An Old She-goat-Our Mineralogist-Gold Diggers-Murderer's Bar PAGE 231 CHAPTER XIV. Joe Bellow-Stockton-A Bear Trapper- Bear and Bull Fights-An CHAPTER XV. The Gold Mine-The Innocence of Sonora-Sunday in Sonora-Selling a Horse-Carrying Weapons-Bob-We leave Vallejo-We are "Bound to go "-The Shadow of a Crow CHAPTER XVI. I explain to the Patient Reader-Pioneers-A Lady's Boot-Mainspring-Mexican Robbers-Victims of Prejudice-Works America-Two Pigs-Power of the Human Will CHAPTER XVII. on Yield of Gold-Its Duration-Mormon Gulch-The Distribution of 269 286 . 304 CHAPTER XVIII. Transport Machinery to the Mine-The Carpenter Judge, and Con- . 323 CHAPTER XIX. The Firemen of San Francisco-"We strive to Save"-A Barber's ing on Sight 341 MOUNTAINS AND MOLEHILLS; OR, RECOLLECTIONS OF A BURNT JOURNAL. CHAPTER I. CHAGRES RIVER-CURIOSITY-ISTHMUS OF PANAMA-WASHINGTON HOTELANTS A NATIVE OF VIRGINIA-GOLD TRAIN-ROBBERY-PANAMA BELLS -AN EMIGRANT SHIP-AN AFFECTING PREACHER-SAN FRANCISCO. April, 1850. AT eight, A.M., Chagres was reported in sight, and as we neared the land, it presented an appearance far from inviting. The American steamer, "Cherokee," ran into the anchorage with us, and immediately disgorged five hundred American citizens in red and blue shirts. I landed with as much expedition as possible, and commenced at once to bargain for a canoe to take me up the river. This I at last effected at an exorbitant price, and on the express condition that we should not start until sunset. A few months back B the native Indians of this place considered themselves amply repaid with a few dollars for a week's work, but since the Californian emigration has lined their pockets with American eagles, they have assumed American independence and now the civilised traveller, instead of kicking the naked aborigine into his canoe, or out of it as his humour prompts, has to bargain with a "padrone," as he calls himself, dressed in a coloured muslin shirt and a Panama hat, with a large cigar in his still larger mouth; and has not only to pay him his price, but has to wait his leisure and convenience. The town of Chagres deserves notice, inasmuch as it is the birthplace of a malignant fever, that became excessively popular among the Californian emigrants, many of whom have acknowledged the superiority of this malady by giving up the ghost, a very few hours after landing. Most towns are famous for some particular manufacture, and it is the fashion for visitors to carry away a specimen of the handicraft; so it is with Chagres. It is composed of about fifty huts, each of which raises its head from the midst of its own private malaria, occasioned by the heaps of filth and offal, which putrefying under the rays of a vertical sun, choke up the very doorway. On the thresholds of the doors, in the huts them CHAGRES RIVER. selves,-fish, bullock's heads, hides, and carrion, are strewed all in a state of decomposition; whilst in the rear is the jungle, and a lake of stagnant water, with a delicate bordering of greasy blue mud. As I had with me my man Barnes and three large blood-hounds, I hired a boat of extra size capable of containing us all, together with the baggage, this being preferable to making a swifter passage with two smaller canoes and running the risk of separation. At about three we started, the "Cherokees" in boats containing from ten to a dozen each. All was noise and excitement, cries for lost baggage, adieus, cheers, a parting strain on a cornet-à-piston, a round dozen at least of different tongues, each in its owner's own peculiar fashion murdering Spanish, a few discharges from rifles and revolvers, rendered the scene ludicrous, and had the good effect of sending us on the first step of a toilsome journey in a good humour. So up the river we went, and as Chagres disappeared behind us, we rejoiced in a purer air. There is an absence of variety in the scenery of the Chagres river, as throughout its whole length the banks are lined to the water's edge with vegetation. But the rich bright green at all times charms the beholder, and the eye does not become wearied with the thick masses of luxuriant foliage, for they are ever blended in |