The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-07-03
From the Boston " ankee Blade.
TUE MlNlATURE.-A Lynching Scene in
California.

In the year 1919, during the hot month
kCf August, left Sacramento City, with d
party ofsix including myself. for lhe remote
Regions OF Feather river. had tried sew
brnl OF the other rivers without much sue
cess, and as some friends whom | met in
lown, endeavored to convince me that this
WAS the onlv true and legitimate, spoi
where the '.piie' could be made, very on.
twillingly gave my consent to make one Of
their party.
We settled al! the arrangements to our
satisfaction, and then bought provisions
4 enough TO last Us three months, hired six
mule team, packed our stuff on their backs
| and one afternoon aho1t six O'clock. took
up our line Of march for the above named
i place, distance about one hundred and fifty
miles from Sacramento City. One among
our company played the bugie decently
well, and as the soul inspiring notes rang
on, through the valleys, we all imlgined
ourselves worth, at the least calculation
fifty thousand dollars-or soon would be.
Alas! where are they, and their hopes
and expectations now? All but one have
laid their bones in strange land. Famine
disease and murder have taken them one
by one, until alone am left, monument
ofGod's mercy.
Bat ] am digressing. Nothing worth
noticing occurred on our route, and after
four days hard travel, we arrived, with
bstered feet and aching bones; every body
unhappy and every body as disagreeab!e as
any six men could conveniently be.
Alter unloading the team, and taking n
good bath in the clear, cold waters of the
river, we pitched our tent, cooked supper,
and then, as men generally do 10 such cases,
ielt better. All retired early, and enjov ed
Ngood nights sleep, for upon the next day
we wereto commence our labors, but some
how, nobody seemed to breach the subject
OF work, so we spent the day in visiting
what few people there were camped in the
Immediate neighborhood of ourselves
They did not talk very encoursgingly, and
after surveying the different "bars,"l came
TO the conclusion that my fortune was some
way from me yet. However, il would not
doto get discouraged 50 quick, and took q
stroll along towards the store, as il was
called. The store consisted Of large
brush tent, where they reiaiIed everything
shat was likely TO be wanted among set
.of hardworkipg men, including n plentiful
supply Of all kinds OF liquors, retailing j, al
the rate Of seven dollars bottle for brandy
and hive for gin. By such rates as tbi;
the storekeeper managed TO put about two
thirds OF the miners earnings in his owl
pockets, and consequently was becoming
enormously rich.
When arrived at the tent, found some
twenty or thirty persona assembled, drink
ing, smoking and playing cards. Their
days labor was over, and they were now
spending what they had earned. Iperceiv-
ed some few wore already in happy state
and were trying to kick up row with some
bod3, no matter who. There wero one or
Two Frenchmen, one or two Chlians, two
negroes, and the rest were made up OF over
iand and Oregon men.
AS | stood leaning against barrel
Watching The different expressions that
Plnycd upon their conntenancos, young
man Of abou, twenty eight years, came up
and enquired what part Of the country
was from. informed him and after few
more words, he informed me that he was
from New York city, aud asked me to drink
with him, which respectfully declined
He did not appear TO relish my refusal very
well, and turned abruptly away, and COM
menced betting on monte.
"What did that fellow say to you, mis-
teri" inquired large broad shouldered
man, who went by the name of Jones.
Only nskod me to drink with him, that's
all,' replied L.
"Wel stranger am from Oregon, and
my name is Jones have been on the river
about five months, and some people call
me the alcalde Of these digsings. Du, that