GIVES THE RESULT OF THE FIRST DAY'S DIGGING, AND SHOWS THE POWERFUL
EFFECT OF LYNCH-LAW.
Next morning Frank and his friends went out to choose their claim. As
we have said, the Bigbear Gully was not at that time generally known. A
comparatively small number of diggers had set to work in it, and they
were careful to avoid giving much information to "prospecting," or
searching parties, because they knew that if the richness of the soil
were known, there would be a general rush to it from all quarters.
There was therefore no lack of unoccupied ground.
A suitable spot was chosen in a pleasant grove on the banks of the
stream where it swept round the base of a magnificent precipice, not far
from Jeffson's store. Here Douglas, Meyer, and Joe set to work to build
a kind of hut of logs, branches, and mud, while Frank returned to the
store to purchase the necessary tools. Having little money left, he was
compelled to take credit, which Jeffson readily granted to him, knowing
full well that there was little fear of the account remaining long
unpaid.
In order that the reader may have an idea of the charges made at the
diggings in those days, we subjoin the list of purchases made at the
commencement of operations by the firm of "Allfrey, Douglas and
Company."
+===================================================================+=====================+
|A rocker or cradle |6 pounds 5 shillings |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
|A spade, shovel, pick-axe, and two tin washing-pans |3 pounds 15 shillings|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
|12 pounds weight of biscuit, 12 pounds weight of salt-pork and beef| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
|4 pounds weight of lard, and 6 pounds weight of flour |10 pounds 8 shillings|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
|A frying-pan, sauce-pan, and four tin mugs |2 pounds 12 shillings|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+---------------------+
|Sum-Total |23 pounds 0 shillings|
+===================================================================+=====================+
When Joe Graddy heard the sum-total he looked very blank indeed, but,
quickly recovering himself, insisted that they should leave off
house-building, which, in the fine weather, he said, wos o' no manner o'
use, and it was a matter o' prime importance to go to dig at once, an'
pay off their debt without delay.
Joe was overruled, however, and when it was explained to him that the
fine weather might not last long, that it was essential to health that
they should have a roof of some sort to keep off the dews, and that
digging might be commenced in right earnest on the morrow, he consented
to continue his labours at the hut.
That night they slept sounder than usual, and, on the following morning,
began to dig for gold.
They commenced within a few feet of the water's edge. Joe handled the
pick and spade; Meyer carried the "dirt" on his broad shoulders to
Douglas, who rocked the cradle, while Frank washed out the auriferous
matter in one of the tin pans, until nothing but pure gold and black
sand remained. It was reserved for evening to separate the sand from
the gold, and ascertain the result of their day's labour.
At noon, in accordance with the universal custom at the mines, they
threw down their tools and went up to the hut for an hour's rest and
refreshment. Of course they discussed while they dined, and hoped
largely! but their jaws were more active than their tongues, and the
moment the hour was completed they returned vigorously to work.
When the shades of evening began to descend, they returned to the hut,
and, kindling a fire, commenced to fry blacksand and gold, being anxious
to ascertain the result of the first day's work before supper! As each
panful was dried and blown, the gold was weighed and put into a small
white bowl, the bottom of which was soon heaped up with shining
particles, varying in size from the smallest visible specks to little
lumps like grains of corn.
A neighbouring miner, who had offered to weigh the result for them,
pronounced this first day's work as an unusually successful one, being,
he said, a little over thirty-six pounds sterling.
"How much?" exclaimed Joe Graddy in amazement.
"Thirty-six pounds sterling," repeated the miner.
"You _don't_ mean that?"
"Indeed I do," replied the miner, smiling.
"Then our fortins is made a'ready--all but--"
"Not quite; you forget the price of our outfit," said Frank.
"No doubt, I did," answered the seaman, a little subdued.
"And the price o' grub," added Douglas; "not to mention clothing, which
we shall want very soon, I fear, for the tear and wear of this kind of
work is considerable. Why, I found to-day, when I took a stroll at
noon, that they charge five pounds sterling for a flannel shirt, and
four pounds for a pair of boots, and everything else is in proportion;
so, you see, our thirty-six pounds won't do much for us at that rate.
However, I admit that we have reason to be satisfied with the day's
work."
"You certainly have," said their friend the miner; "for it is very
seldom that beginners do so much. And now I would give you one piece of
advice before I go, which is, that you appoint one of your number to
cook for the rest. More men are killed, I believe, by eating
half-cooked victuals, than by hard work. They come in fagged and wet at
night, cook their grub hastily, bolt it, and then lie down to sleep in
damp clothes. Of course they soon break down. Our party have kept very
fair health in the midst of great sickness; and I believe it is chiefly
owing to the fact that, on first setting to work, we appointed one of
our number, who had a talent that way, to attend to the cooking
department. We relieved him of a great deal of the hard labour, but
gave him his equal share of the profits. The consequence has been that
we are all in first-rate health, and dig more energetically than our
neighbours."
