EMIGRATION OF ’51--CHURCHES ERECTED--MINES DESERTED--THE CHINESE
MINERS--HILL, RIVER AND QUARTZ MINING--NATURE FROWNS--THE COURSE OF
EVENTS CHANGE--FRUIT RAISING--PROSPECTING--ON THE HOME STRETCH.
In the fall of ’51 there was a very heavy emigration across the plains,
from the Western States principally, which I heard estimated at 25,000,
but whether it was as much as this I cannot say. Great numbers, also,
who had traveled by water during the fall and winter of ’51, came up
into the mining regions, and the estimate was made that in Eldorado
County alone there were in the spring of ’52 fully 30,000 persons,
while in the mining regions there were nearly 100,000. Of this number
only a small proportion engaged in the business of mining, the great
majority consisting of business men including saloon-keepers, idlers,
loafers, and a large number of sporting men. From observation, I should
judge that less than one-tenth of those who came into the mining
regions up to this time engaged in the business of mining.
It was during the spring of this year that the first newspaper, called
the _Eldorado News_, was started in the mining regions by Harmon &
Springer. It changed hands in ’52, I think, its name being altered to
that of _The Mountain Democrat_, under the management of Gilwicks &
Phillips.
It was the intention of many up to this time (about ’52 and ’53) to
return home after a few years; but now the time had arrived when
orchards were blooming upon the hillsides, and the grapevines could
be seen bending under their luscious burdens, the prevalent question
appearing to be, Why not stay and make our homes here? The society
in the mining regions, as was doubtless the case in the towns and
cities, was somewhat mixed, and at first social conditions were rather
strained, owing, of course, to the difference in the manners and
customs of the natives of the different States and countries from
which they had emigrated. This state of affairs did not last long,
however, and society soon adapted itself to such changed conditions,
and continued upon a more favorable basis. Churches were erected
in all the chief mining towns by the various denominations; school
districts were formed at an earlier day, and school-houses were erected
throughout the mining counties, not only in the chief towns, but also
in all of the various mining camps that contained children enough to
start one.
In the dry seasons of ’50-’53, when water was scarce in the placer
mining districts, large numbers proceeded to prospect the beds of other
rivers, both north and south, finding that almost every stream, from
the Klamath, Trinity and Scott rivers of the North, to the Stanislaus
and other rivers of the South, contained gold in paying quantities.
Dams, ditches, tail races, wing dams and flumes were built at the most
available points in the various rivers, and immense fortunes were
realized by a few persons. River mining partakes of the same nature and
character as other mining, and although the exact location was known
in the river where the rich deposits were to be found, yet the trouble
and expense, as well as the uncertainty and risk in getting it, offset
to a great extent the value of the amount acquired; for, in some cases,
miners were compelled to dam and flue three and even four years in
succession before being able to get to work among the pay gravel in the
river bed.
Frequent losses were entailed in consequence of the breaking away
of dams, caused by rains in the mountains above coming upon them
unexpectedly and carrying away flumes, tools, etc., just as everything
was about ready for commencing the work of washing the pay dirt.
Gold mining, under favorable conditions is of a pleasing and exciting
nature, and for this reason has great attraction for many; but such is
the great uncertainty of success of this method of acquiring wealth,
that although fully $50,000,000 of gold was being annually extracted
from the mines and put into circulation, yet, strange and paradoxical
as it may seem, a few years demonstrated the fact that the class who
extracted the gold from the soil in the dry diggings, from tunnels in
the old, ancient river beds, as well as from the present water courses,
were the very ones who had, or who retained in their possession, the
least amount. It would be natural to suppose, from the nature of
things, that those who dug the gold should hold or retain in their
possession by far the greater portion of it; the reverse, however, was
the case, and in a short time the miners, as a class, were the poorest
persons in the State. A few, of course, had acquired fortunes, but
thousands who had, but a short time previously been in possession,
of good paying claims were now barely able to make a living. It is a
mooted question as to why this was, and in what respects the business
of gold mining differed from any other occupation.
