hey implored us to help them. A deaf ear was turned to
their entreaties. Our own lives depended on our hastening on. Three or
four others dropped by the way, one by one. No one waited for them.
`On, on, on!' was the cry; `Water, water, water!' At length, towards
evening, the mules pricked up their ears: trees appeared in the
distance. We hurried on. A glittering stream gladdened our sight. We
rushed into it, greedily lapping up the water. Our mules drank eagerly.
We felt revived and strengthened. There was abundance of wood: we
lighted a fire and dressed our provisions. Several birds, and two or
three animals were shot to increase our feast.

"Ha, ha, ha, how we laughed. To-morrow, we said, we shall be able to
push on to the mines, and begin to dig for gold. In an instant every
one was talking of gold. `Gold, gold, gold,' was heard on every side.
Did any one think of the poor wretches we had left dying on the road--
men--brethren by nature, by a common faith--men with souls? Not one of
us thought of going back. At all events, not one of us offered to go
back. An all-powerful loadstone was dragging us on--the lust of getting
gold. Had we gone back to relieve our fellow-beings, we should have
been unable to proceed the next day for the diggings. A whole day would
have been lost. Oh, most foul and wretched was the mania which inspired
us! Unnatural! no; it was that of fallen, debased human nature; it was
too true to that nature. Those miserable men must have died horribly--
devoured by wolves or scalped by Indians. The next day we pushed
eagerly on; yet we had to sleep high up on the side of a snow-capped
mountain; thence we were to descend to the scene of our labours.
Bitterly cold it was; yet we dared not move, for frightful precipices
yawned around. We reached the first diggings that evening. The miners
had just knocked off work, and crowded round us to hear the news, and to
see what we had brought. Rough as they looked, by far the greater
number, I judged by the tone of their voices, belong to the educated
classes. And shall I become like one of these men? I thought. I soon
became like one of them, and rougher still. `I expected a friend about
this time,' said one, describing him. He was among those who had fallen
and been deserted. He made but few other inquiries. He knew that such
events were too common to complain. I saw him brush away a tear, as he
turned from us. That man was too