mountain scenery. Science the blindest guide on a gold-hunting
expedition. Irreverent contempt of the beautiful mineral to the
dictates of science. Nothing better to be expected from the root of all
evil. Foreigners more successful than Americans in its pursuit.
Americans always longing for big strikes. Success lies in staying and
persevering. How a camp springs into existence. Prospecting, panning
out, and discovery that it pays. The claim. Building the shanty.
Spreading of news of the new diggings. Arrival of the monte-dealers.
Industrious begin digging for gold. The claiming system. How claims
worked. Working difficult amidst huge mountain rocks. Partnerships then
compulsory. Naming the mine or company. The long-tom. Panning out the
gold. Sinking shaft to reach bed-rock. Drifting coyote-holes in search
of crevices. Water-ditches and water companies. Washing out in
long-tom. Waste-ditches. Tailings. Fluming companies. Rockers.
Gold-mining is nature's great lottery scheme. Thousands taken out in a
few hours. Six ounces in six months. "Almost all seem to have lost".
Jumped claims. Caving in of excavations. Abandonment of expensive
paying shafts. Miner making "big strike" almost sure prey of
professional gamblers. As spring opens, gamblers flock in like birds of
prey. After stay of only four days, gambler leaves Bar with over a
thousand dollars of miners' gold. As many foreigners as Americans on
the river. Foreigners generally extremely ignorant and degraded. Some
Spaniards of the highest education and accomplishment. Majority of
Americans mechanics of better class. Sailors and farmers next in
number. A few merchants and steamboat-clerks. A few physicians. One
lawyer. Ranchero of distinguished appearance an accomplished
monte-dealer and horse-jockey. Is said to have been a preacher in the
States. Such not uncommon for California.
LETTER _the_ SIXTEENTH PAGE 223
BIRTH--STABBING--FOREIGNERS OUSTED--REVELS
California mountain flora. A youthful Kanaka mother. Her feat of
pedestrianism. Stabbing of a Spaniard by an American. The result of a
request to pay a debt. Nothing done and but little said about the
atrocity. Foreigners barred from working at Rich Bar. Spaniards
thereupon move to Indian Bar. They erect places for the sale of
intoxicants. Many new houses for public entertainment at Indian Bar.
Sunday "swearing, drinking, gambling, and fighting". Salubrity of the
climate. No death for months, except by accidental drowning in
flood-water. Capture of two grizzly cubs. "The oddest possible pets".
"An echo from the outside world once a month."
LETTER _the_ SEVENTEENTH PAGE 231
SUPPLIES BY PACK-MULES--KANAKAS AND INDIANS
Belated arrival of pack-mule train with much-needed supplies.
Picturesque appearance of the dainty-footed mules descending the steep
hills. Of every possible color. Gay trappings. Tinkling bells. Peculiar
urging cry of the Spanish muleteers. Lavish expenditure of gold-dust
for vegetables and butter. Potatoes forty cents a pound. Incense of the
pungent member of the lily family. Arrival of other storm-bound trains,
and sudden collapse in prices. A horseback-ride on dangerous
mule-trail. Fall of oxen over precipice. The mountain flowers, oaks,
and rivulets. Visit to Kanaka mother. A beauty from the isles. Hawaiian
superstition. An unfortunate request for the baby as a present.
Consolatory promise to give the next one. Indian visitors.
Head-dresses. "Very tight and very short shirts". Indian mode of life.
Their huts, food, cooking, utensils, manner of eating. Sabine-like
invasion leaves to tribe but a few old squaws. "Startlingly
unsophisticated state of almost entire nudity". Their filthy habits.
Papooses fastened in framework of light wood. Indian modes of fishing.
A handsome but shy young buck. Classic gracefulness of folds of
white-sheet robe of Indian. Light and airy step of the Indians
something superhuman. Miserably brutish and degraded. Their vocabulary
of about twenty words. Their love of gambling, and its frightful
consequences. Arrival of hundreds of people at Indian Bar. Saloons
springing up in every direction. Fluming operations rapidly
progressing. A busy, prosperous summer looked for.