The true explanation of this paradox, in my opinion, can be traced to
the great expense attendant upon the business, and to the fact that the
outgo continues at all times, while little or nothing is coming in; an
important factor being also an excessive freedom in the use of gold,
for a miner who has a paying mine does not practice habits of economy;
he does not know how, and if he ever did it has slipped his memory.
As the ravines, gulches and small creeks were now worked out, or at
that point when they ceased to pay sufficient to warrant working,
they were entirely abandoned. This gave to the mining regions a very
desolate appearance; for in certain locations or districts where but
a short time previous all was life and animation, and the clatter of
the shovels upon the tom iron, the rush of water and gravel through
the long sluices, and the laughter and jollity of the miners at work,
evidencing the fact that fair wages were being made, could be heard,
now the scene was changed and all was desolate and deserted. The
numerous old cabins scattered around among the hills were silent, and
tenantless, too; the old chimneys in some places were falling to the
ground, and young pine trees were showing themselves among the ruins.
But again the scene changes; for now the Asiatic hordes, who had
learned of the great wealth to be acquired here in so easy a manner,
were on their way to honor the State with their company, and they
soon flocked into the mining regions in swarms, well satisfied to
work over the old abandoned claims left and deserted by others. They
were welcomed by the mining community with open arms, as it was soon
discovered that the Chinese would not preempt, or locate any new mining
grounds, desiring only to buy at a fair price the old worked-out
claims which had been abandoned. Here was the grand opportunity of the
miner to re-locate and sell to the Mongolian emigrant these old mining
claims; and well did these disciples of Confucius merit the title of
scavengers of the mining regions, for many of the old claims which
had been abandoned as worthless, were not so in fact, as it was soon
discovered that from many of them the Chinese miners were taking out
large amounts of gold.
The Chinese method of working a mining claim differed very materially
from our own, being of a more systematic character. It was their
practice to commence and take everything clean as they went, leaving
not an inch of ground behind them unworked. They are very slow workers
as compared with other races, but sure and steady, illustrating by
their success in working these old claims the truth of the old adage
that it is the steady mill that grinds the corn. So thorough was their
work, that it would be entirely useless and a waste of time to work
over any mining grounds that have been previously worked by a Chinese
company, for they got it all.
Some attempts to prevent the ingress of the Chinese into the mining
regions by levying or enforcing the previously adopted “Foreign Miners’
Tax,” were made; but this they paid without a murmur, and in many cases
two or three times over, for it was often the custom of some to go
among them with fictitious papers, and collect their taxes in advance
of the regularly licensed collector.
In the summers of ’53-’54, those who still continued in the occupation
of mining, turned their attention chiefly to river and hill mining,
returning to the rivers in the dry season and to their hill claims
in the fall, after the rivers had risen, and rendered such mining
impracticable. Tunnels were run into the old river channels in all
directions; with varying success, however, some being a perfect
failure, whilst from others fortunes were realized. Among the richest
of these were the forest hill claims, where was found the celebrated
blue gravel lead, this being discovered principally amid the ancient
river beds, in the central and northern mining regions of the State,
but small sections of it ever having been found through the southern
portions. These hill claims were very extensive, and many throughout
the mining regions, upon which work was commenced nearly thirty-eight
years ago, are yet being worked with success. The same manner of
working as originally, by drifting, is still in vogue, although the
gravel, instead of being washed as it was at that time, is now crushed
in mills in the same manner as quartz, and with greater profit. Many
of these old abandoned hill claims, from which the gravel had been
previously drifted, were afterwards washed away by the hydraulic
process, with good success.
This process of mining commenced, I think, in some of the mines in the
spring of ’52, and such was found to be the great advantage of the
method, and the facility with which whole hills could be removed from
their foundations and carefully and evenly deposited among the farms
in the low counties, leaving, of course, the gold behind, that it came
into general use throughout the mining regions wherever sufficient fall
and water could be obtained. Old abandoned mines were by this process
made very remunerative, as was the case also with many ravines and
flats which could be washed to advantage, without regard to the rights
of those who had fenced in and improved their garden spots with fruit
trees, vines and flower-beds.
