The Fowler Brother's Journal
In 1851 two brothers from Long Island settled on the Rancho Bodega. Stephen Fowler, a carpenter and brother James, were intent on raising potatoes.
They had met Colonel Lucien Hanks, the new owner of the Smith Bodega sawmill in San Francisco. Hanks lured them to Bodega with the tale that Bodega is good country for raising potatoes and large crops are raised.
The Fowlers were journal writers. This portion of their journal starts with their leaving Long Island. They continued to keep their journal well after they arrived in Bodega. It gives us a comprehensive taste of their lives. A home the Fowlers built is still in use in Valley Ford.
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[Several pages are missing from the journal]
Saturday, Oct. 6th. Today I have disposed of the remainder of our stuff. I was lucky to get clear of it. I have been overhauling our chests and airing our clothes. It is the first one they [clothes] have had since leaving New York.
Sunday, Oct 7th. Today we have dressed up. I went to Church this morning. This afternoon I have been to see a young man that come out in the Ship with us. He is sick up in town. He has been to the mines and has returned with the Bilious Fever. James has been out to the Mission of Dolores. He went through the Cathedral and saw, while at the Mission, a bull fight, a horse race etc. Today I had quite a long chat with Mr. Phineas Hudson. He formerly resided in Sag Harbor. There is quite a great deal of sickness here now. There is scarcely a day passes without one or more persons being found dead in the town or valleys. The most of them are supposed to have died by excessive drinking of spirituous liquors.
Monday, Oct 8th. This has been a very gloomy day. There has been a very thick fog and the sun has scarcely shown itself. James went up and got his tools this morning but did not get his money.
Tuesday, Oct. 9th. This has been the most unpleasant day that we have had while in the country. The early part of the day it rained and the walking was very bad until evening. James got his money tonight and tomorrow we go.
Wednesday, Oct 10th. Yesterday was disagreeable but today it has been awful. It has been raining nearly all day and sometimes very hard. Many persons have had to leave their tents. Some of them were surrounded by water. Had it of not rained, we should probably have been on our way to Sacramento City. The Steamer arrived today but brought no mail. A young man who come out in the Brooklyn by the name of Palmer, a jeweler by trade, is here sick and out of funds. I gave him $5. There is but few persons here but what are disgusted with the country. I have different views from what I had when I first arrived. A person can enjoy himself in the States in one month better than he can here in a year. Many goods have been destroyed today. In some of the stores they have had to bail out the water.
Saturday, Oct. 6th. Today I have disposed of the remainder of our stuff. I was lucky to get clear of it. I have been overhauling our chests and airing our clothes. It is the first one they [clothes] have had since leaving New York.
Sunday, Oct 7th. Today we have dressed up. I went to Church this morning. This afternoon I have been to see a young man that come out in the Ship with us. He is sick up in town. He has been to the mines and has returned with the Bilious Fever. James has been out to the Mission of Dolores. He went through the Cathedral and saw, while at the Mission, a bull fight, a horse race etc. Today I had quite a long chat with Mr. Phineas Hudson. He formerly resided in Sag Harbor. There is quite a great deal of sickness here now. There is scarcely a day passes without one or more persons being found dead in the town or valleys. The most of them are supposed to have died by excessive drinking of spirituous liquors.
Monday, Oct 8th. This has been a very gloomy day. There has been a very thick fog and the sun has scarcely shown itself. James went up and got his tools this morning but did not get his money.
Tuesday, Oct. 9th. This has been the most unpleasant day that we have had while in the country. The early part of the day it rained and the walking was very bad until evening. James got his money tonight and tomorrow we go.
Wednesday, Oct 10th. Yesterday was disagreeable but today it has been awful. It has been raining nearly all day and sometimes very hard. Many persons have had to leave their tents. Some of them were surrounded by water. Had it of not rained, we should probably have been on our way to Sacramento City. The Steamer arrived today but brought no mail. A young man who come out in the Brooklyn by the name of Palmer, a jeweler by trade, is here sick and out of funds. I gave him $5. There is but few persons here but what are disgusted with the country. I have different views from what I had when I first arrived. A person can enjoy himself in the States in one month better than he can here in a year. Many goods have been destroyed today. In some of the stores they have had to bail out the water.