LETTER _the_ EIGHTEENTH PAGE 247
FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVAL--SPANISH ATTACKED
Fourth of July celebration at Rich Bar. The author makes the flag. Its
materials. How California was represented therein. Floated from the top
of a lofty pine-tree. The decorations at the Empire Hotel. An
"officious Goth" mars the floral piece designed for the orator of the
day. Only two ladies in the audience. Two others are expected, but do
not arrive. No copy of the Declaration of Independence. Some
preliminary speeches by political aspirants. Orator of the day reads
anonymous poem. Oration "exceedingly fresh and new". Belated arrival of
the expected ladies, new-comers from the East. With new fashions, they
extinguish the author and her companion. Dinner at the Empire. Mexican
War captain as president. "Toasts quite spicy and original". Fight in
the barroom. Eastern lady "chose to go faint" at sight of blood. Cabin
full of "infant phenomena". A rarity in the mountains. Miners, on way
home from celebration, give nine cheers for mother and children. Outcry
at Indian Bar against Spaniards. Several severely wounded. Whisky and
patriotism. Prejudices and arrogant assurance accounted for.
Misinterpretation by the foreigner. Injustices by the lower classes
against Spaniards pass unnoticed. Innumerable drunken fights. Broken
heads and collarbones, stabbings. "Sabbaths almost always enlivened by
such merry events". Body of Frenchman found in river. Murder evident.
Suspicion falls on nobody.
LETTER _the_ NINETEENTH PAGE 259
MURDER, THEFT, RIOT, HANGING, WHIPPING, &C.
Three weeks of excitement at Indian Bar. Murders, fearful accidents,
bloody deaths, whippings, hanging, an attempted suicide, etc.
Sabbath-morning walk in the hills. Miners' ditch rivaling in beauty the
work of nature. Fatal stabbing by a Spaniard. He afterwards parades
street with a Mexicana, brandishing along bloody knife. His pursuit by
and escape from the infuriated Americans. Unfounded rumor of conspiracy
of the Spaniards to murder the Americans. Spaniards barricade
themselves. Grief of Spanish woman over corpse of murdered man. Miners
arrive from Rich Bar. Wild cry for vengeance, and for expulsion of
Spaniards. The author prevailed upon to retire to place of safety.
Accidental discharge of gun when drunken owner of vile resort attempts
to force way through armed guard. Two seriously wounded. Sobering
effect of the accident. Vigilance committee organized. Suspected
Spaniards arrested. Trial of the Mexicana. Always wore male attire, was
foremost in fray, and, armed with brace of pistols, fought like a fury.
Sentenced to leave by daylight. Indirect cause of fight. Woman always
to blame. Trial of ringleaders. Sentences of whipping, and to leave.
Confiscation of property for benefit of wounded. Anguish of the author
when Spaniards were whipped. Young Spaniard movingly but vainly pleads
for death instead of whipping. His oath to murder every American he
should afterwards meet alone. Doubtless will keep his word. Murder of
Mr. Bacon, a ranchero, for his money, by his negro cook. Murderer
caught at Sacramento with part of money. His trial at Rich Bar by the
vigilantes. Sentence of death by hanging. Another negro attempts
suicide. Accuses the mulatto Ned of attempt to murder him. Dr. C. in
trouble for binding up negro's self-inflicted wounds. Formation of
"Moguls," who make night hideous. Vigilantes do not interfere. Duel at
Missouri Bar. Fatal results. A large crowd present. Vigilance committee
also present. "But you must remember that this is California."
LETTER _the_ TWENTIETH PAGE 281
MURDER--MINING SCENES--SPANISH BREAKFAST
Ramada, unoccupied, wrecked by log rolling down hill. Was place of
residence of wounded Spaniard, who had died but a few days previously.
Murder near Indian Bar. Innocent and harmless person arrested, said to
answer description of murderer. A humorous situation. A "guard of
honor" from the vigilantes while in custody. Upon release his expenses
all paid. Enjoyed a holiday from hard work. Tendered a present and a
handsome apology. Public opinion in the mines a cruel but fortunately a
fickle thing. Invitation to author to breakfast at Spanish garden. The
journey thereto, along river, with its busy mining scenes. The
wing-dam, and how it differs from the ordinary dam. An involuntary
bath. Drifts, shafts, coyote-holes. How claims are worked. Flumes.
