"In May, 1847, with my rifle, blanket, and a few crackers to eat with
the venison (for the deer then were awful plenty), I ascended the
American River, according to Mr. Sutter's wish, as he wanted to find
a good site for a saw-mill, where we could have plenty of timber, and
where wagons would be able to ascend and descend the river hills. Many
fellows had been out before me, but they could not find any place to
suit; so when I left I told Mr. Sutter I would go along the river to
its very head and find the place, if such a place existed anywhere upon
the river or any of its forks. I traveled along the river the whole
way. Many places would suit very well for the erection of the mill,
with plenty of timber everywhere, but then nothing but a mule could
climb the hills; and when I would find a spot where the hills were not
steep, there was no timber to be had; and so it was until I had been
out several days and reached this place, which, after first sight,
looked like the exact spot we were hunting.
"I passed a couple of days examining the hills, and found a place where
wagons could ascend and descend with all ease. On my return to the fort
I went out through the country examining the cañons and gulches, and
picking out the easiest places for crossing them with loaded wagons.
"You may be sure Mr. Sutter was pleased when I reported my success. We
entered into partnership; I was to build the mill, and he was to find
provisions, teams, tools, and to pay a portion of the men's wages. I
believe I was at that time the only millwright in the whole country.
In August, everything being ready, we freighted two wagons with tools
and provisions, and accompanied by six men I left the fort, and after a
good deal of difficulty reached this place one beautiful afternoon and
formed our camp on yon little rise of ground right above the town.
"Our first business was to put up log houses, as we intended remaining
here all winter. This was done in less than no time, for my men were
great with the ax. We then cut timber, and fell to work hewing it for
the framework of the mill. The Indians gathered about us in great
numbers. I employed about forty of them to assist us with the dam,
which we put up in a kind of way in about four weeks. In digging the
foundation of the mill we cut some distance into the soft granite; we
opened the forebay and then I left for the fort, giving orders to Mr.
Weimar to have a ditch cut through the bar in the rear of the mill,
and after quitting work in the evening to raise the gate and let the
water run all night, as it would assist us very much in deepening and
widening the tail-race.
"I returned in a few days, and found everything favorable, all the
men being at work in the ditch. When the channel was opened it was my
custom every evening to raise the gate and let the water wash out as
much sand and gravel through the night as possible; and in the morning,
while the men were getting breakfast, I would walk down, and, shutting
off the water, look along the race and see what was to be done, so
that I might tell Mr. Weimar, who had charge of the Indians, at what
particular point to set them to work for the day. As I was the only
millwright present, all of my time was employed upon the framework and
machinery.
"One morning in January,--it was a clear, cold morning; I shall never
forget that morning,--as I was taking my usual walk along the race
after shutting off the water, my eye was caught with the glimpse of
something shining in the bottom of the ditch. There was about a foot of
water running then. I reached my hand down and picked it up; it made
my heart thump, for I was certain it was gold. The piece was about
half the size and of the shape of a pea. Then I saw another piece in
the water. After taking it out I sat down and began to think right
hard. I thought it was gold, and yet it did not seem to be of the right
color: all the gold coin I had seen was of a reddish tinge; this looked
more like brass. I recalled to mind all the metals I had ever seen or
heard of, but I could find none that resembled this. Suddenly the idea
flashed across my mind that it might be iron pyrites. I trembled to
think of it! This question could soon be determined. Putting one of the
pieces on a hard river stone, I took another and commenced hammering
it. It was soft, and didn't break: it therefore must be gold, but
largely mixed with some other metal, very likely silver; for pure gold,
I thought, would certainly have a brighter color.
"When I returned to our cabin for breakfast I showed the two pieces to
my men. They were all a good deal excited, and had they not thought
that the gold only existed in small quantities they would have
abandoned everything and left me to finish my job alone. However, to
satisfy them, I told them that as soon as we had the mill finished we
would devote a week or two to gold hunting and see what we could make
out of it."