"Has there then been much sickness here of late?" asked Frank.
"A great deal, and I fear there will be much more when the rains set in;
but let me urge you again to take my advice about appointing a cook."
"That," said Joe Graddy, "is just wot we means to do, Mister
wot's-yer-name?"
"Stewart," said the miner.
"Well, Mister Stewart, I'll ap'int myself cook to our party, havin', if
I may say so, a nat'ral talent that way, w'ich wos deweloped on my first
voyage round the world, w'en our cook died of a broken heart--so it's
said--'cause the doctor knocked off his grog, and put him on an
allowance o' lime juice."
Saying this, Joe heaved a deep sigh, seized the frying-pan, and
commenced his self-imposed duties. Our hero took up the bowl of
gold-dust, and was about to leave the hut, when Douglas arrested him
with--
"Hallo, Frank, where away? I shall have to shout `stop thief' if you go
off like that with the gold."
"I'm going to pay our debt to Jeffson," said Frank, with a laugh. "I
have great belief, Douglas, in the plan of paying as one goes. Debt is
a heavy weight, which I never mean to carry if I can help it. A good
old aunt of mine used often to din into everybody's ears the text `owe
no man anything,' and I really believe she has caused it to take a
strong hold of me, for I can't rest till I square off Jeffson's
account!"
Frank hastened away, and soon after returned with the balance, thirteen
pounds, which, as Douglas observed when they began supper, was the
nucleus of their future fortune; while Joe remarked that "he didn't know
wot nooklius wos, but if it meant the _beginnin'_ of their fortin, it
wasn't a big un, as things went at the diggin's."
The proceeds of the next day's work were nearly equal to those of the
first, and the spirits of the diggers were proportionally high; but on
the third day they did not wash out much more than half the quantity of
gold. They were therefore somewhat depressed; and this condition of
mind was increased by one of those events which were at times of
frequent occurrence there. This was the murder of one miner by another,
and the summary application of Lynch-law to the criminal.
It occurred about noon, when the miners were at dinner. A man named
Higson, who was noted for swearing and brutality, was standing near
Jeffson's store, when a young miner named Elms came up, greatly excited,
in consequence of having just found a large nugget, which he wished to
have weighed. To the surprise of all, and the indignation of Elms,
Higson suddenly snatched the nugget out of his hand, and swore that it
had been got in a claim to which Elms had no title, and that, being
alongside of his own, and included in the line he had marked off, the
nugget was his by rights!
The young man sprang upon Higson, and a struggle ensued, in the midst of
which the latter drew his bowie-knife and stabbed Elms to the heart.
When he fell, Higson attempted to run, but a stout German tripped up his
heels, and a cry of wild anger arose from those who had witnessed the
deed.
"Lynch him!" they shouted furiously.
Frank Allfrey and his friends heard the shout, and ran to the spot; but
the administration of justice was so prompt that, before they reached
it, the murderer was swinging by the neck to the branch of a tree.
"Surely you have been too hasty," exclaimed Frank, advancing without any
settled intention, but under an indefinable sense that wrong was being
done.
At this several miners leaped forward, and drawing their revolvers,
swore with a terrible oath that they would shoot any man who should
attempt to cut the murderer down.
As one of the miners here explained hastily why it was that justice had
been meted out with such promptitude, our hero drew back and left the
spot, feeling, however, that Judge Lynch was a very dangerous character,
seeing that he might be just as prompt with the innocent as with the
guilty, although he would find it rather difficult to recall life if he
should find out afterwards that he had been mistaken in his views.
This event was followed two days after by another incident, which caused
considerable excitement in Bigbear Gully. With the increase of miners
there had been a considerable increase of crime, as might naturally have
been expected in a country where, while there were undoubtedly many
honest men, there were also thousands of scoundrels of all nations who
had been attracted thither by the dazzling accounts given of the new El
Dorado in the West. Rows, more or less severe, in reference to claims
and boundaries, had become frequent. Cold-blooded murders were on the
increase; and thefts became so common that a general sense of insecurity
began to be felt.
This state of things at last wrought its own cure. One day a youth went
into the hut of a neighbouring digger, a Yankee, and stole a coffee-tin.