Unskilled workmen. Their former professions or occupations. The best
water in California, but the author is unappreciative. Flavorless, but,
since the Flood, always tastes of sinners. Don Juan's country-seat. The
Spanish breakfast. The eatables and the drinkables. Stronger spirits
for the stronger spirits. Ice, through oversight, the only thing
lacking. Yank's tame cub. Parodic doggerel by the author on her loss of
pets. A miners' dinner-party with but one teaspoon, and that one
borrowed. An unlearned and wearisome blacksmith.
LETTER _the_ TWENTY-FIRST PAGE 297
DISCOMFORTS OF TRIP TO POLITICAL CONVENTION
Visit to the American Valley. Journey thither. Scenes by the way.
Political convention. Delegates from Indian Bar. Arrival at Greenwood's
Rancho, headquarters of Democrats. Overcrowded. Party proceed to the
American Rancho, headquarters of Whigs. Also overcrowded. Tiresome ride
of ladies on horseback. Proceed to house of friend of lady in party. An
inhospitable reception. The author entertains herself. Men of party
return to the American Rancho. Fearful inroad upon the eatables.
Landlord aghast, but pacified by generous orders for drinkables.
California houses not proof against eavesdroppers. Misunderstandings
and explanations overheard by the author. Illness of hostess.
Uncomfortable and miserable night, and worse quarters. Handsome
riding-habit, etc., of the hostess. Table-service, carpeting, chests of
tea, casks of sugar, bags of coffee, etc., "the good people possessed
everything but a house". "The most beautiful spot I ever saw in
California". Owner building house of huge hewn logs. The author returns
to the American Rancho. Its primitive furniture, etc. Political
visitors. The convention. Horse-racing and gambling. The author goes to
Greenwood's Rancho. More primitive furniture and lack of accommodations.
Misplaced benevolence of Bostonians. Should transfer their activities
to California.
LETTER _the_ TWENTY-SECOND PAGE 317
THE OVERLAND TIDE OF IMMIGRATION
Exoneration of landlords for conditions at Greenwood's Rancho. The
American Valley. Prospective summer resort. Prodigious vegetables. New
England scenery compared with that of California. Greenwood's Rancho.
Place of origin of quartz hoax. Beautiful stones. Recruiting-place of
overland immigrants. Haggard immigrant women. Death and speedy burial
on the plains. Handsome young widow immigrant. Aspirants to matrimony
candidates for her hand. Interesting stories of adventures on the
plains. Four women, sisters or sisters-in-law, and their thirty-six
children. Accomplished men. Infant prodigies. A widow with eight sons
and one daughter. Primitive laundering, but generous patrons. The
bloomer costume appropriate for overland journey. Dances in barroom.
Unwilling female partners. Some illiterate immigrants. Many intelligent
and well-bred women. The journey back to Indian Bar. The tame frog in
the rancho barroom. The dining-table a bed at night. Elation of the
author on arriving at her own log cabin.
LETTER _the_ TWENTY-THIRD PAGE 335
MINING FAILURES--DEPARTURE FROM INDIAN BAR
Dread of spending another winter at Indian Bar. Failure of nearly all
the fluming companies. Official report of one company. Incidental
failure of business people. The author's preparations to depart.
Prediction of early rains. High prices cause of dealers' failure to lay
in supply of provisions. Probable fatal results to families unable to
leave Bar. Rain and snow alternately. The Squire a poor weather
prophet. Pack-mule trains with provisions fail to arrive. Amusement
found in petty litigation. Legal acumen of the Squire. He wins golden
opinions. The judgment all the prevailing party gets. What the
constable got in effort to collect judgment. Why Dr. C.'s fee was not
paid. A prescription of "calumny and other pizen doctor's stuff". A
wonderful gold specimen in the form of a basket. "Weighs about two
dollars and a half". How little it takes to make people comfortable. A
log-cabin meal and its table-service. The author departs on horseback
from Indian Bar. Her regrets upon leaving the mountains. "Feeble,
half-dying invalid not recognizable in your now perfectly healthy
sister."
_The_ Illustrations
1. GOLD-WASHING IN WICKER BASKETS--AMERICANS AND HISPANO-CALIFORNIANS
WITH INDIANS _Frontispiece_
This is a composite engraving, a very interesting feature of which is
the Indians and their wicker baskets, the latter going out of use when
metal pans were obtainable, which also displaced wooden bowls and
homely makeshifts. This feature is resketched from a rare old print in
the possession of the Van Ness family of San Francisco. The huts are
specimens of ramadas, popular with the Spanish-speaking miners, and
frequently mentioned by Shirley.
