king difficult amidst huge mountain rocks. Partnerships then
compulsory. Naming the mine or company. The long-tom. Panning out the
gold. Sinking shaft to reach bed-rock. Drifting coyote-holes in search
of crevices. Water-ditches and water companies. Washing out in
long-tom. Waste-ditches. Tailings. Fluming companies. Rockers.
Gold-mining is nature's great lottery scheme. Thousands taken out in a
few hours. Six ounces in six months. "Almost all seem to have lost".
Jumped claims. Caving in of excavations. Abandonment of expensive
paying shafts. Miner making "big strike" almost sure prey of
professional gamblers. As spring opens, gamblers flock in like birds of
prey. After stay of only four days, gambler leaves Bar with over a
thousand dollars of miners' gold. As many foreigners as Americans on
the river. Foreigners generally extremely ignorant and degraded. Some
Spaniards of the highest education and accomplishment. Majority of
Americans mechanics of better class. Sailors and farmers next in
number. A few merchants and steamboat-clerks. A few physicians. One
lawyer. Ranchero of distinguished appearance an accomplished
monte-dealer and horse-jockey. Is said to have been a preacher in the
States. Such not uncommon for California.

LETTER _the_ SIXTEENTH PAGE 223

BIRTH--STABBING--FOREIGNERS OUSTED--REVELS

California mountain flora. A youthful Kanaka mother. Her feat of
pedestrianism. Stabbing of a Spaniard by an American. The result of a
request to pay a debt. Nothing done and but little said about the
atrocity. Foreigners barred from working at Rich Bar. Spaniards
thereupon move to Indian Bar. They erect places for the sale of
intoxicants. Many new houses for public entertainment at Indian Bar.
Sunday "swearing, drinking, gambling, and fighting". Salubrity of the
climate. No death for months, except by accidental drowning in
flood-water. Capture of two grizzly cubs. "The oddest possible pets".
"An echo from the outside world once a month."

LETTER _the_ SEVENTEENTH PAGE 231

SUPPLIES BY PACK-MULES--KANAKAS AND INDIANS

Belated arrival of pack-mule train with much-needed supplies.
Picturesque appearance of the dainty-footed mules descending the steep
hills. Of every possible color. Gay trappings. Tinkling bells. Peculiar
urging cry of the Spanish muleteers. Lavish expenditure of gold-dust
for vegetables and butter. Potatoes forty cents a po