From San Francisco to Sacramento
Thursday, Oct. 11th, 1849. Today we have been looking for a vessel but could not find one that would sail today. The reason there is none going today is owing to the rain of yesterday.
Friday, Oct. 12th. Today we have put $600 out at an interest of five percent per month. Messrs. Bleeker, Vandyke and Belden have it. I also left Wadleigh’s bill of $93.50 with them to collect. This afternoon I saw and conversed with Mr. David L. Gardiner of East Hampton. We have paid our passage of $12 each on the Schooner John Dunlap bound to Sacramento City. We get our things on board tonight.
Saturday, Oct. 13th. This morning we get under way but make but little progress through the day and tonight come to anchor in Pablo Bay. We take with us Joseph Weede. He come out in the Ship Brooklyn and has no money. He is not capable of taking care of himself and is lazy but with a sharp master he may do something. He is to give us one-third of all he makes.
Sunday, Oct. 14th. This morning we get under way and shortly after arrive at Benicia where a boat goes onshore a few moments. We then proceed up Sousouin (sic) Bay where we have come to anchor again on account of headwinds. We are but a short distance from what is called New York on the Pacific. There are several ships lying there. There is but four buildings in the place. When we left San Francisco, we were in hopes we would get clear of fleas but we still have fleas and what is worse we have to sleep on deck and have a large number of very large mosquitoes to contend with.
On board the Ship there was many that would sing “I am bound for the Sacramento with my wash bowl on my knee,” but we know nothing of that. Though all go up with hopes of success, it seems to be but a lottery. The reasons for our going up are the following. First, we could not expect steady employment in San Francisco and even if we had, perhaps in the rainy season we could not work more than half of the time. Second, if we remained there, as the days are getting short, we would have to board in town and when it commenced raining we would have to lodge there. Third, if we do not go to the mines now, we never will be able to in a better season than the present.
Monday, Oct. 15th. This morning we went on shore at New York. I there met Thomas Ripley of Sag Harbor. He had been sick and is still unwell with the scurvy. The company is separated. He is tending store or keeping bar. A person by the name of Haines from Bridgeport is to be buried this morning. Near noon we get under way with the wind light but the tide in our favor. By night we come to anchor in the Sacramento River.
Tuesday, Oct. 16th. Today we have made but little progress. We have no wind and can only run when the tide is in our favor and we have to tow at the same time.
Wednesday, Oct. 17th. This is a long passage though not so very tedious as the scenery is new to us. When we cannot run we take the boat and pull onshore and take a walk among the trees and bushes. There is plenty of fish in the river but we have taken but few. There is also a large number of geese and ducks but they are wild as they have been shot at so much.
Thursday, Oct. 18th. We make but little progress on our voyage. Today we have been onshore and got as many grapes as we wished. They are similar to our frost grapes.
Friday, Oct. 19th. Today we have caught quite a number of fish. They are, I believe, what are called Salmon Trout. We have had the first meal of fresh fish in this country tonight. This afternoon a steam scow came down after us and towed us up to the City where we arrive at 12 o’clock at night.
Sacramento City
Saturday, Oct 20th. We are in another of the California cities. It is very warm here and there is no wind. If there was as much wind here as there is in San Francisco there would be a great deal of dust as the whole place is nothing but a bed of it. I think the climate is more healthy here than it is at San Francisco. I have not been well for a number of days past. I am getting sick of the country. It is far different from what it was represented to be. On the banks of the river there is pleasant places but we have given up the idea of squatting as most who live there are sick.
Sunday, Oct. 21st. Today I met a Mr. Josepps. I was introduced to him in New York. He was then preparing for California. He is now going back by the next steamer. He has had the scurvy and had to leave the mines for that reason and now is leaving the country both sick in body and of the country. A person who come out in the Brooklyn is also returning home by the next steamer. He is sick. He was attacked with the scurvy after he arrived in the mines.
Monday, Oct 22nd. This morning James and two of our acquaintances went a gunning. They brought back a hare, three meadowlarks and a high hole. They dressed them while I went and bought two lbs. of potatoes for which I paid 90 cts. We made a sort of stew or soup. It consisted of the game, potatoes and drop dumplins and was the best dinner we have had since we left the States. In this place we have to pay 50 cts. for a loaf of bread which we could get at home for one shilling. Today I met Wadleigh in the street and shortly after he paid me. I almost counted it as lost.