2. SUTTER'S MILL, COLOMA, WHERE GOLD WAS ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED
IN JANUARY, 1848 FACES PAGE 42
This fine engraving follows closely, in all essential details, that in
the Voyages en Californie et dans l'Oregon, par M. de Saint-Amant,
Envoye du Gouvernement Francais, en 1851-1852 (Paris, 1854). The
engravings in that volume, although poorly printed on a cheap grade of
book-paper, are noted for their accuracy, and are interesting as
showing the methods etc. of the miners while Shirley was writing her
Letters. The tail-race, in the foreground, is where James Wilson
Marshall and Peter L. Wimmer first saw the nuggets, but Marshall was
the first to pick up a specimen. Much has been written of Marshall; the
Wimmers were of the Western pioneer type.
3. GROUND-SLUICING FACES PAGE 86
This spirited engraving is resketched, in essentials, from a woodcut in
Henry De Groot's Recollections of California Mining Life (1884), also
in his Gold Mines and Mining in California (1885). Ground-sluicing is
done in winter, when water is abundant and the ground soft, the
pay-dirt being thrown into a channel made for the purpose, and down
which the water rushes. The gold settles on the bed-rock, and is
collected later, when the water-run has subsided.
4. PAN, CRADLE OR ROCKER, LONG-TOM, SLUICE-WASHING--DRIFTING, WINDLASS
AND SHAFT FACES PAGE 132
The varied and animated scene depicted in this plate is resketched from
De Groot's Gold Mines and Mining in California. (See note to plate 3.)
In the foreground, on the left, a miner washes dirt in a pan. Above,
and to the left, a miner washes in a rocker or cradle, the pay-dirt
coming in a tram-car from the tunnel, in which are drift-diggings. The
men at the windlass are sinking a shaft, prospecting for drift-deposits.
To the right, in the foreground, three men are working a long-tom,
which, in point of time, followed the rocker. One of the miners is
keeping the dirt stirred up in the tom, under which is set a riffle-box
with quicksilver to catch the gold. In the background miners are hand
or shovel sluicing, in which the riffle-box of the long-tom is
dispensed with.
5. INTERIOR OF MINERS' LOG CABIN--ONE PARTNER COOKING FOR NIGHT-FARING
VISITORS FACES PAGE 176
This interesting engraving also follows, in all essentials, that in de
Saint-Amant's Voyages. (See note to plate 2, supra.) The owners of the
cabin had evidently retired for the night, and were awakened by their
visitors. The upper bunk, or berth, has been vacated by the miner
cooking. We will say two of the visitors have been prospecting, and are
reasoning with the third, who appears to have come from that state of
the Union "where one must demonstrate." The rifle close to the bunk of
the sleeping miner, the mining implements littered over the floor, the
bottles etc. on the shelf-table, are features that require no
explanation.
6. SALOON IN A MINING-CAMP--MONTE-DEALER, MINERS, ESPANOLA AND
MEXICANA FACES PAGE 258
This is a composite engraving, the artist having combined several old
prints. The Spanish woman is shown in a national costume, and her air
and attitude indicate her ability to take care of herself. The Mexican
girl at the bar, and armed, is a type of the Mexicana mentioned by
Shirley.
7. WASHING IN ROCKERS ON RIVER'S BRINK--MINERS PACKING PAY-GRAVEL
IN BUCKETS FACES PAGE 280
This realistic plate follows closely, in essentials, that in de
Saint-Amant's Voyages. (See note to plate 2, ante.) The bare declivity
has evidently been worked, and the auriferous gravel must now be packed
from the heights. A barrow with shafts at only one end may be seen
beside one of the rockers, and it is conjectured that not all the
gravel is picked in buckets. The miner seen in the background of
brushwood digs the pay-gravel.
8. WASHING IN LONG-TOM WITH WATER FROM FLUME--CHEAPER THAN PUMPING
FROM RIVER FACES PAGE 334
This beautiful engraving follows closely that in de Saint-Amant's
Voyages. (See note to plate 2, ante.) Here the miners found it more
economical to purchase water from a fluming company than to pump it
from the river. The belt and pulley is used to drive a Chinese pump
which keeps dry the pit now being worked.
