Year: 1877

The Winter of 1S50-51 had been dry
one. Not that there was then the need of
great bitches and reservoirs as now, but
the experience of the year previous had
led the miners to expect that the flood
gates of Heaven would again be opened,
and they had made their preparations ac-
cordingly. Not much water was required
to wash the dirt shoveled into "long
tom," and still less when the more prim-
tive rocker was used. But the expecta-
tions Of the miners had been wrought up
TO the belief that when Winter fairly set
In the streams to which they resorted for
Summer diggings would be kept swollen
By the floods Of Winter, and that they
must change base for the little ravines of
the mountains. The Forty-niners "
were all going to do so, and the new
comers thought they could not go amiss if
they followed the example set by such
high authority. Therefore when the
frosty nights and gathering clouds began
to foretel the approach of the "rainy
season." there was a general break up of
the Summer camps to prepare for Winter
diggings.


The amount of preparation deemed ne
cessary for weathering the Winter thro'
was very limited. Pine logs for the cabin
were to be had for the cutting, red mud to
"chink the interstices was under our
feet, and the branching sugar pines fur
nished "shakes " readily to the hand
even of the unskilled "river." But the
Winter for which preparation was made
and whose advent was so longingly de-
sired, did rot come. December, January
and February passed, but the sun rode in
. cloudless sky and the few clouds which
occasionally gathered and threatened re-
fused TO part with their moisture. On
each little ravine where gold had been
found by prospecting, piles of dry dirt,
thrown up by the toilers, awaited the
rainfall before its golden treasures could
be set free. But it was not nntil the
Winter had fairly passed and March APP
pesred that storms great enough to start
the gulches came, by which time thous
ands of the waiting miners had left the
dry diggings in disgust, leaving their
piles of rich earth to be washed up by
whoever chose. We have had dry Win
tors since, but none have been SO complete
q failure as that of 1S50-51.


The miners scattered in search Of other
gold fields, some to one part, some to
others. Scott river drew men from the
far Southern counties with its stories of
fabulous riches. Gold Bluff and other
was a popularity Of the honest miner of
the early day that report concerning rich
new diggings was entitled to credence just
in proportion TO its distance away. The
idea of changing places Of abode and
going only few miles was a thing not to
be tolerated. However we were not so
badly affected as we're our neighbors, as
we had claims which held US for awhile.
But our time came too, in its due season.
Reports came Of the discovery of a new
camp where both gold and water we're
plenty. 1t had been found by the In
dians who had already panned out great
sums. There was only one bad feature
about the story, which was that this new
placer was situated at only twenty miles
distance. However, we could go there in
one day and back the next, so we borrow
cd couple of cdbdlios and away we
went.


We found the picture had been little
overdrawn in reference to the abundance
.ofwater, but 1t was otherwise substantially
correct. Scores Of Indians were there
with knives, scrapers and pans digging
che soft bedrock in the shallow gulches,
and each with from an ounce to pound
OF gold dust tied up in little rags. We
gave the place the name of Indian Dig
xings, and il we mistake not it retains
shat cogEomen till this day. There was
only the water from springs to wash with
spd the springs were rapidly failing; but
such mines would pay to hold on to. 1t
% HoeuteSS iOT INC W uul iHhI Iho hOW
camp WAS quickly populated by miners,
some of whom came from points hundreds
OF miles away, and that all the available
ground was taken up. The Indians were
Summarily driven off ; then. as now, an
Indian had no rights which one of the
Caucasian race felt bound to respect. 1t
was done without any trouble /; perhaps
lf the water in the springs had not been
failing SO rapidly, it might not have been
accomplished without some bloodshed.


As nothing much could be done during
the Summer months, we divided our par
<y; some remaining to look out for the
nlaims, while the others went down to the
Consumes river to turn the bed Of that
stream and put in the Summer. was
one Of those who stayed at the Indian
dggings. Before dividing our forces, we
rolled up the logs of cabin, which it was
20 be part of my business to finish up and
get in readiness for the next Winter. we
built it on a little fat close to one OF the
tiving springs, amidst a grove OF tai
slender spruce whose boughs locked enc