The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-28

The vessel being light she seemed to
drift. and our chances at that time looked
| slim.
A solid ledge OF rock looking TO be two
hundred feet high and covered with snow
loomcd before us.
At that point the wind held from
eight In the morning until nine In the
evening and we seemed TO be dragging
near shore.
rhe captain stood on deck by the cabin,
and never left his post once during the
time; the snow and slcet cutting down
about him, land being fifteen miles Toward.
AT nine in the evening the wind maui ad
and we began To sec our way clear. hau
| n not, - the captain SAID, we q nave gone
ashore TO be eaten by Patagonias.
AS soon as we could put canvas on, we
! struck ont for the Cape, where we arrived
on the fourth day of July.
Had made calculations for great day
on our arrival. Alas for our expccta-
| tions.
| On the morning of that day not a pas
Senger was seen above deck; rough,
! binuing snow storm, and heavy sea
! runpiag, with full rake OF both oceans,
which only Jack Tar could resist Kept
them below tho rest of the day.
When we again arrived IN good weather
we extra men were discharged. having
served two months at fifteen dollars per
month.
Time hanging heavy, looked about for
something with which 20 busy myself. =,
Thinking l could take the run as well
as the captain, thought If only had lum'
! ber enough would huild Quadrant
Getting three sticks, n circular piece ior
! the figures and smoked glass enough to
| look through soon had one that stood
! two feet, six, when finished.
Being duly inspected Dy the company
il was pronounced 4 1 machine.
al a
I were now ia order. that l might space tho
distance from New York 10 san iran
| cisco.
For coast pilot had an out of date
almanac
At half-past eleven. when all was APP
proved by the officers, l took my place on
| the forward cabin, the captain occupying
the aft we each proceeding 10 business
Soon as the sun dipped, L sang out,
Twelve o'clock -
Tho captain asks, What's your fig
| uresy"
80. As" said I.
Correct, " was the reply.
The days so by, everything running
smoothly, Captain Borden aud agreeing
| on time
| He must have considered me quito an
acquisition, knowing l would, II LETT 10
myself. carry tho vessel right side up-or
| otherwiss-into the Golden Gate. 1t was
about the middle OF September, when the
cry from aloft "Sail low!' caused us TO
look about us, for we'd seen no sail for
| number Of days.
Bearing down upon us was what soon
| proved TO be pilot boat Alter we had
| spoken and the pilot came on board, the
| schooner bore off on her course, and we
braced forward on ours.
Immediately the plot-who ground
| out the lies at rapid rate-was sur
rounded by a crowd of eager listeners
According TO his story gold was scooped
| up in bucketsfui and our fortune would
| be made in littio less than no time
| AS We drew near the entrance OF the
| Gate, which was narrow, eyes were star
| ing from their sockets and the hair
nearly lifted our hats from our heads
with excitement
We passed through the Gate into the open
bay, which reseinbled great cedar
swamp.
We expected we'd be among the first
corners, but vessels Of ali descriptions and
flags of all nations were there
We dropped anchor and laid about two
weeks until our timo cafLe.
san Francisco, little Hpanish town,
then had about TWENTY-FIVE houses.
Since then the hills have been cut away
and land made In the back water of the
bay. and for many years the old Gold
Hunter, and others of her kind were I'M
prsone there.
There were then no wharvos, nor
piers. and vessels NIL laid oil tho stream.
A stack of four or five hundred chests,
with no cover whatever displayed the
sign storage.
Postage was forty cents to the east and
the uostoilice was little shanty, where
n long line of men ccu.d be seen any time
waiting for news from home. III one was
luckless enough 20 get crowded out OF
line, he'd have TO take his place again at
tie rear.
ON their arrival every one was in great
haste 10 reach the mines.
Our party of five or six chartered =
boat to sacramento, where we arrived
after Few days having camped on shore
nights while making Tho journey.
sacramento then had 10 or 20 houses,
some OF which were of canvas.
from here we proceeded by ox-team TO
Auburn, on the north fork of the Ameri-
can river, on whose banks we began TO
prospect
Each man on leaving the ship had two
years provisions
There were now three OF us two Basset
boys and myself. We detailed one of the
brothers 60 go for provisions, while We
stayed behind and worked We were To
build cabiD, ho 60 bring the canvas.
0Mo were now shfrt ot money. hs well ms
provisions. Had coffee enough for once
and little rice ana molasses. | was loft
to get breakfast while my partner took
his gun. TO get some game.
Returning soon with two or three blue
Jays, he told ma Of n man who promised
to give him - &C. find a lost mule
told him he'd better drink n cup of
cotfco and eat somo of the nice pudding
I'd mado before starting out
We were both blessed with good appe
titeS 80 we partoOk freely, as the story
goes
Nose, this pudding tastes like tallow, -
said he after awhile
"Mell It might" / answer H. Il put
what was lett OF our candle into IL, as |
had no other shortening and was having
general cleaning out
Later In the day my partner exclaimed,
on returning from the hunt Wen live
another day for I've found the donkey
and got my a.. "
With this we bought -four and pork,
which was 81. 90 ana sl.7S per lb.
Tho next day when Abner did not show
M, Al said. IT looks smoky. I'm going
down Co the Frcnchman's on the north
fort. and seo II | can borrow $50, ~ whicn
| he hll. and then went 10 AuDMrn. Anl