Tuesday, Oct. 23rd. Today we have done but little though we have got most of our things ready for the mines. We will leave two chests here on board of some vessel, thinking they will be safer than on shore.
After a long hike east from Sacramento through land that is “not worth a cent as weeds will hardly grow,” the Fowlers stop in Dry Creek, begin building a cabin and prospecting for gold. The job of transporting possessions and supplies, felling trees and building a log cabin, “the best one there is on the creek,” completes this chapter. Great observations of fellow 49ers, careful recording of expenses and descriptions of construction methods fascinate. A beautiful Fall in the Sierras.
Wednesday, Oct. 24th, 1849. Today we put our chests on board of the Barque Croton to remain until we return at $2 each per month. This afternoon we struck for the mines. We travel about 5 miles and encamp under some trees on the banks of the American River or American Fork as it is generally called. We spread our tent on the ground and make our bed in it using part of it as a covering. For our suppers we eat a little cold pork and hard bread, drinking cold water.
Thursday, Oct. 25th. This morning we start soon after sunrise. We travel about 22 miles and at night encamp on the banks of the Cosumnes River. Today we crossed a plain from ten to fifteen miles in width. The land is not worth a cent as weeds will hardly grow. Tonight our supper is the same as last night with the exception of a little cheese. We traveled all day without seeing water and all our eatables were packed up in the wagon and we eat none until we halted for the night.
Friday, Oct 26th. This morning we got under way at 7 o’clock. Our road today has been more pleasant. The most part of it has been through open woodland. After traveling 16 miles we come to water which we were all in want of. There was a log cabin there and we bought a dried apple pie for which we paid $1. About sundown we arrived at Dry Creek which is 4 miles from Willow Springs, the last place we got water. We have just had a sight of the diggings and the way they operate. Tonight we sleep the same as the past two. The last day’s travel has made me very stiff and sore. We have walked the whole distance.
Saturday, Oct 27th. This morning I paid the teamster $44 for bringing up 447 lbs. of stuff and now we must dig and get it back if we can. We will not be able to do much here until it rains. We can get only water enough to drink and cook with. At Sacramento we wrote a letter which we expect will go by the next Steamer. We have our tent pitched in quite a pleasant place and have been prospecting some this afternoon and have got some few small grains of gold.
Sunday, Oct 28th. Today we try to live rather better than the few past days though we have but two meals. For breakfast we made a short cake and baked it in a frying pan before the fire. We also had fried pork and hot coffee. For dinner we had bean porridge. We have no table and seats are rather scarce but as soon as we can we will endeavor to make our quarters more comfortable. I was led into scratching for gold today though it is not our intention to work on Sunday. The way of it was this; I was walking a short distance from our tent up a ravine and I saw two Indians and a squaw digging and scratching with knives. I saw them pick up several particles and I thought I could do the same. I tried it and in about two hours picked up about 75 cts. with my knife. I was then satisfied that I could find it if it was there.
Monday, Oct 29th. Today James has been digging with a Chillanian [sic], They understand mining very well. I have been engaged all day in working out the butt of a pine tree for a rocker. We did not bring up our rocker but sold it at a sacrifice in San Francisco. We were told that all kind of mining tools could be bought at the mines for almost nothing from persons leaving but in this place it is not the case. The climate of this place is fine. It is about the same as June at Home. We are troubled for water. We have to go from a half to one mile and then sometimes we have to strain it and if we are taken sick, I shall think the bad water the great cause.
Tuesday, Oct. 30th. Today I have finished our rocker. I had to dig it out with our axe and to smooth it. I burnt the inside and then scraped it out. For to make the box and apron I had to take in pieces our mess chest. The sheet iron for the screen I brought with me. James and Weede (the one that is working for us) got about half an ounce today.
