its furniture, s