It was the general opinion of the great majority of the mining classes,
from about the year ’51, that this was exclusively a mining country;
that it was fit for nothing else, and that no man had a right to
question this opinion, or to build upon, or to fence in, any portion of
the soil for any other purpose whatsoever for his own individual use,
that a miner was bound to respect. This idea yet exists in the minds of
many, or at least of that portion who are engaged in hydraulic mining,
for in their opinion the business of mining, being the first and
original industry of the country, must have precedence over all other
kinds of business, and of course this priority gives them the right to
fill up, cover up, and destroy the property of the farmers below who
were foolish enough to get in the way.
It was some time during the early spring of ’52, that mining men and
geologists turned their attention to the various quartz ledges which
were found projecting above the surface of the ground among the hills,
many of which, upon examination, proved to be very rich in gold.
The opinion soon became general, and a well-demonstrated fact, that
all gold found among the ravines, flats, hills and river beds, came
originally from these same quartz ledges, and that locked within the
solid quartz, in the finest of particles, was its original condition.
In consequence of volcanic eruptions and glacial action the hills and
ledges had, in course of ages, been broken up and worn away to their
present elevation, the gold therefrom having been scattered by the
force of the rushing waters among the ravines and river beds, where it
is now found.
In ’53 the erection of quartz mills commenced, and soon the crash and
rattle of their stamps could be heard echoing among the hills and
cañons. In the first excitement of quartz mining, mills were erected
upon all ledges which showed the least appearance of containing gold,
but it was soon discovered that the greater portion of them did not
pay expenses. The consequence was, it is safe to say, that hundreds of
mills were idle in a year hence, and the valuable machinery was left to
rust and decay. In the case, however, of many of these old abandoned
ledges, further prospecting at lower depth proved them to be of value,
and many of them at the present time are being worked with profit,
owing to the improved methods of saving the gold.
It has been said that gold mining was not a legitimate business, and
that the intense desire for gold created unnatural conditions. But
observation and experience show us that the happiness of the human
family, as well as the grade of civilization to which it is possible
to attain, depends upon the quantity of gold which it is possible to
acquire, and its proper use. Without gold in what would life consist?
What would be its chief aim and consideration? Why, there wouldn’t
be any aim at all, for there wouldn’t be any target worth the aiming
at. It was the desire to possess this precious metal that prompted
thousands of us to undertake such a long, wearisome, and dangerous
journey around those gigantic obstructions at the extreme end of the
continent, as well as a tedious journey across the barren deserts. It
is this desire, also, or incentive, which builds our great cities,
our great manufacturing industries, as well as our railroads and
steamships; proving conclusively, in my opinion, that the individual
who first invented and threw to the breeze the old saying that money
makes the mare go understood the whole business.
But why should gold in such vast quantities be scattered here upon
the western portion of our continent, and why was Nature so partial
in the distribution of her favors? Was it accidental, the effect
of chance conditions, or was it designed for some special purpose?
The latter is the more reasonable, and therefore the more probable,
theory, for observation shows us that Nature frowns upon unbalanced
conditions, and that here, upon the western slope of the continent,
lying silent and deserted, was an earthly paradise, unthought of, and
as yet unknown except by a few, while at the East vast numbers were
settling and making their homes amid the snowbanks and blizzards of
an Arctic climate, totally unconscious of what the conditions were
at the far West, beneath the setting sun. Under such conditions it
is very easy to understand why Nature frowns. It is very true, as we
had been previously informed, and rightly too, that Westward the Star
of Empire takes its way; yet, by the natural process of settlement
it would have required hundreds of years, perhaps, to colonize and
to settle up this portion of our continent, and properly balance the
conditions of increased population. It was for this purpose, no doubt,
that the knowledge of the existence of gold upon the western portion
of our continent was reserved for the Anglo-Saxon race, who understood
its real value and knew how to use it as an incentive for the proper
adjustment of unbalanced conditions; and we have come as the pioneers
of an advancing civilization, intending to grow up with the country
and to use our best endeavors (by all legitimate means) to restore the
equilibrium by an increase in population.