Wednesday, Oct 31st. Today I have been engaged in camp making benches, one for a table and one to set on. I cut down an oak tree and split it and then hewed it off as well as I could with a narrow axe. I then bored holes and drove in the legs and finally had that which answers for a table. I served the bench the same. I have also set in stakes and slung our hammocks and have got leaves on the ground in the tent and have also split some logs and laid them in the tent to keep our flour and bread and clothes off the ground and it now looks more like living. Last night and today it has been raining some but we have all been busy. The boys took the rocker this afternoon and it works well. They first dig a spell and then carry the dirt to the washer. They made $12 or $13 today as near as we can judge.
Thursday, Nov. 1st. Today we have all been mining and laboring under the want of water and other disadvantages. We made our ounce. Last night a new Alcalde [mayor] was elected. It was the first time that I ever put a vote in a ballot box.
[Several pages are missing from the journal]
Sunday, Nov. 11th. Today I have been busy in washing our dishes, dish cloth, towels and other things and have made bread and baked it in the frying pan and have had some fresh meat, the first we have had since we have been here. For the meat I paid 25 cts. per lb. And it was off the neck at that.
Monday, Nov. 12th. I have been engaged in the greater part of the day in splitting out roofing and with the timber we have, it is hard work. Had I of thought our cabin would have been so tedious I think I would have endeavored to have wintered in the tent. I begin to feel rather uneasy about James though the rain is probably the cause of his not being back.
Tuesday, Nov. 13th. Today it has rained again the greater part of the day. This afternoon I was foolish enough to go and dig and get wet through and only made about $1.50 though I was out only about one hour.
Wednesday, Nov. 14th. We have had one shower today otherwise it has been quite pleasant. I do not know what detains James. I fear he is sick. I have been rather unwell today though I have worked all of the time, except when it rained.
Thursday, Nov. 15th. It has been cloudy today but the rain kept off and we have our cabin ready for roofing as soon as we can get the nails. It is now a good time to be mining as there is water in the ravine and some are doing quite well and I am very anxious to be doing the same though after our cabin is finished. I suppose we could get $150 or $200 for it though that money could not buy it, if James returns and we are well, until we have occupied it three or four months.
Friday, Nov. 16th. Today we have finished putting on the roof of our house but have used up all our roofing stuff. The man that went down to Sacramento with James has returned and as soon as he hove in sight I asked him where my brother was and he said he was dead. It gave me quite a shock that I was some time getting over after I found out that that was not the case. He was partly intoxicated was the reason of his telling me so. James stopped with the team and will probably get here tomorrow.
Saturday, Nov. 17th. I have been engaged this day in building the fireplace in my cabin. There was a death close by us today. It was of an old sea captain by the name of Osborn of Salem, Mass. He was upwards of 70 years of age and was worth considerable property. He was sun-struck and had been hoping to get better and calculated to winter here if so and work in the mines but is now no more.
Sunday, Nov. 18th. This morning I started Weede to relieve James and he got here just before night leaving Weede to come with the team. James had a hard time. The roads were in a terrible condition and he had to cross a creek (that was dry when we come up). They fell a tree and floated across the load and then swam the oxen over of which there was four yoke and had a load of only a little over a ton. For hauling we pay $18 the hundred lbs. Provisions are very high. Flour is $50 the barrel, pork $60, bread $18 the lb., and most other things in proportion. A very great change takes place in a very short time in this part of the world. A short time since provisions could be bought such as those above mentioned nearly as cheap as at Home, but now how different.
Monday, Nov. 19th. It has stormed the greater part of the day. The team arrived this forenoon. Some of our provision was wet. We have been engaged in taking care of it and we have done some work on the cabin. I paid $107.50 for hauling our provision here. It weighed 597 lbs. I done it reluctantly but we must eat, cost what it will.
Tuesday, Nov. 20th. Today we have been busily engaged at work on the cabin. I bought boards that were split out of pine. They were four foot long and averaged five inches in width. For them I paid $14 a hundred. I had 200 of them. The fellows in the other cabin are dissatisfied with their roof and are going to get boards the same as those on my house.
