Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-21

sllldll pOICil III llOi-
boards for seats, long taple .
cloth covering. l would judge at,
per 900 for the lumber the outfit cost
some $500 or 5000, and the fellow had
some beans, rice, molasses, etc, perhaps
5000 or $500 worth, and he wanted
to sell out to us for the modest sum of
$1,7OO. We made light of the matter at
the start, and told him we had but little
money. He said that made no differ
ence; he wanted to rest, and would stay
around few days until we took in the
money. After consulting together, some
thought it might be pretty good thing
to do, and let some go on to the city, get
the money for our teams and load the
other mules with packs and open up a
place to feed the big crowd we knew
was behind, and having boss cook in
the crowd we might soon have a good
thing. Il will say just here l cooked
every meal but two from the Missouri
river west.) After talking the matter
over for some time, we concluded we
must go to the end of the road, Sacra-
mento City; SO we pulled out, and that
night camped on the American river,
near where Folsom was afterwards built.
Monday, August 9th. We felt we were
now getting to our journeys end We
were in California. We could feel the
exhilarating influence of the pure fresh
air. The dust was pretty thick, but ii
tasted better than the alkali dust We
had been inhaling so long. The sun
was hot in the day, but there was a
freshness to the air at night we had
never experienced anywhere be-
fore. We were delighted. The
road was crowded with all
classes and conditions of men and beasts
going from Sacramento City to the dig
gings-mules with provisions snugly
packed and on top of the provisions a
cradle for washing out the gold, with tin
dippers and iron pans, etc, and long
strings of pack animals with provisions
cans, who appeared to do all of that
business. To see small mule with two
half barrels of pork or five fifty-pound
sacks of flour looked like cruelty to ami
mails, bat when one came along with
forty-odd-gallon barrel of whiskey
lashed on the center of the saddle, l
gave it up. At that time | had not seen
large shaft for a quartz mill packed on
four mules, and when they crossed a
ravine the ones in the center would be
lifted off the ground, being lashed to
the shaft.
We drove down near Suffers Fort and
camped at p. m. Not knowing how it
might be close to the city, we turned out,
having some grass and plenty of shade
under the wide-spreading oaks.
The remainder of the mess-Najor w.
p. Lane, Daniel Mosby, my uncle Jasper
M. Hixson-the same parties who had
left together Liberty, Clay county, Mis-
souri,, May the 1st, were all we'll and l
can say, not hard word had ever been
spoken on the trip.
Before turning out my animal l wanted
to see the 'Embarcadero," as Sacra-
mento City was called. The remainder
of the boys said they preferred to rest
and go into the city tomorrow, but felt
1 was not in California proper until l
saw Sacramento City, and | wanted
some fresh meat. Bacon is mighty
good thing for the plains, but when you
have been eating bacon and drinking
coffee without milk, and having nothing
in the shape of vegetable matter but
| beans and rice for three months, one
wants sweet and sour as well as fresh
! meat. When rode into the cluster of
shanties-not more than half dozen,
with shake roofs on them, and
! got the Odor OF neW-made bakers'
bread, | could not resist the
temptation OF one square meal. 1
bought a bottle of vinegar, bottle of
syrup, loaf OF bakers bread, and filling
my canteen with fresh water-having
my tin plate and tin cup strapped to my
saddle got astraddle of big oak tree
that had fallen on L street, near
Seventh, and mixed my syrup, vinegar
and water for a drink, and sopped my
fresh bakers bread in the syrup, and
ate one of the most enjoyable meals
ever had before or since / returned to
camp, and between the grey squirrels
the boys had killed and the fine beef
had brought, we had feast that night.
My meal had just whetted my appetite.
have now got to California and the
end.