The hills, rivers and ravines still continued to give forth their
valuable treasure; but one fact was very evident, and that was that but
a very small proportion of it remained in the mining regions. There
was a continuous current of gold flowing into the chief city by the
sea, and but a very small portion of it returning to the miners, who
by their labor extracted it from the earth. Business men, also, among
the various mining camps in the gold regions, who had succeeded in
accumulating a reasonable amount, followed in the wake of this current
to the big city, there to use and spend their earnings, and none, or at
least but a very few, seemed willing to continue to live in and improve
that portion of the country where they had won success.
The continuous flow of gold concentrated, therefore, in the hands of
comparatively few men, and San Francisco became the head-center for
all comers who desired to secure a portion of the golden stream. And
now the city which, but a few years previous, was a mere cluster of
sand-hills, began to assume the form and appearance of a great city, or
the foundation upon which a metropolis was to be built.
Throughout the dry or placer mining regions, numerous towns and
villages had grown up which in a few years assumed conditions of
considerable importance under the impression that such mining would be
of a more lasting and permanent character. It required but a few years,
however, to demonstrate the fact that such mining was of a transient
nature; the gold in the ravines, gulches, flats and benches, as well
as in the small and shallow creeks, was soon extracted, what was left
by the American miner in his hasty and careless method of working
being subsequently thoroughly cleaned out by the Chinese miners. These
sections being now almost entirely deserted by the miners, the business
men and families in the towns and villages were forced to abandon them,
their homes and property soon falling into decay.
A journey through these deserted and now silent villages, which but a
few short years previous were full of life and animation, presents to
the mind a scene which can only be paralleled by the New Zealander of
the future, sitting upon the ruins of London Bridge, speculating upon
the vicissitudes and the uncertainties of human affairs, especially
in gold mining, and further illustrates the fact that although it is
gold itself that forms the great incentive for building up our towns
and cities, yet the precious metal does not possess the power to built
up, or improve, the portions of the country in which it is found;
but seemingly produces a contrary effect. It was for these reasons,
that upon the placer mines being worked out, the various towns and
villages soon went to decay; the country presenting a very desolate and
deserted appearance. This desolation would have increased as the mines
became exhausted, and in course of time the whole mining region would
have been silent and deserted, but for the important discovery having
been made that the abandoned mining regions possessed a value for
agricultural purposes far superior, of a more permanent character, and
of greater value to the human family in general than the gold beneath
the surface. To this cause can be attributed the change in the course
of events, as well as the character of the country, and which also
will in time be the means of transforming the now silent and deserted
portions of the mining regions into populous and thriving settlements.
As the various mines became exhausted of their wealth, and the once
prosperous villages were abandoned and left to decay, the gambling
classes, and the gentlemen of elegant leisure were also
[Illustration: MINING GROUND TRANSFORMED.]
forced to leave for other more populous sections--the greater portion
of them following the golden current to the head-centers of population,
_i. e._, the great cities below. Many, however, abandoned their
calling, and becoming desperate engaged in the business of mining. A
few, however, turned their attention to what in their opinion seemed
the most remunerative, and most in accordance with their natures: they
became travelling stage agents, upon the various routes throughout
the mining regions; inspecting the various coaches which they met in
lonesome out-of-way places. When found to be overloaded with a larger
amount or weight of precious metal than the law allows in such cases,
these vehicles would be relieved of the surplus, and in many cases a
little more besides. The greater number of this gentry were, however,
in course of time captured through the vigilance of certain well-known
and energetic detectives, such as J. Hume and a few others.
In a few short years the placer diggings were almost entirely
exhausted, and, as before mentioned, the annual yield of gold had been
somewhat reduced in consequence; but the yield from the ancient river
beds will, no doubt, remain a constant quantity for many long years,
until they also become exhausted, or the profits becoming too small
will lead to their abandonment, and ultimately fall into the hands of
the Mongolian race, which will, doubtless, continue working them for
the next three hundred years at least. Quartz mining, however, is of
a different nature, and in consequence of the great number of ledges
throughout the State, as well as the great depth in which gold-bearing
quartz has been found, many ages will be required to entirely exhaust
them, amounting doubtless to hundreds of years, or as long, perhaps, as
gold is used for the purposes of exchange.
