California | Page 5

for the saddler cannot get our
equipments in readiness for at least forty-eight hours. He says that
directly he has finished the job he shall start off himself to the diggings.
I have bribed him with promises of greatly increased pay not to
disappoint us again. As it was, we were to pay him a very high price,
which he demanded on account of three of his men having left him, and
there being only himself and two workmen to attend to our order.
I told Mr. Bradley of our misfortune. He promised to wait for us, but
recommended me to keep going in and out of the saddler's all day long,
in order to make sure that the man was at work, otherwise we might be
kept hanging about for a fortnight.
May 20th.--It requires a full amount of patience to stay quietly
watching the proceedings of an inattentive tradesman amid such a
whirlpool of excitement as is now in action. Sweeting tells me that his
negro waiter has demanded and receives ten dollars a-day. He is forced
to submit, for "helps" of all kinds are in great demand, and very
difficult to meet with. Several hundred people must have left here
during the last few days. Malcolm and I have our baggage all in
readiness to start on Monday.
May 22nd.--To-day all our arrangements have been changed; the
saddler did not keep his promise, and while Malcolm, Bradley, and
myself were venting our indignation against him, Don Luis Palo made
his appearance. The gold fever had spread to Monterey, and he had
determined to be off to the mines at once. He had brought his servant (a
converted Indian, named José) with him, and extra horses with his
baggage; he intended to set to work himself at the diggings, and meant
to take everything he required with him. He says the report about
Colonel Mason's moving a force off to the mines to take possession of
them is all nonsense; that some of the garrison of Monterey have
already gone there, is quite true, but they have deserted to dig sold on

their own account. Colonel Mason, he says, knows too well that he has
no efficient force for such a purpose, and that, even if he had, he would
not be able to keep his men together. It appears, also, that the mines
occupy several miles of ground, the gold not being confined to one
particular spot. On hearing this intelligence we at once determined to
follow Don Luis's example, and although there seemed a certain degree
of absurdity in four people, all holding some position in society, going
off on what might turn out to be only a fool's errand, still the evidence
we had before us, of the gold which had actually been found, and the
example of the multitudes who were daily hastening to the diggings,
determined us to go with the rest. We therefore held a council upon the
best method of proceeding, at which every one offered his suggestions.
While we were thus engaged, McPhail, our fellow-passenger from
Oregon, made his appearance, having only just then returned from
Sonoma. He had heard a great deal about the new gold placer, and he
had merely come back for his baggage, intending to start off for the
mines forthwith. The result of our deliberations was to this effect. Each
man was to furnish himself with one good horse for his own use, and a
second horse to carry his personal baggage, as well as a portion of the
general outfit; we were each to take a rifle, holster pistols, etc. It was
agreed, moreover, that a tent should be bought immediately, if such a
thing could be procured, as well as some spades, and mattocks, and a
good stout axe, together with a collection of blankets and hides, and a
supply of coffee, sugar, whisky, and brandy; knives, forks, and plates,
with pots and kettles, and all the requisite cooking utensils for a camp
life. The tent is the great difficulty, and fears are entertained that we
shall not be able to procure one; but Bradley thinks he might buy one
out of the Government stores.
I followed the saddler well up during the day, and was fortunate enough
to obtain our saddles, saddle-bags, etc., by four o'clock. On going to his
house a couple of hours after about some trifling alteration I wished
made, I found it shut up and deserted. On the door was pasted a paper
with the following words, "Gone to the diggings."
CHAPTER IV.

The party leave San Francisco Cross to Sausalitto with horses and
baggage Appearance of the cavalcade José's method of managing
horses Character of the country passed through Stay at Sonoma for the
night A Yankee hotel-keeper's notion