I will then have half of what they take off for shelves and other uses that I wish to make of them. Last evening I bought a hindquarter of venison for which I paid $7. It weighed 23 lbs. He guessed at the weight and called it 20 lbs. and wanted 40 cts. the lb. I offered him $7 for it and got it. This afternoon I sold the ham of it which weighed 10 lbs. for $8.50 worth of gold dust. I sold it to an Indian. I offered it to him (that is the whole of it) for $9. He thought that was too much but offered me the above amount in dust for the ham though I did not know how much it weighed but knew that it would pay well. A person could make money very fast trading with them if he had fancy clothing, beads, cheap trinkets, liquor etc. The last of which they seem to be very fond of.
Wednesday, Nov. 21st. It has rained nearly all day but we have finished the cabin and all that have spoke about it to me say that it is the best one there is on the creek. We will not occupy it until the mud gets dry. We mudded it both on the in and outsides.
Thursday, Nov. 22nd, 1849. The boys have been mining today and I have been engaged about the cabin in making a table and putting up berths and other small jobs. I will endeavor to have all right before I commence mining again. This is called Dry Creek but the name is not applicable now as there is more water than is wanted.
Friday, Nov. 23rd. I have been at work about the cabin in making three-legged stools and stretching our hammocks for sagging bottoms to our beds and moving the greater part of our things. Tonight we expect to sleep in the cabin. We have it nearly to our liking. The boys have been at work mining though not very successfully.
Saturday, Nov. 24th. I have been employed about the cabin in putting up shelves, moving the remainder of our things etc. The cabin is now complete and also the fixtures and there is nothing about here that equals it. Persons say, “why you can live here as well as at home.” There is no mistake but that we have home things comfortable and convenient for this part of the world. The boys have done quite well today. They have got about two ounces between them. James picked up one lump that is worth over $4.
Sunday, Nov. 25th. If I should succeed in making a fortune in this country I may at some future time get a wife if I am not too old and ugly. What will probably follow may be guessed. For their information and all who would be pleased to see us pleasantly and conveniently situated I will give a description of our log cabin. (Am I not in the above looking a good way into the future?) The cabin is 10 ft. by 12 ft. on the inside. The walls are 6 ft. high. The peak of the roof is 8 ft. high. The door is in the end fronting to the northwest with the roof extending 2 ft. over the front. On one side of the door there is a space of 5 ft. where we have our beds. They are 6 ft. long and 3 ft. wide and are placed one above the other leaving a space of 2 ft. between. On the other side of the door we bored one-inch holes and drove in long pins which we hang our salt meat on. We also set our molasses keg behind the door. The fireplace, which is said to be the best one about here, is in the rear and in the center. Over that we have a shelf. On the left hand side about 6 ft. high there is another 3 ft. long shelf where we put soap, candles and other things. On the other side we have three shelves for dishes, bottles, vials, canisters and other small things. The bottom shelf is wider than the others and under that we keep our flour. On each side of the fireplace we have pins drove in, one for the hand towel, the other for the dishtowel and a nail for the dishcloth. Over the fireplace we hang our looking glass. On the northeast side of the house, level with the upper berth, we have a shelf from the berth to the end of the house. On that we set our rice, cheese, demijohn of molasses, tea, matches etc. Under that we have a bench where we keep our water pail and our meat. Under that we keep our kettles and over it and between the shelf we hang the frying pan. Between the end of the bench and the berths we hang our oilcloth suits and set our bread and beans. On the other side of the house, 4 ft. from the rear end, we have a hole for a window 15 inches square. To close that we have a shutter which we hang with pieces of hide and fasten it with a leather strap. In the center we have a table 3 ft. long by 2 ft. wide. Towards the front we have pins driven in to hang clothes on. Towards the rear we have a shelf 6 ft. up. It goes to the end of the house. There we keep coffee, sugar etc. Over the door, close up to the roof, we have a wide long shelf where we keep things that we do not use very often. All of our shelves are put on pins. I have a little shelf between the door and my berth to keep a candle and matches that I may see my watch to know what time to get up. The door is hung with the hinges of the old mess chest and the hasp, staples and lock from it we use to fasten the door. We have four three-legged stools which are our seats. On the post for our berths we have pins drove in to hang our coats on and at the head we have hooks to hang our guns on. We have a broom made out of pine boughs which we keep behind the door. And, to cap it all, we have the end of a hollow log close to the fireplace where we keep our pipes. Monday Nov. 26th. Today we have all been mining but have not been very successful. Tonight I bought a fore quarter of ??. [Some missing pages and text]
Friday, Nov. 30th. This morning we left the hole that we have been at work in and have started in a short distance below on the same ravine. We have been at work on a small bar and have made about four ounces as near as we can judge. Saturday, Dec. 1st. This has been quite a pleasant day and we have worked hard but have not been very successful. The bar where we worked yesterday and today is worked out and we now have to look for another place.