After a residence here among the hills of the mining regions of
six or seven years’ duration, we had acquired a knowledge of the
peculiarities of the climate of the country, the time of the changes of
its seasons from wet to dry, and vice versa, and we found that there
was no uniformity in the various changes, and no possible manner of
foretelling what the following winter or its nature would be; whether
it would be a wet or a dry one, or what the nature of the following
dry season was to be. No two seasons were alike, but differed in many
respects from all preceding ones. The Indians, however, pretended to
have discovered a means of forecasting the nature of the following
winters, but they missed it occasionally. It was also claimed that the
squirrels were endowed with foresight, and would lay in a winter’s
supply accordingly. These, too, missed it occasionally, from which fact
it was evident, as the oldest inhabitant was forced to admit upon his
dying bed, that no sure means of prognosticating the future condition
of the weather in California were possible.
The rains commenced in the mining regions usually about the last of
October, and continued at intervals throughout the season until on or
about April 10th, and occasionally, with a few light showers thrown in
as good measure, up to the 20th. These rainy seasons throughout the
central portion of the mining regions were usually warm and pleasant,
with but very little snow and ice, and, with the exception of a few
days towards the last of December, mining could be continued throughout
the year. The dry seasons, in some localities, were very hot for a
short time during July and August, but the nights, however, in the
hottest of weather were invariably cool.
The orchards and vineyards were about this time coming into bearing,
demonstrating the fact that the soil was well adapted to fruit growing.
Many of the ravines and flats, from which the soil had previously been
washed away in the search for gold, were by means of brush dams again
filled up to a proper level by the muddy streams from mining claims
higher up, and converted into rich garden spots, giving an appearance
similar to the older, settled portions of our country. It soon became
apparent that fruit raising could be made remunerative, and hundreds
of miners throughout the central portions of the mining regions turned
their attention to this new and profitable industry. Orchards and
vineyards in a few short years could be found blooming upon every
available point where water for irrigation could be obtained; upon
flats, benches and slides, and even in some cases upon the tops of the
highest hills, for up here the soil was of a lighter character and
better adapted to the vine than that of lower and colder localities.
The long, dry summer seasons here are well adapted to fruit raising,
and it was soon found that tropical fruits would mature and ripen in
certain well-protected localities, such, for instance, as the orange,
lemon and fig.
Various flowering plants, also, which in much lower latitudes of the
Atlantic slope can only be raised in hot-houses, are here an ordinary
garden plant, and but very seldom injured by the frosts of spring.
The long, dry summers and cloudless skies are to the new comers an
agreeable contrast with those at the East, and for a few years are
very enjoyable, but in time become monotonous to those who were born
and raised under less favorable conditions in colder climates, many
becoming wearied at the continuance of such a long and cloudless
atmosphere, which in some seasons embraces a period of eight to ten
months. They seem to pine for other conditions, where heavy rains,
hailstorms and cyclones are frequent and break the monotony of the
scene. This desire for a change is a disease, the remedy for which is
well known, for many who have returned to their Eastern homes to be
cured have again wended their way to California, perfectly convalescent
after spending one short year away, satisfied and content and willing
to endure the tedious monotony of eight long months beneath the
cloudless skies here, rather than to risk an unequal contest with the
blizzards and cyclones of an Eastern winter.
