Daily national Democrat., 1860-12-14
Qallp 9atlonaE 4rmutrat
For the National Democrat
Pioneer "reminiscences.
BY OLD BLOCK.
NuMgEE ..
BY OLD BLOCK.
NUMBER ..

my old stamping grounds, just, for instance,
as when you saw the old school house where
you acquired scientific knowledge of B. a.
k. e. r. - in the spelling book, you would
be very apt to remember the hoggings you
got tor whispering, or the kisses which some
naughty boy stole when the masters back
was turned.
Like that, my memories have their bitter
and their sweet, if fogging and kissing may
be companions.
had established small store, or trading
post at Bidwel's Bar, at u point known as
D0ubytown. Sacramento. then was the mart
which supplied the northern mines with
goods. had been down after my second
stock, the first one having yielded me Cal
ltornia profit Coming up in company with
other teams. Il had my own cattle) we un-
drrstood tdst the Upper Crossing. (where the
great paper city of Linda subsequently stood)
was better than that at Nye's Ranch so we
turned off not far from where the large city
of Eliza stood-that great rival of Marysville,
with a prospective population of millions,
with steeples so tall that they would cast
shade on the deserted ruins of Marysville, in
cuding the St Nicholas and DEMocRAr Of
flee.
Before reaching the Upper Ferry, the fall
rain had set in, and the river had begun to
rise-it was the 4lh of November and we
laid over one day, hoping the stream would
run down. Our adventures there, and my
bare escape from drowning by being drawn
out OF the river by cliugiag to the tail of an
old ox-ignoninious as it was, have de
tatled before in my tales Of Life across the
plains, but, Maggie dear, I've always been
very partial to ox-tail soup ever since.
Crossiag the plain from Linda, in the rain,
night found US by dnt of hard labor through
the mud, wet and weary, on the bank Of
Feather river about two miles below the
Ioncut Crossing. 1t was there that expos
are 'aUd cold fcv the previous two days being
wet to the skin all the while, threw me iato
aloody aux. Ny escape with life fro,n that
terrible attack resulted from three things :
the blessing of God "a good constitution aud
three internal big doses ct calomel and oil
for always carried medicine in those days
My comrades were very kind, and for the ten
days that we lay there, weather bound, they
attended me most carefully, and Maggie, my
heart warns towards them at this day-over
eleven years. Had it not been for their kind
care and the three things above mentioned
my chips had never been whittled-my nose
had never become celebrated, nor my person
al beauty (Pshaw Mag don't trust your
lips) had never been published to the world
When we arrived at Honcut Greek, slough
or river.-I've seen it in all those forms-we
were detained half day before we could
cross. Like the countrywoman who waited
on the bank of rapid river thinking it must
soon run off, we turned our cattle out to
Craze, and sat down upon the bank waiting
for the food to pass away. By Jove, it did
too, for the rain had eeased-its supplies were
cut off, and by middle of the afternoon we
were enabled to cross.
There were no settlements then no houses
no bridges, and every rain produced flood
which put a stop to wheel navigation. Now
there are fine houses, well cultivated farms
in the neighborhood. large hotel, on either
bank, and good bridges. could only recog-
nize the place by the lay of the land, just as
you can tell one muley COW from another by
the crook of her tail.
We were three weeks in going from Sacra.
mento to where 0royilc now stands. A
this place small number of Cherokees wer,
mining with Indifferent success, and it haC
rather poor reputation as a mining locality
Think Of the millions which have been taker
out since. by doubling teams we aseendeC
the first hill above the plain, where we found
the ground so soft that our farther progress
was arrested. Indeed have seen cattl,
mired down in the road just on the hil ant
perish miserably by hunger, and their strug
giles. Cattle die now at Orovie. and foi
want Of breath too, but their mode of deatt
changes the name from the pleban one ofdeat
carcass, to the more aristocratic one Of beef
and instead of being consumed by coyotes anC
beasts of prey as in ls49 their bodies are foo(
for an animal creature a great portion o
whom, don't pray at all.
Finding our farther progress mudiHOticdH!
prevented, with an eye to business, | erected
the first hotel which was ever built atm
or near the city of Oroville, and | claim al
the honor of the achievement. | hired som'
Indians to 90 TO the river bank and cut me
quantity of willows Driving down som'
crotched sticks | made frame about six fee
high, by laying poles across, and thus stucl
the willows close together perpendicular
around three sides of my frame, leaving my
house open in front. The roof was of boards
which had bought in Sacramento for rock
ers, at the rate of 800 per thousand feet
and which l was taking up to the mines OF
speculation, with other goods With my
cattle hauled big log in front to build I
fire against for like the sacred fire Of the an
cent Mexicans and Greeks meant to keeI
it always burning Then | chalked on th'
smooth side of an empty box with piece o
coal in capital letters -
THE UNIVERSAL WORLD HOTEL.
Ladies and gentleman, the landlord was a
home. Don't put on any airs you st. Nicho
las boys know what hotel keeping is
I've been a landlord myself-Sho
Now it SO happened that a stampede o
miners occurred at that season. 1t was feal