Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-03-28

frontier life, but who had still retained the re-
membrance of an earlier polish. The Col. used
to indulge in whskey pretty literally, but said
he only took it Is a common and nutritious bcv
erage, without any intention whatever Of "tool-
ing with it y although he would Frequently say
that he had been in the service of king alcohol
for upwards of thirty years The Col. had GER
tainly seen life in and out of the she'll, and was
perfectly at home in almost every situation OF
camp life, aud frontier rough and ready living.
This man though as gentle as dove in temper
and disposition was true rs steel in his fidelity
and attachment to friend, and as brave as q
lion in defense of what he considered his own or
his friend S rights. The Col, was very highly es
teemcd 10y our company, and in fact he appeared
to be favorte on the bar. While all our boys
were in camp Grotius suggested the propricty Of
determining whether we should remain another
week or not with the old Col. Ii was agreed
upon after an hours consultation to work another
week for wages. The Col was much pleased and
voluntarily proposed to make it SIS per day to
the hand, which proposition was readily accepted
On Monday morning all hands went to work in
good spirits, and continued SO through the week
Grotus, Tim and myself were engaged busily all
the week in building a wing dNm-the Judge was
acting as foreman. The dam was finished about
four D. M on Saturday and the Col. together
with Judge and Tim prospected. They worked
probably an hour and u half and took out s. 400
in twenty one pans of dirt This of course amply
rcnumeratcd the Col for the high wages paid u.s.
although il was not considered high wages AT
that time. We were paid off on the Saturday
night previous in nice clean gold dust. After
| supper were setting on the trunk of fallen
pine tree directly in the rear of the tent, when
suddenly VIC heard a laundering peal Of laughter
followed by shouts or mcrrment from thick
gathering of men in front of Il big blue tent that
was nearly at the head of the bar. We FASTENED
to see what was up, OF rather to learn the nature
of the row. When we arrived there the crowd
was circlinS out in order to form ring for the
disputants. 1t was fight, but a harmless fight
as far as material injury. black eyes, or bodily
bruises went The disputants were two sailors
who had buGotted the blue oceans stormy bllow
for many a cruise together. 1t was really anus
ing TO witness, although it was Of short duration.
They would take positions in the center Of the
ring about six feet apart, aud make some wild and
ridculously funny contortioas, as if they were
bent upon each others Obstruction but the
clnchod fist and raised arm would be suddenly
arrested in its descent by all idea and term OF
caution. Jack and Tom were the names by
which they designated each other Jack would
:. oet ia inp linht TO |
strike your topgalant yards and let you swing
to anchor for a month" Tom, standing in the
same hostile attitude, would square of and threat
en- to let 90 Jacks manhawl and bring him
stern on" Jack and Tom were so far gone in
liquor that had they even grappled no harm
could have resulted from the collision. At this
particular time some loud and threatening re
marks were made ON the outside of the ring by
another Jolly tar who claimed the privilege to in
terposo between the beligerents lie was also
shipmatc of Jack and Tom, but unfortudately
had fallen asleep on the shady side of big stone
before the fight commenced. His anger and blus-
tering was only caused now because the boys who
desired the fun to go on between Jack and Tom
prevented him from entering the ring Gaining
it at last he sprang between his shpmates and
proposed to reconcile all difficulties with drink
The terms Of compromise was Immediately agreed
to- and the boys who were present to the number
of two hundred, at least marshaed up in the
course Of time and took drink The sailors en-
braced each other, and both acknowledged them
selves to be guilty This drink must have cost
the foolish but generous sailor 500, as drinks
were at that time fifty cents per glass. This tra-
ding post or big blue tent (no bluer than the
whisky that was kept therein to sell,) was owned
by two very singular specimens of humanity
One was thick chubby fellow, about IS years
old, of very light complexion, and perfectly
bald lie wore rather an imposing goatee. and
would invariably stroke it down with the hand
in a very mild manner whenever he was engaged
in conversations lie might be called intelligent
in one sense. for he remembered good many
strange incidents which he could relate in very
good style. lie always emphasized with the
words /" T'is as tell you, sure" lie graduated
on the Mississippi river, and during some severe
trials of Lille he said he had never found out exact
ly what he wouldn't do to have little game Of
.'poker." lie played the capper, aud would al
ways propose drink if somebody else did not.
Whenever miner would enter the tent he ad-
dressed him ia the best natured manner in the
world. If the miner did d'nt call the drinks, he did
but on such occasions lie was sure to have some
thing the matter that required some mixture Of
bittcrs which he kept in black bottle, and la
belled to be we'll shaken before taken" This
he would call for, at the same time stating his
reasons to the poor sCft who swallowed it all for
truth, and even sympathised with Bally. Touch
ing glasses the greeny would hope by jingo, to
see bin get his health good in the future" This
said down went both Doses the sham medicine
down Bally's throat and the five fingered dose of
double rectided and distilled tobacco juice, alco
hol and dirty water, which Bally called the
pure deep red monongabola" down the greeny's
who would pronounce it mighty good" because
it was mighty strong. Baly would make capital
out of the sod's remark and talk about the Gus
tom house and his friends who kept him posted
when any really good liquor was on hand.
FRO BE CONTlNUED