Chapter I: Front Matter

SIX MONTHS

IN THE GOLD MINES:

FROM A JOURNAL OF

Three Years’ Residence

IN

UPPER AND LOWER CALIFORNIA.

1847-8-9.

BY E. GOULD BUFFUM,
LIEUTENANT FIRST REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.

PHILADELPHIA:
LEA AND BLANCHARD.
1850.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850,

BY LEA AND BLANCHARD,

In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA:

C. SHERMAN, PRINTER.

TO

JOHN CHARLES FRÉMONT,

THE UNITED STATES SENATOR

FIRST CHOSEN TO REPRESENT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA:

THE HISTORY

OF WHOSE INVALUABLE PIONEER LABOURS

WILL ENDURE AS LONG AS THE MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS, AND PLAINS

WHICH HIS COURAGE AND INDOMITABLE ENTERPRISE EXPLORED,

AND HIS GENIUS HAS ILLUSTRATED,

This Memorial of Adventure,

BY PERMISSION,

IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

BY

THE AUTHOR.

PUBLISHERS’ NOTICE.

The pages of this work, in consequence of the public interest in all that appertains to California, have been hurried through the press, without the revision expected by the author; there may be, therefore, some slight errors detected through the pages. The writer of the work, formerly connected intimately with the New York press, has been a resident and explorer of California for more than three years, and still remains there. The proof sheets could not, therefore, well be submitted to his revision.

Philadelphia, May, 1850.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION, 13

CHAPTER I.

Departure for the Mines--The Victims--Adventures of a Night on San Francisco Bay--Voyage in a Launch--My Companion Higgins--Resolutions of the Passengers--The Bay of San Pablo--The Straits of Carquinez--Benicia--The Bay of Suisun--The Sacramento--Beautiful Scenery--Montezuma--Monte Diablo--Camp on Shore--Hala-chum-muck--Firing the Woods--Schwartz’s Rancho--A “manifest destiny” Man--Involuntary Baptism--Sacramento City--The Embarcadero, 25

CHAPTER II.

Arrival of our Party--The Mountaineer--A “prospecting” Expedition--The Start--California Skies in November--A Drenching--Go-ahead Higgins--“Camp Beautiful”--John the Irishman--The Indian’s Grave--A “rock” Speech--The Return--Herd of Antelope--Johnson’s Rancho--Acorn Gathering--Indian Squaws--Novel Costume--The Rancheria--Pule-u-le--A Bear Fight, 35

CHAPTER III.

Yuba River--A Clean Shirt an Expensive Luxury--Yankee Pedler--The Upper and Lower Diggings--Foster’s Bar--The Gold-Rocker--Gold-Digging and Gold-Washing--Return to the Embarcadero--Captain John A. Sutter--Curious Currency--Sutter’s Fort--Sam Brannan and Co.--Washing Clothes--Salmon Shooting--Green Springs--Weaver’s Creek--A Teamster’s Bill, 49

CHAPTER IV.

Our Log Cabin--Pi-pita-tua--Increase of our Party--The Dry Diggings of Weaver’s Creek--The “Pockets” and “Nests”--Theory of the Gold Region--My First Day’s Labour in the _Placers_--Extravagant Reports from the Middle Fork--Start for Culoma--Approach of the Rainy Season--The “Devil’s Punch-Bowl,” 59

CHAPTER V.

Sutter’s Mill--Discovery of the Placers--Marshall and Bennett--Great Excitement--Desertion of the _Pueblos_, and general Rush for the Mines--Gold-Mine Prices--Descent into a _Cañon_--Banks of the Middle Fork--Pan Washing--Good Luck--Our Camp--Terrific Rain Storm--Sudden Rise of the River, 67

CHAPTER VI.

Mormon Exploration of the Middle Fork--Headquarters of the Gold-hunters--The North Fork--Smith’s Bar--Damming--Great Luck of a Frenchman and his Son--Kelsey’s Bar--Rise and Fall of the Rivers--Return to Weaver’s Creek--Agricultural Prospects--Culoma Sawmill--An Extensive and Expensive Breakfast--“Prospecting” on the South Fork--Winter Quarters--Snow-storm--A Robbery--Summary Justice--Garcia, Bissi, and Manuel--Lynch Law--Trial for attempt to Murder--Execution of the Accused--Fine Weather--How the Gold became distributed--Volcanic Craters, 77

CHAPTER VII.

Monotonous Life at Weaver’s Creek--Dry Diggings Uncertain--Discovery of a Rich Ravine--Great Results of One Day’s Labour--Invasion of my Ravine--Weber and Dalor--The Indian Mode of Trading--A Mystery--Settlement of Weaverville--Price of Gold-dust in the Winter of 1848--Gambling--Cost of Provisions--Opening of the Spring--Big Bar--Attack of the Land Scurvy--Symptoms and Treatment--Lucky Discovery--Progress of Culoma--Arrival of the First Steamer--Broadway Dandies wielding Pick and Shovel--Indian Outrages--Capture and Execution of Redskins, 89

CHAPTER VIII.

Extent and Richness of the Gold Region of Upper California--Are the “Gold-washings” inexhaustible?--A Home for the Starving Millions of Europe and the Labouring Men of America--Suicidal Policy of our Military Governors--Union of Capital, Labour, and Skill--A Word to Capitalists--Joint-stock Companies--The Gold-bearing Quartz of the Sierra--Experience of Hon. G. W. Wright--Extraordinary Results of pulverizing Quartz Rock--The Gold Mines of Georgia--Steam Engines and Stamping Machines--Growth of Sacramento and San Francisco, 103

CHAPTER IX.

The Mexican System of Government--Establishment of the Legislative Assembly of San Francisco--Seizure of the Town Records--Address of the Assembly recommending the Formation of a State Government--Interference of Brevet Brigadier-General Riley--Public Meeting--Organization of the State Convention--The Constitution--The Elections, 113

CHAPTER X.

Growth of San Francisco--Number of Houses erected--Prices of Real Estate--Rents--Wages of Mechanics and Labourers--Gambling--Prices Current--Climate--Churches--Steamboats--Statistics of Shipping, &c., &c., &c., 121

CHAPTER XI.

Weber--Sullivan--Stockton--Hudson--Georgetown--Sam Riper--The Slate Range--The “Biggest Lump” yet found in California, 125

CHAPTER XII.

Recapitulation--Population of the Mining Region--Average Amount of Gold Dug--Requirements of a Gold-Digger--The Best Season--In what kind of Soil is Gold Found?--Washing Machines--California a Habitable Country--The Learned Professions, 131

CHAPTER XIII.

The Old Towns of California, 139

CHAPTER XIV.

The New Towns of California, 149

CHAPTER XV.

Lower California, 159