r miles.

The travel along here was quiet and easy, and as we had reason to
believe that we were in close proximity to the gold mines, we were
constantly looking out for them. We found a sort of restaurant on the
hillside, where we treated ourselves to sardines and vinegar, coffee and
crackers; and a little later we came upon some men actually engaged in
gold-digging, the first we had ever seen. The place was called Weber
Creek Diggings. There were several Chinamen in the group, who, with
their broad bamboo hats and their incessant chatter, were certainly a
great curiosity to us.

We passed on and soon came to Diamond Spring Diggings, where we spent
the night under an immense lone tree. The ground was rich with gold
here, and if we had gone to digging and washing the very spot on which
we slept we could all of us have made a snug fortune; but it was not for
us to get rich so quickly.

This was our last night together, Hangtown, or Placerville, Eldorado
County, as it is to-day, being but a few miles distant. We reached
Hangtown in time for breakfast, after which we all rode up the dividing
ridge, from the top of which we looked down upon the busiest town and
richest mining district in that country.

The hill was long and steep, and thereby hangs a tale. The saddle had
worked up on my mule's shoulders, which I had not noticed, my mind being
so wholly given to our new surroundings. In a second of time, and with
no admonition whatever, that mule kicked both hind feet into the air,
and I was made to turn a complete somersault over his head landing on
the flat of my back just in front of him. He stopped and looked at me
with a malicious smile in his eye, as much as to say: "We will now quit
even." The breath was knocked out of me. The boys picked me up and
brushed the dirt off, but I never mounted the mule again. We closed our
social relations right there. To think he should be so ungrateful as to
treat me in that way after I had watched over him with so much care and
tenderness! We had swam many a stream together; I had even divided my
bread with him; I had reposed so much confidence in him that many a
night had I slept with the loose end of his lariat tied to my wrist.
When we returned to town I sold both my mule and pony.

After we had treated ourselves to a bath, shave, haircut, and some new
clothes we started out to prospect for individual interests, and became
separated. Two of the company I have never seen since w