"L SEEING THE ELEPHANT." 61 was conversing with the woman, one of the men went into the back room to change his linen, i. e., he stepped behind the tree. They were all enjoying good health and appeared happy. I am disposed to think their house will be a poor protection during the rainy season; but for a summer-house, one could not well conceive of one better ventilated. The next morning the flood-tide swept us into the channel, and at ten, we made fast to the bank at Sacramento city. This is at the junction of the American river with the Sacramento, 150 miles from San Francisco. Here, all was confusion and dust, each generating the other. This is the point from which the first move is made, by land, for the mines, and every man was on the run; mule-teams were moving in every direction, some loading, others preparing to load, each surrounded by a halo of dust which rendered mules and driver invisible. We were just in time to find one tree unoccupied, consequently settled down and commenced "keeping house." We designed to remain in town until the next morning. (See Plate.) This is my own tent. At this time, there were about one hundred houses and tents in town; but it seemed that every man landed with a house, and put it up the same day. Our brig had no less than thirteen on board, finished even to the glazing. Goods of every description were piled up on the river-bank, awaiting the carman. The owners were, in many instances, obliged to erect temporary shelters and sell them on the ground. I met several persons who had been in the mines and seen the "Elephant." Among others, a fellow passenger on the "Niantic." He had been in the country two weeks, and in the mines half an hour. He had just returned, and was traveling through town trying to sell his utensils, preparatory to returning to the States. He was completely decorated with his wares, and looked like a country kitchen in disorder. He had a pair of grained boots and a smoked ham in one hand, a piece of perforated sheet-iron, a coffee-pot and frying-pan in the other, a pair of long India Rubber boots, with pants attached, thrown over one shoulder, and a pair of blankets under the arm. Over the other shoulder, was a long-handled shovel, from which was suspended a camp-kettle, containing a pepper-box, a pair of mining shoes, a piece of smoked beef, a Spanish grammar, several sea-biscuit, a pick-axe without a handle, and one pound each of sugar, coffee and bar-soap. All the above were offered at cost "to close the concern." Every thing here was on the highest key. The town was only two months old, and lots were commanding New York prices. I was advised to embark in trade; but my heart was in the high-land, and the next morning at nine o'clock, we were moving for the interior, a party of a dozen having hired a six mule-team. 1 Chapter Twelve. SUTTER'S FORT-A HERD OF CATTLE" LASSOING "-RIO DE LOS AMERICANOS A DIS- We drove out a mile, to the margin of an extensive plain, where we stopped at a well, filled our flasks, and moved on, a gentleman who had a friend in the hospital at the fort, and myself, going in advance of the team. The fort at the time of its construction, was an extensive work, but now it is all in ruins excepting the inner inclosure, in which are situated the dwelling, hospital and out-houses. (See Plate). It is constructed of adobes, or unburned brick, prepared and laid up by Indian labor; and I will here remark, that the Indians on the ranchos in California, are considered as stock, and are sold with it as cattle, and the purchaser has the right to work them on the rancho, or take them into the mines. They are extremely squalid in appearance, and in the most abject servitude. I have never found the natives, anywhere, in a condition so degraded. We found the sick man in a very feeble state, having been in the hospital six weeks with dysentery, which he had contracted in the mines; and at this time there was but little hope of his recovery. The fort is situated in the midst of an extensive plain, three miles from Sacramento city, and the same distance from the ferry and ford of the American river, (Rio Del Americano). It is said the proprietor, in one season, harvested nearly two thousand acres of wheat. At some distance back of the fort we saw grazing one of those immense herds of cattle for which California has been celebrated, (see Plate,) estimated at from two to three thousand head. Before the gold was discovered hides and tallow were the only articles of export, and cattle were raised and slaughtered for these articles alone. They run |