Sunday, Dec. 2nd. Today James has been baking cherry pies and bread. We dried and blowed out our last week’s work today. The way we do it is this; we put the gold in a pan and dry it over the fire. We then pour it out on white paper and blow out the black sand. We made $223.50 the last week. Our week’s work weighed 50cts. less than 14 ounces.
Monday Dec. 3rd. Today we have done but little as we had no place to work where we thought we could do well. We have prospected but do not know where to go now any better than this morning. This will not answer. We must strike somewhere if we make but $5 a day.
Tuesday, Dec. 4th. We have been at work in the place where we worked the greater part of last week. I have been at work looking for a better place this afternoon but I think we will work in the old place as long as we can get two ounces per day and I very much fear that we will not do much here as there is so many come here since we have and they are still coming as it is a very good place to winter.
Wednesday, Dec. 5th. Today we have done nothing. That to me is discouraging and I have offered to sell the cabin, provisions and all of our cooking utensils, bedding etc. for $700 but if we can find a place where we can make it pay tolerably well I would rather stay as it is more pleasant and healthy than any place that I know of here.
Thursday, Dec. 6th. We have all been prospecting today and have not made enough to pay our board. I have now had about enough of such work and will strike somewhere if it pays but little.
Friday, Dec. 7th. Today we have worked four of five rods from our house and have made about two ounces. As long as we can make $8 to $10 we will prospect no more. I had rather work than prospect any time. I still offer what we have here for $700. We have had, the last few nights, heavy frost and it has frozen still water a quarter of an inch. Working in the water early in the morning as we have to do is rather disagreeable.
Saturday, Dec. 8th. This has been a very pleasant day though it was cold this morning. We have worked all day and for little pay but if we can do as well or average as much every day until the middle of March we will probably do as well taking the stormy weather and the time looking for work etc. as if we were in San Francisco. If we had remained in San Francisco until the middle of March next and had been tolerably successful, we would have had $2000, but I would rather winter here and take care of our health even if we do not make quite as much. We think health is far more preferable than wealth.
Sunday, Dec. 9th. Today I have been baking bread and a dried cherry molasses cake. If we cannot live as they do at home we will endeavor to imitate as far as we can. We had a cherry pudding for dinner which was not bad. Our week work amounted to $18 but if we have pleasant weather this week we will get as much more of it as possible.
Monday, Dec 10th. Nothing new or very interesting takes place here. If we do well we are pleased and contented but in the evenings we then wish we were in San Francisco. Perhaps if we were, we would not do as well but there is no way to find out what we could do there without one of us going down and that would cost $75 without counting the loss of time. We will stop here as long as we can do tolerably well.
Tuesday, Dec. 11th. Today we have done better than any day in some time. We have had to bail out our hole very often and have had to work in the water more or less all day.
Wednesday, Dec. 12th. This has been the most stormy day that we have seen in this country. James has been washing and baking and I have been mending. I half sole our boots with a piece of rawhide and have been engaged in doing other small jobs.
Thursday, Dec. 13th. The storm still continues. We are very sorry to see it as we think every day we lay idle it is $25 out of our pockets. We endeavor to keep busy part of the time as we feel better when we are occupied about something than when idle. This morning I made a funnel, a fire shovel and lengthened out the handle of our frying pan. We had an old gold washer that was made out of tin that we made those things of. Part of it was a pipe that we used for a frying pan handle. We slipped it on and then drove a wedge in which will make it better than tying on a stick. It has cost us since we left San Francisco $36 for our passage to Sacramento City, $5 perhaps while there, $44 to get our things here and when James went down after provisions $127, and then I paid $107.50 for hauling and we have paid out about $45 since we have been here which amounts to $364.50, which we have got back since we have finished the house and if we can get $1000 between this and the middle of March I will be tolerable well satisfied. That, I think we can easily do, if we have our health and not too much stormy weather.