The mining classes are usually of a restless nature and ready to wander
forth at any time in search of new fields, and will, as it has been
proved in the earlier experiences of Gold Bluff, Salmon and the Snake
River excitement, as well as in the more recent discoveries of Frazer
River, British Columbia and Montana, abandon ranches and good paying
mines, carried away by the anticipation of finding away yonder rich
mines and better pay than can be found nearer home. But the greater
portion eventually return, satisfied that small wages at home are
better than searching among the mountain ranges of other sections
of the country for uncertainties. In the course of some eight years
from the first discovery of gold in California, the entire country,
extending from Arizona and New Mexico on the south, up through the
British possessions to the Alaska line on the north, and as far as the
Black Hills at the east, were traveled over and prospected by various
companies of miners who were in search of another Eldorado. Although
many rich localities were discovered from which a great amount of
gold was extracted, yet the mines were spotted, the gold generally
at a great depth and confined to a few gulches or ravines only,
demonstrating the fact that no other portion of the earth’s surface, at
least upon our own continent, will ever be discovered where the gold is
[Illustration: THE DESERTED CAMP.]
distributed so uniformly over the surface among the numerous ravines,
rivers and gulches, and in such immense quantities, as was found to be
the case in California. In fact, I doubt the existence of a similar
deposit and of such an extent, anywhere upon the earth’s surface.
Neither has there been so far discovered anywhere upon the Pacific
Coast mining districts that contain within their limits such a vast
number of quartz ledges bearing free gold in paying quantities, as can
be found in the mining regions of California at the present time.
I have stated that the majority of the residents of California, at
least in the mining regions, had now become well satisfied with
their adopted home, and intended to remain; but there were a few,
nevertheless, who still pined for their Eastern home, for various
reasons. For instance.
I chanced to meet a family one day upon the emigrant road, evidently
upon their return journey. It was during the spring of ’57. The family
was composed of an old man and his wife, the former driving a yoke of
cattle hitched to a regular emigrant wagon covered, and with all the
trimmings usually found in connection with an emigrant team. It was so
unusual to see a team of this description headed for the East that,
from curiosity, I inquired of them whither they were bound:
“Wall, stranger,” the old man replied, “me an’ the ole woman air
a-gwine away from hyar. We air on the homestretch to ole Missouri agin,
whar we cum frum nigh on ter ten years ago.”
He explained further, that many years before he and his wife had become
imbued with a desire to retire to some secluded place, to live in
solitude away from the noise and confusion of society, and where, as he
said:
“We cud jest enj’y outsels, an’ raise lots o’ chickens without
interferin’ with anybody.”
So they moved away out West, and made their home in solitude upon the
frontier.
“Wall stranger that wus a rale quiet place out thar fur a spell; but
jest as soon as they diskivered gold out’n California, the jig were up,
fer all them chaps, who wus a-goin’ thar, come right along my way, and
just shoved that air frontier of ourn right along ahead of ’em t’ards
the West. So one mornin’ Nancy ses to me, ses she, ‘Hiram! Hiram! ef we
air a-gwine to enj’y a solitude along with a frontier
[Illustration: NO MORE FRONTIER IN OURN.]
we mus’ git away from hyer, t’ards the West, and git a leetle ahead of
all them fellers.’ ‘Thet’s so Nancy,’ ses I, ‘an’ ef you back pu ther
duds, I’ll call ther chickens, hitch up ther team an’ load ther wagin,
and we’ll git ahead on ’em and diskiver another frontier somewhar.’
But durn my buttons, stranger, we’ve been tryin’ to git a leetle ahead
on ’em ever sence. But ’taint no use. We thot we hed struck a frontier
in Californy agin’ fur sartin, when we fust got thar; but one mornin’
arter we hed hed a long wet spell, the fust thing I seen when I got up
wus a steamboat right in ther back-yard. So ses I, ‘Nancy, Nancy, hyer
they air jest a comin’ agin’. So we loaded our traps in the wagin, and
went over ther mountains whar the ocean is, an’ we jest thot that we
hed got it now fur shure; fur hyer was a sort o’ a nat’ral frontier
that wouldn’t stan’ any pushin’. So we ontied the chickens an’ got
ready, kind o’ hum like, when one mornin’ we heerd the awflest n’ise,
and wen we went out, durned if thar wern’t a saw-mill right back of
our chicken house, an’ they were jest buildin’ ’nother one ’cross the
creek, and some ships was a-sailin’ along in frum ther ocean to load up
ther lumber. Now Nancy never did like saw-mills. Sed she’d rather hear
it thunder enny day, ’cause the sawin’ n’ise sets her teeth on aidge
so. On’y she haint got a nat’ral tooth in her hed annyhow.”
