disorder." Colonel Mason then asked Mr. Bradley if he had heard the
reports of gold having been found on the Sacramento, as Mr. Fulsom had
casually mentioned in a letter to him that such rumours were prevalent
at San Francisco. Bradley replied that he had heard something about it,
but believed that there was no truth in the matter, although a few
fools had indeed rushed off to the reputed gold mines forthwith. With
this our interview terminated.

Monterey seems to be a rising town. The American style of houses is
superseding the old mud structures, and numbers of new huildings are
being run up every month. The hotel we stopped at has only been
recently opened by an American. Monterey is moreover a port of some
importance, if one may judge from the number of vessels lying at
anchor.

_May 7th_.--On Friday we dined at the house of Don Luis Palo, a
Californian gentleman of agreeable manners, whose father held office
here under the Spanish government previous to the Mexican Revolution.
I believe it is Don Luis's intention shortly to return to Spain. He is
unmarried, and his two sisters are the handsomest women I have yet
seen in this country; their beauty is quite of the Spanish style. A
dinner in California seems to be always the same--first soup and then
beef, dressed in various ways, and seasoned with chillies, fowls,
rice, and beans, with a full allowance of pepper and garlic to each
dish.

On Saturday we set out on our return, and after two days' hard riding
reached San Francisco to-day at 4, P.M.

CHAPTER III.

An arrival at San Francisco from the gold district
Captain Fulsom intends visiting the mine
The first Alcalde and others examine the gold
Parties made up for the diggings
Newspaper reports
The Government officers propose taking possession of the mine
The Author and his friends decide to visit the Sacramento Valley
A horse is bought
Increase of the gold excitement
Work-people strike work and prepare to move off
Lawyers, storekeepers, and others follow their example
The Author's journey delayed
Ten dollars a day for a negro waiter
Waiting for a saddler
Don Luis Palo arrives from Monterey on his way to the mines
The report of the Government taking possession of the mines
contradicted
Desertion of part of the Monterey garrison
Rumoured extent of the mines
The Author and his friends agree to go in company
Return of McPhail
Preparations for the journ