The record-union., 1894-02-28
4 PACKERS TALES OF '49.

Iorty mead OF cattle and number Of sheep
from drover who passed that way. They
cost me about ten cents pound. l sold
them at the rate of thirty cents pound.
The cattle were not tame beef from
the States" but "beef Spanish" and
whenever 1 needed some ''beef Spanish"
was wont TO climb convenient tree in
the rude inclosure where 1 kept them,
have them driven underneath me, and
shoot one of them unawares with my
rifle. My understrappers would then
skin and dress the carcass, Quarter it and
bring it to my tent, to be hung up and
sold of in chunks TO suit the trade.
Bears, wolves and other carnivorOus
vermin got away with most Of my sheep,
but nlchlng was confined almost eXclu-
slvely to the lower animals in those days.
Ihe population OF Upper Shirlocks was
q conglomerate CAY allie representing
nearly every language and every amalga-
nation Of languages on the terrene sur
face OF this mundane sphere OF ours, yet
but one robbery was ever perpetrated
there in 40, and crime of any other
nature was utterly unknown in any of
the camps that quented-Bret Harte
and long retinue of his lucklesS imi-
tators to the contrary, Notwithstanding.
l visited many of Harte's Old stamping
grounds, but was never edited even by a
respectable clapper-clawing match or fist
light, not To speak OF a CORY melee, in
which a succession OF revolver salvOS left
the ground covered with heaps of slain.
There were no women in the '49 mining
camps, properly SO called; no hurdy-
gurdy houses, and no saloons. These
features belong to settlements of less an
tquity or remOteness, or to the garnish Of
literary trOubadours.
In the case of robbery alluded to, the
offenders were two half breed MeXicans,
or MesuZaS, who had stolen $500 from a
gambler with whom they had one night
been playing losing game. They were
low characters, however, and trial by
Jury, at which | presided as Judge, found
them guilty as accused. The jury then
sentenced them to cOndign punishment
in substance amounting to thirIy-nine
lashes apiece. l approved their judg
ment, and the culprlts were forthwith
bound up to trees IN position to eXpiate
their crime.
The elder Of the two received his full
number of lashes and was badly striped.
1t might shock some hyperseDtimental
readers to learn that the mans skin was
also cut in several places by the lash.
But his own cOuntrymen acknowledged
that he was thief and that he was Justly
punished. 1t Is certain that the caStiga-
tion had a salutary effect, not only on the
thieves themselves but on the morals OF
the camp generally, since the thieves left
Immediately never to return, and rob-
berry was thereafter unknown.
Itis equally certain that time was too
precious with US to be wasted in indulg-
ing any of that sprawIing senumentality
which, under the cOnsecrated mask of
zeal, with refined cruelty and Infinite eX-
penSe tolls necessarily in civilized COM
munities to retard the administration OF
justice and to perpetuate the pernicious
system OF inocculating criminals with
the infectious bacilli OF tuberculosis.
There was little difficulty one night
among the sporting fraternity of Upper
Shirlocks, which came very near ending
in a shocking brawl. The gambler who
had followed me from Mexico made his
headquarters at my tent. There were
other gamblers in the camp, but this one,
by his consummate skill in all the arts
and articles OF his pr 1essiOn, finally tri-
umphed over all his congeners. His
winnings on that occasion amounted to
over 5000, which was a bitter reflection
for his victims, whose sullen murmur-
ings, like the moaning noise that goes
before the roaring, rIotlng, rotary tor
nado, BODIED i'll for the victor and soon
gathered tumultuous rabble in front of
my tent. 1t was in this exciting and per-
ilous extremity that l remarked the adj
mirable keenness, coOlness and deXterity
of the barefoOted VagabOnd whom l had
picked up in the woods of Mexico; for
when the rabbe hurled foul scorn and fell
defiance at him a complaisant smile
played round his lips as he toyed with
the trigger of cooked revolver, and a
voice that seldom threatened in vain
suavely invited them TO do their worst.
But L had over 5000 worth Of dust in
my tent, and not knowing exactly what
turn the delirium of the frenzied mob
might take next, put out my lights and
reinforced the gambler with three armed
ofrr1 Z tlo h
gradually spent itself however, and alter
much fruitless imprecation and gesticula-
ton they at length dispersed.
Had they attacked us it Is more than
probable That some of those who supped
That night on the Mariposa would have
breakfast next morning on the Styx.
| made my last trip TO a gulch over
near the MOkelumne River, probably in
one corner of the present county of Gala
veras. l remember only that after clint b.
ing some steep hills / came to a guich
where an Englishman had already
established store.
This was in the spring of 80. By that
time my pack train had increased to
thirty-nine mules and a saddle horse.
Disguised to find man ahead of me, l
offered to sell him my entire outfit at the
rate OF Sl50 per mule, stockton prices
for my goods, and So per mule freight.
He grumbled considerably at this but
-
paratory to setting up opposition to him
there, he came To terms at neck-breaking
speed.
The result was that, with what gold I
had brought with me, L carried back to
Stockton, wrapped up in a pair OF blank
cts and tied on behind my saddle, over
hundred pounds OF dust. on the way |
stayed all night at cabin which | after
ward learned was a tavOrite rendezvous
of 1.-The Hounds" Fortunately for me
and my bacon the hounds were absent on
a foray.
commenced business with a capital of
$1,000. One year OF tribulation with
pack train swelIed it to $4,000.
While engaged III turning over my
caravan to the Englishman, twenty or
thirty Digger Indians gathered around US
out of curiosity probably TO find out what
was going on. Just before l started off
an apparently senseleSs freak OF mine was
credited with SI00 from one of the stern,
pensive and stolid old bucks there con-
gregated
Thinking that it would be rare treat
for the Indians TO see white man logged
I'D in d dress suit, and being painfully
anxious to see how a cake of soap would
look with a smile on it, put on an old
fashioned Willieboy, or swallow-tail,
coat, a white vest, and a Stovepipe hat
all Of which | happened to have with me.
This imposing costume elected much adj
miration, especially from the squaws
present Finally, their Great Sachem,
tall. bulky. Notwithstanding fellow. took
a fancy 10 it, and asked me: "How
much ?'' l said: six ounces" ''All
right" said he, as he produced a chunk
of gold weighing twelve ounces, which l
subsequently bisected with a hatchet,
while kicking myself because l didn't
ask him twelve ounces, me put 'um on
now"
had no trousers to match the coat and