Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-08-14
THE IMMATURE.


lAAOt@eu ~ 1Adhdctg 4 ICtti 0oOi otAlOu ~
city with party Of six, myself in.
Icluded,l for the remote regions ol
Feather river. / had tried several
of the other rivers without much
success, and as some friends whom
! met in town endeavored to con-
vince me that this was the only true
and legitimate spot where the pile
was TO be made, very unwillingly
gave my consent to make one of the
party.
We settled all the arrangements
to our satisfaction, then bought
provisions enough TO last six months,
hired a six-mule team, pa"tcd our
stuff Oh their backs, and one after
noon took up our line of march for
the above named place, distant about
one hundred miles from Sacramento.
One among our company played
the bugle decently well, and as the
soul-iEspiring notes rang out through
the vallies, we all imagined ourselves
worth at the least calculation fifty
thousand dollars-or soon would be.
Alasl where are they and their
hopes and expectations nowi All
but one have laid their bones in a
strange land. Famine, disease and
murder have taken them one by one
until | alone am left; monument of
Gods mercy.
But l am DEPRESSING. Nothing
worth noticing occurred on our
route, and after four days hard trav-
ell we arrived, with blistered feet and
aching bones, everybody unhappy,
and everybody as disqgreeable as
any six men could very convenient
" have been.
After unloading the team, and Ia
king a good bath in the clear, cold
waters OF the river, We pitched our
tent, cooked supper, and then, as
men generally do in such cases, felt
better. All retired early, and en-
ioyed a good nights sleep, for upon
the next day we were to commence
our search after gold, but somehow
nobody seemed to breach the subject
of work, so we spent the day in visi-
ting what few people there were
campedin the immediate neighbor-
hood. They did not talk very en-
couragingly, and after surveying the
different 'bars,' came to the con-
clusion that my fortune was some
way from me yet. However, it
would not do to get discouraged SO
quick, and took stroll along to-
wards the 'store,' as it was called.
The store consisted Of large brush
tent, where they retailed every thing
that was likely to be wanted among
set OF hard working men, including
a plentiful supply Of all kinds OF H.
quors, retailing it at the rate Of sew
en- dollars a bottle for brandy, and
five for gin. By such rates as this
the store keeper managed to put up
two thirds of the miners hard earn
ings in his own pockets, and conse-
quently was becoming enormously
rich.
When | arrived at the tent, |
found some twenty or thirty people
assembled, drinking, smoking, and
playing cards. Their days labor was
over, and they were now spending
what they had earned. / perceived
some few were already in a happy
state, and were trying 10 kick up a
row with somebody, no matter who.
There were one or two Frenchmen,
one or two Chillians, two Negroes,
and the rest were made up Of over
land and Oregon men.
As | stood leaning against bar
rel, watching the different express
sions tina! played upon their counte-
nances, young man Of about twen-
ty-eight years came up and enquir-
ed what part Of the country | was
from. | Informed him, and after a.
few more words, he informed me
that he was from New York City,
and asked me TO drink with him,
which ] respectfully declined. He
did not appear TO relish my refusal
very well, and turned abruptly away
and commenced betting on monte.
"What did that fellow say TO you,
mister" inquired large broad shoul-
dered countryman, who went by the
name Of Jones.
"Only asked me to drink with
him." replied ].
swell, stranger, am from Ore.
gon, and my name is Jones; | have
been on the liver about five months,
and some people call me the alcade
oil these diggings. But that has no.
thing TO do with him. Let me ad-
wise you as a felIow-countryman. 10
have nothing to do with that fellow.
| have had my eye on him for some
time, and il he does ever come under
-tmy discipline, / will serve him out,
| warrant you."
"Of what offence has he been gull
tyl" | inquired, scrutinizing him more
1