California | Page 4

the mine The Author and his
friends decide to visit the Sacramento Valley A horse is bought
Increase of the gold excitement Work-people strike work and prepare
to move off Lawyers, storekeepers, and others follow their example
The Author's journey delayed Ten dollars a day for a negro waiter
Waiting for a saddler Don Luis Palo arrives from Monterey on his way
to the mines The report of the Government taking possession of the
mines contradicted Desertion of part of the Monterey garrison
Rumoured extent of the mines The Author and his friends agree to go
in company Return of McPhail Preparations for the journey "Gone to
the diggings."
May 8th.--Captain Fulsom called at Sweeting's to-day. He had seen a
man this morning who reported that he had just come from a river
called the American Fork, about one hundred miles in the interior,
where he had been gold-washing. Captain Fulsom saw the gold he had
with him; it was about twenty-three ounces weight, and in small flakes.
The man stated that he was eight days getting it, but Captain Fulsom
hardly believed this. He says that he saw some of this gold a few weeks
since, and thought it was only "mica," but good judges have
pronounced it to be genuine metal. He talks, however, of paying a visit
to the place where it is reported to come from. After he was gone
Bradley stated that the Sacramento settlements, which Malcolm wished
to visit, were in the neighbourhood of the American Fork, and that we
might go there together; he thought the distance was only one hundred
and twenty miles.
May 10th.--Yesterday and to-day nothing has been talked of but the
new gold "placer," as people call it. It seems that four other men had
accompanied the person Captain Fulsom saw yesterday, and that they
had each realized a large quantity of gold. They left the "diggings" on
the American Fork (which it seems is the Rio de los Americanos, a

tributary to the Sacramento) about a week ago, and stopt a day or two at
Sutter's fort, a few miles this side of the diggings, on their way; from
there they had travelled by boat to San Francisco. The gold they
brought has been examined by the first Alcalde here, and by all the
merchants in the place. Bradley showed us a lump weighing a quarter
of an ounce, which he had bought of one of the men, and for which he
gave him three dollars and a half. I have no doubt in my own mind
about its being genuine gold. Several parties, we hear, are already made
up to visit the diggings; and, according to the newspaper here, a
number of people have actually started off with shovels, mattocks, and
pans to dig the gold themselves. It is not likely, however, that this will
be allowed, for Captain Fulsom has already written to Colonel Mason
about taking possession of the mine on behalf of the Government, it
being, as he says, on public land.
May 13.--It is now finally settled that we start off on Wednesday to the
Sacramento Valley. To-day, under Bradley's direction, I have bought a
good horse, for which I paid only fifteen dollars. It will be very little
more expense than hiring a horse of the hotel-master here, besides
being far more agreeable to have a horse of one's own; for everybody,
the commonest workman even, rides in this country. The gold
excitement increases daily, as several fresh arrivals from the mines
have been reported at San Francisco. The merchants eagerly buy up the
gold brought by the miners, and no doubt, in many cases, at prices
considerably under its value. I have heard, though, of as much as
sixteen dollars an ounce having been given in some instances, which I
should have thought was over rather than under the full value of gold in
the United States. I confess I begin to feel seriously affected with the
prevailing excitement, and am anxious for Wednesday to arrive.
May 17th.--This place is now in a perfect furor of excitement; all the
work-people have struck. Walking through the town to-day, I observed
that labourers were employed only upon about half a-dozen of the fifty
new buildings which were in course of being run up. The majority of
the mechanics at this place are making preparations for moving off to
the mines, and several hundred people of all classes--lawyers,
store-keepers, merchants, etc.,--are bitten with the fever; in fact, there is

a regular gold mania springing up. I counted no less than eighteen
houses which were closed, the owners having left. If Colonel Mason is
moving a force to the American Fork, as is reported here, their journey
will be in vain.
Our trip has been delayed to-day,