He was taken in the act, and as this was the second time that he had
been caught purloining his neighbours' goods, those in the vicinity rose
up _en masse_ in a furore of indignation. A hurried meeting of all the
miners was called, and it was unanimously resolved--at least so
unanimously that those who dissented thought it advisable to be silent--
that Lynch-law should be rigorously put in force.
Accordingly, several of the most energetic and violent of the miners
constituted themselves judges on the spot, and, on hearing a brief
statement of the case, decreed that the culprit was to be subjected to
whatever punishment should be determined on by the man whom he had
injured. The Yankee at once decided that the rims of his ears should be
cut off, and that he should be seared deeply in the cheek with a red-hot
iron; which sentence was carried into execution on the spot!
It happened that while this was going on, another of the thieving
fraternity, who did not know of the storm that was gathering and about
to burst over the heads of such as he, took advantage of the excitement
to enter a tent, and abstract therefrom a bag of gold worth several
hundred pounds. It chanced that the owner of it happened to be ailing
slightly that day, and, instead of following his companions, had lain
still in his tent, rolled up in blankets. He was awakened by the thief,
sprang up and collared him, and, observing what he was about, dragged
him before the tribunal which was still sitting in deliberation on the
affairs of the community. The man was instantly condemned to be shot,
and this was done at once--several of the exasperated judges assisting
the firing party to carry the sentence into execution.
"Now men," cried a tall raw-boned Yankee from the Western States,
mounting on a stump after the body had been removed, and speaking with
tremendous vehemence, "I guess things have come to such a deadlock here
that it's time for honest men to carry things with a high hand, so I
opine we had better set about it and make a few laws,--an' if you have
no objections, I'll lay down a lot o' them slick off--bran' new laws,
warranted to work well, and stand wear and tear, and ready greased for
action."
"Hear! hear!" cried several voices in the crowd that surrounded this
western Solon, while others laughed at his impudence. All, however,
were eager to see the prevailing state of things put right, and glad to
back any one who appeared able and willing to act with vigour.
"Wall then, here goes," cried the Yankee. "Let it be decreed that
whatever critter shall be nabbed in the act of makin' tracks, with what
isn't his'n, shall have his ears cut off, if it's a mild case, and be
hanged or shot if it's a bad un."
A hearty and stern assent was at once given to this law, and the
law-giver went on to lay down others. He said that of course murder
would be punished also with death, and for several other offences men
should be flogged or branded on the cheeks with red-hot irons. Having
in little more than ten minutes laid down these points, he enacted that
thenceforth each man should be entitled to a claim of ten feet square,
which, being multiplied by the number of his mess, would give the limits
of the allotments in particular locations; but that, he said, would not
prevent any man from moving from one site and fixing on another.
To this proposition, however, some of the miners demurred, and the
law-giver found that, although in criminal law he had been allowed to
have it all his own way, in civil matters he must listen to the opinion
of others. However, after much wrangling this law was agreed to; and it
was also arranged, among other things, that as long as any one left his
tools in his claim, his rights were to be respected.
This meeting had the most beneficial influence on the miners. Rough and
ready, as well as harsh, though their proceedings were, they
accomplished the end in view most effectually, for after several
terrible examples had been made, which proved to evil-doers that men
were thoroughly in earnest, stealing, quarrelling about boundaries, and
murdering were seldom heard of in that district--insomuch that men could
leave bags of gold in their tents unwatched for days together, and their
tools quite open in their claims without the slightest fear of their
being touched!
The reader must not suppose here that we are either upholding or
defending the proceedings of the celebrated Judge Lynch. We are merely
recording facts, which prove how efficacious his severe code was in
bringing order out of confusion in Bigbear Gully at that time.
It is not necessary that we should follow the varied fortunes of our
hero and his friends, day by day, while they were engaged in digging for
gold. Suffice it to say that sometimes they were fortunate, sometimes
the reverse, but that on the whole, they were successful beyond the
average of diggers, and became sanguine of making their fortunes in a
short time.
Nevertheless Frank Allfrey did not like the life. Whatever else might
arouse his ambition, he was evidently not one of those whose soul was
set upon the acquisition of wealth. Although successful as a digger,
and with more gold in his possession than he knew what to do with, he
detested the dirty, laborious work of digging and dabbling in mud from
morning till night. He began to see that, as far as the nature of his
daily toil was concerned, he worked harder, and was worse off than the
poorest navvy who did the dirtiest work in old England! He sighed for
more congenial employment, meditated much over the subject, and finally
resolved to give up gold-digging.
Before, however, he could carry this resolve into effect, he was smitten
with a dire disease, and in a few days lay on the damp floor of his poor
hut, as weak and helpless as a little child.