_The_ Shirley Letters
Letter _the_ First
Part One
_The_ JOURNEY _to_ RICH BAR
RICH BAR, EAST BRANCH _of the_ NORTH FORK _of_ FEATHER RIVER,
_September_ 13, 1851.
I can easily imagine, dear M., the look of large wonder which gleams
from your astonished eyes when they fall upon the date of this letter.
I can figure to myself your whole surprised attitude as you exclaim,
"What, in the name of all that is restless, has sent 'Dame Shirley' to
Rich Bar? How did such a shivering, frail, home-loving little thistle
ever float safely to that far-away spot, and take root so kindly, as it
evidently has, in that barbarous soil? Where, in this living, breathing
world of ours, lieth that same Rich Bar, which, sooth to say, hath a
most taking name? And, for pity's sake, how does the poor little fool
expect to amuse herself there?"
Patience, sister of mine. Your curiosity is truly laudable, and I trust
that before you read the postscript of this epistle it will be fully
and completely relieved. And, first, I will merely observe, _en
passant_, reserving a full description of its discovery for a future
letter, that said Bar forms a part of a mining settlement situated on
the East Branch of the North Fork of Feather River, "away off up in the
mountains," as our "little Faresoul" would say, at almost the highest
point where, as yet, gold has been discovered, and indeed within fifty
miles of the summit of the Sierra Nevada itself. So much, at present,
for our _local_, while I proceed to tell you of the propitious--or
unpropitious, as the result will prove--winds which blew us hitherward.
You already know that F., after suffering for an entire year with fever
and ague, and bilious, remittent, and intermittent fevers,--this
delightful list varied by an occasional attack of jaundice,--was
advised, as a _dernier ressort_, to go into the mountains. A friend,
who had just returned from the place, suggested Rich Bar as the
terminus of his health-seeking journey, not only on account of the
extreme purity of the atmosphere, but because there were more than a
thousand people there already, and but one physician, and as his
strength increased, he might find in that vicinity a favorable opening
for the practice of his profession, which, as the health of his purse
was almost as feeble as that of his body, was not a bad idea.
F. was just recovering from a brain-fever when he concluded to go to
the mines; but, in spite of his excessive debility, which rendered him
liable to chills at any hour of the day or night, he started on the
seventh day of June--mounted on a mule, and accompanied by a jackass to
carry his baggage, and a friend who kindly volunteered to assist him in
spending his money--for this wildly beautiful spot. F. was compelled by
sickness to stop several days on the road. He suffered intensely, the
trail for many miles being covered to the depth of twelve feet with
snow, although it was almost midsummer when he passed over it. He
arrived at Rich Bar the latter part of June, and found the revivifying
effect of its bracing atmosphere far surpassing his most sanguine
hopes. He soon built himself an office, which was a perfect marvel to
the miners, from its superior elegance. It is the only one on the Bar,
and I intend to visit it in a day or two, when I will give you a
description of its architectural splendors. It will perhaps enlighten
you as to one peculiarity of a newly discovered mining district, when I
inform you that although there were but two or three physicians at Rich
Bar when my husband arrived, in less than three weeks there were
_twenty-nine_ who had chosen this place for the express purpose of
practicing their profession.
Finding his health so almost miraculously improved, F. concluded,
should I approve the plan, to spend the winter in the mountains. I had
teased him to let me accompany him when he left in June, but he had at
that time refused, not daring to subject me to inconveniences, of the
extent of which he was himself ignorant. When the letter disclosing his
plans for the winter reached me at San Francisco, I was perfectly
enchanted. You know that I am a regular nomad in my passion for
wandering. Of course my numerous acquaintances in San Francisco raised
one universal shout of disapprobation. Some said that I ought to be put
into a straitjacket, for I was undoubtedly mad to think of such a
thing. Some said that I should never get there alive, and if I _did_,
would not stay a month; that it was ever my lot to be victimized in,
and commenced my journey in earnest. I was the only passenger. For
thirty miles the road passed through as beautiful a country as I had
ever seen. Dotted here and there with the California oak, it reminded
me of the peaceful apple-orchards and smiling river-meadows of dear old
New England. As a frame to the graceful picture, on one side rose the
Buttes, that group of hills so piquant and saucy, and on the other,
tossing to heaven the everlasting whiteness of their snow-wreathed
foreheads, stood, sublime in their very monotony, the summits of the
glorious Sierra Nevada.