usted, and we are forced to live on the produce of our hunting
expeditions. The little flour we have is set apart for the invalids of
the party. Yesterday our hunters came in, after being absent all day,
with only a black-tailed deer and a couple of hares; quails, however,
are tolerably plentiful. Lacosse and the trapper have volunteered to
set off to Sutter's, and bring us up a supply of breadstuffs sufficient
to last us until the sickly season sets in. I believe it is arranged
for them to start off tomorrow.

_September 1st_.--There have been several discussions as to the
prudence of keeping the large quantity of gold we have already procured
in camp, when we are liable to be surprised by the Indians, who for the
sake of it would tomahawk and scalp us all round. It seems to have
spread from tribe to tribe that the yellow earth which the pale faces
are in search of will buy not only beads and buttons and red paint, but
rifles, and charges of powder and ball, scarlet blankets, and the
"strong water," which the Indian "loves, alas! not wisely but too
well." Some are of the opinion that we ought to keep it by us, always
leaving a proper guard on the look-out, until we finally abandon the
digging, when we could return with it to the settlements in a body.
Bradley and Don Luis are rather opposed to this plan, and volunteer to
take the gold themselves to San Francisco or Monterey immediately, and
deliver it into the custody of some merchant there on our joint
account. I don't like this suggestion, for the amount is sufficiently
large to tempt any one to make off with it; besides, it would be
dangerous to send it without a strong guard. To-day we have put
ourselves on short rations, as our stock of provisions is getting very
low.

_September 2nd_.--The camp generally seem to be in favour of Bradley's
proposition. Some of the more timid ones consider that we shall be in
constant danger for the next two months before the rainy season
commences, when we must give over work. It is a great pity that the
gold was not sent down at the time Lacosse and the trapper left.

Three Indians came into the camp last night, belonging, we believe, to
some tribe no great distance off. We gave them a good supper; and after
it was over we took care to make as much display as possible of our
firearms and bullet-pouches, and to see that our horses and mules were
well tethered before we turned in for the night. Story and McPhail were
the first gu