submit, for "helps" of all kinds are in great demand, and very
difficult to meet with. Several hundred people must have left here
during the last few days. Malcolm and I have our baggage all in
readiness to start on Monday.

_May 22nd_.--To-day all our arrangements have been changed; the saddler
did not keep his promise, and while Malcolm, Bradley, and myself were
venting our indignation against him, Don Luis Palo made his appearance.
The gold fever had spread to Monterey, and he had determined to be off
to the mines at once. He had brought his servant (a converted Indian,
named Jose) with him, and extra horses with his baggage; he intended to
set to work himself at the diggings, and meant to take everything he
required with him. He says the report about Colonel Mason's moving a
force off to the mines to take possession of them is all nonsense; that
some of the garrison of Monterey have already gone there, is quite
true, but they have deserted to dig sold on their own account. Colonel
Mason, he says, knows too well that he has no efficient force for such
a purpose, and that, even if he had, he would not be able to keep his
men together. It appears, also, that the mines occupy several miles of
ground, the gold not being confined to one particular spot. On hearing
this intelligence we at once determined to follow Don Luis's example,
and although there seemed a certain degree of absurdity in four people,
all holding some position in society, going off on what might turn out
to be only a fool's errand, still the evidence we had before us, of the
gold which had actually been found, and the example of the multitudes
who were daily hastening to the diggings, determined us to go with the
rest. We therefore held a council upon the best method of proceeding,
at which every one offered his suggestions.

While we were thus engaged, McPhail, our fellow-passenger from Oregon,
made his appearance, having only just then returned from Sonoma. He had
heard a great deal about the new gold placer, and he had merely come
back for his baggage, intending to start off for the mines forthwith.
The result of our deliberations was to this effect. Each man was to
furnish himself with one good horse for his own use, and a second horse
to carry his personal baggage, as well as a portion of the general
outfit; we were each to take a rifle, holster pistols, etc. It was
agreed, moreover, that a tent should be bought immediately, if such a
thing could