Friday, Dec. 14th. Again, it has stormed part of the day. When it did not we were at work though it did not amount to much. Before the rain we were at work in the bed of the ravine or creek but now there is so much water we are compelled to work elsewhere.
Saturday, Dec. 15th, 1849. It has been quite a pleasant day though it was cold this morning. Today we have made but little. We now have to look for another place where it will pay. We have not worked much in water today but have worked where it wanted some strength to raise our feet as they were at times completely covered with mud.
Sunday Dec. 16th. I have blowed out and weighed the past week’s work and it only amounted to $87 which is rather slim business. We have now $464 in dust which we have got here and the greater part we have taken out the past three weeks. I made some weights for weighing gold one day last week and now we have scales by just stepping into our neighbors. On one side of our cabin there is a hut occupied by Portuguese and on the other side one cabin has just been completed which is occupied by four young men, all good fellows. Two of them were fellow passengers with us from New York.
Monday, Dec. 17th. Today it has stormed again the greater part of the time but we have taken out from $12 to $15. We have given a man that is going down to San Francisco $8 to get what letters there may be for us. Four of it is to pay him for his trouble and the balance to pay postage and if there is a remainder it is to be returned.
Tuesday, Dec. 18th. This has been a very pleasant day. We have worked over ground enough but have had poor success. This afternoon we turned the water and have been at work in the old bed but did not wash enough to know what it will pay. I have had no offer for my cabin and provisions but if I can get one that will nearly cover the cost I will let them go. When we are doing no better than we are at present I wish we were somewhere working at our trades but when it pays quite well I am satisfied where we are.
Wednesday, Dec. 19th. This afternoon the rain drove us from our work and this evening it is raining and the wind is blowing terribly. The wind at times blows at great force. Through the valleys there is some living in tents and in such storms as this and in cold and unpleasant weather I pity them.
Thursday, Dec. 20th. This has been a stormy day and we have done nothing. It makes me feel out of patience when I see so many at work around us that come here after we did. They have certainly as much rights here as we have but if none had come after we did, we would have done tolerable well. We can count between 25 and 30 cabins and tents from our house. When we come here there was about 10.
Friday, Dec. 21st. Today it has rained most of the time. When it did not we got some wood together. Tonight I got my boots half-soled and paid $4 for it. The currency is gold dust and it is very unhandy change.
Saturday, Dec. 22nd. This has been a beautiful and summer like day. We have been at work in the old bed of the creek and have taken out 2 ounces. We find that working in the bed when we can do so pays better than anywhere else. I hear that things in San Francisco are as I expected they would be. It is said here that there is a great many there and some are working for their board.
Sunday, Dec. 23rd. It has been warm and pleasant today but still we can not enjoy the comfort of a pleasant Sabbath. If it does not rain for a few days we will be pleased as we can then work in the bed where we had to leave on account of the water. Our past weeks work amounted to just $100.
Monday, Dec. 24th. This has been quite a pleasant day and we have worked very hard and have done quite well. We have been called the most industrious men on the creek. When we are doing tolerable well there is but few if any that does more work than we do.
Tuesday, Dec. 25th. Here we are in California passing the Holidays. This has not been a very merry Christmas to us but a more profitable one than we ever had before. We have worked very hard and have taken out over $40. I hope that my friends at home have had a merry Christmas and also a profitable one. We had but a poor dinner. It was boiled rice. We would like to have been at home to partake of the dinner that we suppose they will partake of if all are well but here our fare is hard but still we are content if we are doing well.
Wednesday, Dec. 26th. This morning we built a dam on the creek and have been at work near where we were before the last rain and have done well. We took out $59, that is, it weighed that wet with the black sand. We suppose there is 55 or 56 dollars. The sand that we blow out is such as is used after writing. The weather for the past few days has been warm and pleasant with the exception of fog morning and evenings. If we have no rain this week our prospects are fair for making the best week’s work in California as yet. We have to work in the water from morning to night but still we have good health and if it continues the same I think we will try mining in the spring, as the chances are that we will sooner make our pile (as a fortune is here called) at that than shoving the jack plane. [Some missing pages and text].