“Well,” said I, “where did you go next?”
“Wall,” the old lady replied, “we thot we mought try it further north
fur a spell, so we moseyed ’long up thru Oregin, an’ ’way off up inter
Idyho; whar we foun’ a frontier at las’, fur sartin. An’ I reckon
’twill stay that fur a spell, too. We stayed on’t a hull year, but had
to git off on’t agin on ’count of ther chickens.”
I asked her the reason.
“Oh, shucks,” she replied, “a sawmill was nothin’ t’ ther racket up
thar, an’ I’ll tell ye how it wuz. Yer see, in ther winter ’tis tornal
cold, an’ ther roosters couldn’t crow, fur yer see jest as they ’gun to
crow it all fruz harder’n a icicle, so jest soon’s spring’s thaw cum
on, why all their crowin’s thet wuz fruz in ther winter ’gun t’ chirp,
and sich a crowin’ time ye never heerd in all yer born days. An’ fur
mor’n two weeks me nur Hiram didn’t sleep blessed wink. Well, stranger,
we jist packed up agin, and thot we’d try the southern kintry, ’mong
th’ cactuses in th’ sandy desert down in Aryzony. Frum ther looks o’
things down thar we thot mebbe we’d be ’way frum ’em all and hev the
frontier all to ourselves, but we wuz hasty, though. One mornin’ Hi
run, and sez he, ‘Nancy, Nancy! ’taint no use.’ They wuz comin’ agin
sure ’nuff; fur ’way up ’n ther valley we cud see th’ dus’ a-risin’,
and we knowed what that meant; and now yer see we air jest a moseyin’
back to ole Missouri agin.”
“Yaas,” says Hiram, “the kintry’s gittin’ to be no ’count, an’
purty soon thar won’t be a mite o’ frontier lef’, fur they air just
a-crowdin’ on’t way down inter Mex’co, an’ ’twon’t be long ’fore
they’ll be a-tryin’ ter chuck it ’way up over inter Kanady. Yer can’t
fin’ enny solertude now anywhar.”
“Nary a solertude,” says Nancy. “Fur ’tis jest fizz! buzz! buzz!
geerat! whang! slang! kerbang! all over ther hull blessed kintry. Now
we’ll go back to ole Missoury agin, whar we kin git suthin’ fit ter
eat, anyhow, an’ we’ll try an’ stub thru ther rest o’ our days ’thout
enny frontier in our’n.”
I asked the old lady if she could not find anything fit to eat in
California.
“Oh, yaas, sich as ’tis; but nuthin’ ter wat we kin git in Missoury,”
she replied.
When I inquired of her what it was that she could get to eat there
that was so much better than anything to be found in California, she
answered,
“Wall, stranger, yer never ett poke-greens’n bacon down in Missoury,
fur if yer hed yer never wud a-ax’d sich a question.”
I asked the old man what he thought of California, anyhow.
“Wall,” he replied, “‘tis a big kintry, and I tell yer ’twon’t be long
afore ther’ll be a powerful heap er folks a-livin’ all over, thicker’n
rats in Sacrymenty City” (“Yaas, or fleas in San Frixo,” interjected
Nancy), “but when yer cum to talk about yer climate, there aint none
t’compare with climate in ole Missoury. W’y, jest think on’t, stranger,
ten an’ ’leven months o’ sunshine in Californy an’ no show fer a pore
man to get a minit’s res’, an’ every mornin’ ’long ’bout daylight,
yer jes’ hear the ole gal a-chirpin’, ‘Cum, cum, Hi, git up thar! the
sun’s a-risin’ clare, and yer got a heap er work ter do, yer know.’ No,
stranger, I couldn’t stan’ it; so we’ll go back to ole Missoury, live
on poke-greens’n bacon, ’n hev a show wen it rains t’ talk politics
with ther boys outen ther corn crib, or take a nap with ole Boz in ther
chimney corner fer a spell. It’s so drefful cheerin’ like in ole age.”