Diary of H. W. Rigler in 1847 and 1848, With Notes [pp. 233-245]

1887.] Diary ojfl~ W B:~er in 1847 and 1848. 243
anced son~e of it with silver and when we years, the rent to be a supply of shirts,
put the scales in water the gold went down knives, handkerchiefs, meat, flour, and peas;
and the silver"- here he gesticulated, raising and Sutter having brought such things with
one hand and lowering the other - "and him, paid the first year's rent at that visit.
that told the story. It`5 the pure stuff. "He
told us that Sutter would arrive in a few Feb. 21St. - Weather cloudy and cool.
days to see for himself. I harrowed in three acres of peas for Mar Several days after this conversation Mar- shall. Wild flowers of many hues abundant.
shall came to our shanty and told us that Feb. 22d. -Snowed in the night, and
Sutter had arrived and was at the other the ground is white with snow. This
house, and he added: "Now boys, we morning I started out to hunt for ducks,
all have a little gold and I move that we but soon changed my notion, and made my
all give some of it to Henry [myself~ so way to my gold mine, wading the creek,
that when he goes in the morning to shut which was cold and deep. After crossing,
off the water, he can sprinkle it on the I found my feet were extremely cold, so I
bedrock where the old gentleman will tried to strike a fire, but my hands were so
find it when I take him down to the benumbed I could not hold the flint and
race~ and he will get so excited that he will steel. I tried to catch fire from my gun,
treat us all round out of the bottle he al- but my powder had got wet and I could not
ways carries with him." This suggestion set her off. I was then obliged to dance
was agreed to with a hearty laugh. The and jump about, and while doing so could
gold was contributed and put in the race see the yellow pieces lying on the rocks.
before breakfast, and while we were still at Finally I got warm, and when I returned to
the table in our shanty we saw the captain, our castle in the evening I had $22.50.
a well dressed old gentleman, hobbling along
with a cane between Marshall and Weimer. [~\?~M by 11. TV B., 1887: -
We went out; he shook hands with us all; When I got home the boys wanted to
spoke to all affably, and invited us to go know where my game was, and why I was
with him prospecting. Just after he had out so late. They evidently suspected
given us this invitation, one of Weimer 5 something, and I worried them for a while
little boys came running as fast as he could, with evasive replies, and finally called for
and getting into the tail-race, ahead of us, the scales and said we would weigh the
picked up nearly every particle and then game. We had made a pair of scales with
came to meet us, and exclaimed, holding wood and string, using a silver dollar for an
out his open hand, with perhaps three ounce weight, and a half dollar for half an
ounces of gold, "See what I`ve got." Not ounce. Gold was estimated to be worth
one of us ventured to tell how the boy $i6 an ounce. When the scales were
came to find so much. When Sutter saw ready, I pulled out one corner of my shirtwhat the boy had, he struck the ground tail with a knot in it. This, when untied,
with his cane emphatically, saying, "By yielded my yellow game, which was weighed
Jove, it is rich!" We then went into the by Stevens and declared to be worth
race where the captain had the pleasure of $22.50. This was the first gold they had
picking up some particles that the boy had seen coming from any place outside of the
overlooked. Sutter and Marshall soon after- mill-race, and my success in mining filled
wards called the Coloma Indians together them with astonishment and pleasure.
and made an agreement with them to lease a They were so happy that they repeatedly
tract ten or twelve miles square for three burst out into loud roars of laughter, and I