in the crowd that surrounded this
western Solon, while others laughed at his impudence. All, however,
were eager to see the prevailing state of things put right, and glad to
back any one who appeared able and willing to act with vigour.

"Wall then, here goes," cried the Yankee. "Let it be decreed that
whatever critter shall be nabbed in the act of makin' tracks, with what
isn't his'n, shall have his ears cut off, if it's a mild case, and be
hanged or shot if it's a bad un."

A hearty and stern assent was at once given to this law, and the
law-giver went on to lay down others. He said that of course murder
would be punished also with death, and for several other offences men
should be flogged or branded on the cheeks with red-hot irons. Having
in little more than ten minutes laid down these points, he enacted that
thenceforth each man should be entitled to a claim of ten feet square,
which, being multiplied by the number of his mess, would give the limits
of the allotments in particular locations; but that, he said, would not
prevent any man from moving from one site and fixing on another.

To this proposition, however, some of the miners demurred, and the
law-giver found that, although in criminal law he had been allowed to
have it all his own way, in civil matters he must listen to the opinion
of others. However, after much wrangling this law was agreed to; and it
was also arranged, among other things, that as long as any one left his
tools in his claim, his rights were to be respected.

This meeting had the most beneficial influence on the miners. Rough and
ready, as well as harsh, though their proceedings were, they
accomplished the end in view most effectually, for after several
terrible examples had been made, which proved to evil-doers that men
were thoroughly in earnest, stealing, quarrelling about boundaries, and
murdering were seldom heard of in that district--insomuch that men could
leave bags of gold in their tents unwatched for days together, and their
tools quite open in their claims without the slightest fear of their
being touched!

The reader must not suppose here that we are either upholding or
defending the proceedings of the celebrated Judge Lynch. We are merely
recording facts, which prove how efficacious his severe code was in
bringing order out of confusion in Bigbear Gully at that time.

It is not necessary that we should follow the varied fortunes of our
hero and his friends, day b