Oroville daily Butte record. [volume] (Oroville, Butte County, Calif.) 1856-1858, 1857-04-28
Otuuille Daily Nutte ReturN.
From The Golden Era.
Adventures with Joaquin,
The Mountain Bandit.
BY JOHN II. FITZGERALD.

just as the sun began TO sink behind
the Coast Range Of hills, we came up.
On our Sptnish friends. They were
journeying along Slowly, and the pa
iron vas holding his wife's sister opon
her mule. ] ascortalned that she had
been attacked with the cholera when
but few hours on their journey, two
days before, and they had temained in
camp until, fearful that the disease
might prove fatal unless relieved, they
concluded to move to the n, Arrest house
for succour. | demonstrated with them
for not sending back to us for assist
ance. Sending forward our cattle, |
ordered the patron to encamp for the
night, which he reluctantly complied
with. Shelter was provided for he in.
valid While the patrons wife prcpar.
ed supper for the iriar, myself and her
husband, | turned to my saddle-bags
for medicines, small assortment OF
which | always carried with me for
caFes OF emergency. A SCOT ing
draught Was administered, and by the
time supper was ended, the patient had
fallen mo a quiet sleep. BY constant
ly watching with her during the night
! found the disease had SO far abated
that no danger need be apprehended as
to her ultimate recovery.
After another days delay, we all
mounted our animals and pursued onr
journey. From the fcquent detours
we were compelled to make to avoid
the sloughs, our journey, which could
have been performed later in the sea-
son in one day, was heightened out to
five. At last, how ever, we found our
selves on the hard mountain trail di-
rect to Sonora, the destination Ct my
Spanish friends. The day had been,
like those preceding, unusually warm,
and where wo encamp,d for the night
was spot well up on the Tuoumne
river. In the evening" the wife Of the
patron complained OF illness, and was
soon taken with bilious cholc in all its
excruciat,ng forms That night | also
spent by her bedside, but every few min
utes tho resrl's 5, f rm of her husband
would intercept the light and heat Of
the campfire to knecI by tie SIDE OF
his wife and pray for hcrrccovery, ard
to inquire, with voice tromulops with
anxious feeling, rs to what | thougt Of
her condition. Anxiety flashed from
his dark eyes, and the various contend
ing thoughts that formed within his
brain gave deadly palor to his face.
Ere morning dawued, sac became qui
ct, and fell into refreshing sleep, and
the danger had passed. The patron
seated hiasclf by her bed, and with
his head ben, between HIS knees, bles-
sed the good success Of my efforts, all
the while rtltera'ing that he would
never forget me, and that at some tu-
ture day ne would pay ne more than
! ant clpated. Ilo" truly his $ words
were verified, We will see. In ii few
she had recovered, and | was about to
bid thcm final adieu, when the pa
tron IN isted upon ny taking large,
stout horse from his cabelado, as Il pre-
sent. Having refused every other pre-
sent they offered me, | reluctantly ac>
cep;e5 this, seeing that refusal would
give offence The animal was noble
one stout, feet, and grac full as an
antelope We parted, | to pursue my
vocation or inclinations, and they to
continue their journey.
In 1852. l was travelling from Fort
Miller 10 the Mariposa, in company
with four others, by the mountain trad
while just ahead of US, in sight, were
Il party Of Frenchmen. Night was
coming en-, and th9 lengthening sha-
dows of the hills indicated the suns
decline, and we began to look for a
convenient camping place. We des-
cendcd a steep hill, and in the small
basin found clump of oak timber,
sheltered on one side by perpcndicu-
lar rock, whose huge proportions pro-
tccted us from the cold night air which
blows from the westward in the spring
mouths. At the root of Druidical
oak gushed out fine spring of water,
ran of in copious stream towards the
NTH Onr cnuln was nltchp1 IN thu