Saturday, Dec. 29th. We hear there has been quite a large fire in San Francisco and that carpenters are getting an ounce of gold per day. If I can find out for certain that is the case, and we do but little here, we will go down as hay must be made when the sun shines.
Sunday, Dec. 30th. The weather still continues good and we have rested today. This morning I borrowed two newspapers, one a New Orleans paper and the other the New York Herald of the 16th of October. In them we read what was good news to us such as the disappearance of the cholera from New York and general prosperity of the country etc., etc. Our last week’s work which was a very hard one, amounted to $265.75. In this vicinity we do not expect to do the like again.
Monday, Dec. 31st. This morning I bought 12 lbs. of fresh beef for which I paid $6. For salt pork they ask 75 cents per lb. We hear of places not far distant where there are persons doing remarkably well. A small company has gone 18 or 20 miles distant and when they return if they report the place rich we may go there. I saw a piece of gold and quartz that was worth $74. It was picked up today as was another piece that was worth four ounces. Pieces such as those are not common in this place. We have not found a piece worth five dollars as yet.
Tuesday, Jan. 1st 1850. This has been rather an unpleasant day for the commencement of the New Year. The greater parts of the day it has rained though towards night it cleared up. We have this day passed very differently from what we did the first day of the past year. We were then in New York making calls, were among friends but now we are many thousands of miles from there and among strangers. We are living in a log cabin and I have been engaged in mending shirts and a pair of old pantaloons while James was washing dishes, cooking dinner, mixing bread etc. To look back, the past year seems to have been a long one. During that time we have passed through many scenes, some trials, hardships and privations. On the sea we were for a long time confined and had we arrived here in the time we expected to have done when we sailed, we probably would have been $2000 better off than we now are though it is hard to tell what two months difference at that time would have made. We are thankful however that we have had our health and have been able to do as well as we have. Up to this time we have been able to clear $1500 and over besides having a comfortable house and provisions.
Wednesday, Jan 2nd. Today it has rained part of the time and we have done but little. The boys have sunk two or three holes but found nothing. I cut down a tree for firewood and that has been the amount of our day’s work. Thursday, Jan. 3rd. The greater part of this day has been pleasant but we did not work until this afternoon. There is now so much water where we worked the latter part of last week that we were obliged to strike elsewhere.
Friday, Jan. 4th. Last evening we mentioned to a person boarding nearby that we would sell out. This morning they formed a party of six (Weede being one of the number) and have bought us out. They paid us $500 in dust and if the weather is pleasant we will start in the morning for Sacramento City. This morning we commenced work and soon after it commenced raining. Our hole run out and they wished to see our cabin and household furniture and we soon made a bargain and quit mining. The reasons for selling out are several. First, the diggings about here are getting scarce. Second, if we had stayed here a short time longer we could not have sold the cabin. Third, we hear there is work enough and good wages in San Francisco and we hope to better ourselves by the change. We leave here with over $1300 and if we are fortunate we will have near $2000 in all when we arrive in San Francisco. We are anxious to get away so that we may see the person that has gone after letters. We would not miss getting them for quite a sum.
Return From the Mines
Saturday, Jan. 5th. This morning it rained and we did not leave until near noon. We then put out though it still continued to rain a little. We crossed the creek on a tree and then walked to the Willow Springs where we thought we would put up if it rained hard. The rain had nearly ceased and we went on and put up at an Arkansan’s cabin about 7 miles further on. We arrived an hour before sundown. We then made a short stay and considered whether to go on or not. I was quite lame. I was somewhat so before I started and the roads being very muddy and having to wade brooks and my boots hurting my feet, I was not sure of continuing. [Some text missing]
When we come in, the river was not up to the top of our boots but now it is 6 or 8 rods wide and 15ft. deep. After we crossed the river we went in the house, took seats by the fire and dried ourselves as well as we could. It was 8 o’clock when we got there and shortly after they (that is those that were there before us) spread their blankets on the ground (which was the floor) and then went to rest. I sat by the fire longer than the rest and when I went to lay down I found I had to lay next to the door. I laid on one blanket and had one over me. The wind come in under the door. One half of my clothes was wet. The floor was very uneven and I was so lame I could hardly turn over but still it was pleasanter than sleeping without shelter.
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