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son, who said they had come to search for gold. Marshall received them graciously enough, and gave them permission to mine in the tail-race. Accordingly, next morning they all went there, and soon Hudson picked up a piece weighing six dollars. Thus encouraged they continued their labors with fair success till the 2d of March, when they felt obliged to return to the flour-mill; for to all except Martin, their informant, they had intimated that their trip to

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the saw-mill was merely to pay a visit, and to shoot deer. Willis and Hudson followed the stream to continue the search for gold, and Fiefield, accompanied by Bigler, pursued the easier route by the road. meeting at the flour-mill, Hudson expressed disgust at being able to show only a few fine particles, not more than half a dollar in value, which he and his companion had found at a bar opposite a little island, about half-way down the river. Nevertheless the disease worked its way into the blood of other Mor

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mon boys, and Ephraim Green and Ira Willis, brother of Sidney Willis, urged the prospectors to return, that together they might examine the place which had shown indications of gold. It was with difficulty that they prevailed upon them to do so. Willis and Hudson, however, finally consented; and the so lately slighted spot presently became famous as the rich Mormon Diggings, the island, Mormon Island, taking its name from these battalion boys who had first found gold there.

It is told elsewhere how the Mormons came to California, some in the ship Brooklyn, and some as a battalion by way of Santa Fé, and how they went hence to the Great Salt Lake, part of them, however, remaining permanently or for a time nearer the seaboard. I will only notice here, amidst the scenes now every day becoming more and more absorbing, bringing to the front the strongest passions in man's nature, how at the call of what they deemed duty these devotees of their religion unhesitatingly laid down their wealth-winning implements, turned their back on what all the world was just then making ready with hot haste and mustered strength to grasp at and struggle for, and marched through new toils and dangers to meet their exiled brethren in the desert.

It will be remembered that some of the emigrants by the Brooklyn had remained at San Francisco, some at New Helvetia, while others had settled on the Stanislaus River and elsewhere. A large detachment of the late Mormon battalion, disbanded at Los Angeles, was on its way to Great Salt Lake, when, arriving at Sutter's Fort, the men stopped to work a while, no less to add a little to their slender store of clothing and provisions than to await a better season for the perilous journey across the mountains. It was while thus employed that gold had been discovered. And now, refreshed and better fitted, as spring approached their minds once more turned toward the original pur

HIST. CAL., VOL. VI. 4

pose. They had promised Sutter to stand by him and finish the saw-mill; this they did, starting it running on the 11th of March. Henry Bigler was still there.

On the 7th of April Bigler, Stephens, and Brown presented themselves at the fort to settle accounts with Sutter, and discuss preliminaries for their journey with their comrades. The 1st of June was fixed upon for the start. Sutter was to be informed of their intention, that he might provide other workmen. Horses, cattle, and seeds were to be bought from him; also two brass cannon. Three of their number had to precede to pioneer a route; eight men were ready to start as an overland express to the States, as the loved land east of the Mississippi was then called. It was not, however, until about a month later that the Mormons could move, for the constantly increasing gold excitement disarranged their plans and drew from their numbers.

In the mean time the thrifty saints determined to improve the opportunity, that they might carry to their desert rest as much of the world's currency as possible. On the 11th of April, Bigler, Brown, and Stephens set out on their return to Coloma, camping fifteen miles above the flouring mill, on a creek. In the morning they began to search for gold and found ten dollars' worth. Knowing that others of their fraternity were at work in that vicinity, they followed the stream upward and came upon them at Mormon Island, where seven had taken out that day $250.8 No little encouragement was added by this hitherto unparalleled yield, due greatly to an improvement in method by washing the dust-speckled earth in Indian baskets and bowls, and thus sifting out also finer particles. Under an agreement to divide the product of

8 The seven men were Sidney Willis and Wilford Hudson, who had first found gold there, Ira Willis, Jesse B. Martin, Ephraim Green, Israel Evans, and James Sly. In regard to the names of the last two Bigler is not positive. Diary of a Mormon, MS., 76. See also Mendocino Democrat, Feb. 1, 1872; Hittell's Mining, 14; Sherman's Mem., i. 51; Gold Dis., Account by a Mormon, in Hayes' Cal. Mining, iii. 8; Oregon Bulletin, Jan. 12, 1872; Antioch Ledger, Feb. 3, 1872; Findla's Stat., MS., 6; Ross' Stat., MS., 14.

EXODUS OF THE SAINTS. "

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their labor with Sutter and Marshall, who furnished tools and provisions, Bigler and his associates mined for two months, one mile below the saw-mill." They stopped in the midst of their success, however, and tearing themselves away from the fascination, they started on June 17th in search of a suitable rendezvous, where all the saints might congregate prior to beginning their last pilgrimage across the mountains. They found such a spot the next day, near where Placerville now stands, calling it Pleasant Valley. Parties arrived one after another, some driving loose horses into a prepared timber corral, others swelling the camp with wagons, cattle, and effects; and so the gathering continued till the 3d of July, when a general move was made. As the As the wagons rolled up along the divide between the American River and the Cosumnes on the national 4th, their cannon thundered independence before the high Sierra. It was a strange sight, exiles for their faith thus delighting to honor the power that had driven them as outcasts into the wilderness.

The party consisted of forty-five men and one woman, the wife of William Coory. It was by almost incredible toil that these brave men cut the way for their wagons, lifted them up the stony ascents, and let them down the steep declivities. Every step added to the danger, as heralded by the death of the three pioneers, Daniel Browett, Ezra H. Allen, and Henderson Cox, who were found killed by the Indians of the Sierra. And undaunted, though sorrowful, and filled with many a foreboding, the survivors descended the eastern slope and wended their way through the thirsty desert; and there we must leave them and return to our gold-diggers.

Having an understanding with Mr Marshall to dig on shares...so long as we worked on his claims or land.' Bigler, Diary of a Mormon, MS., 75. A Mormon writing in the Times and Transcript says: "They undertook to make us give them half the gold we got for the privilege of digging on their land. This was afterward reduced to one third, and in a few weeks was given up altogether.' Mrs Wimmer states that Sutter and Marshall claimed thirty per cent of the gold found on their grant; Brannan for a time secured

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CHAPTER IV.

PROXIMATE EFFECT OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

MARCH-AUGUST, 1848.

THE PEOPLE SCEPTICAL AT FIRST-ATTITUDE OF THE PRESS-THE COUNTRY CONVERTED BY A SIGHT OF THE METAL-THE EPIDEMIC AT SAN FRANCISCO-AT SAN José, MONTEREY, AND DOWN THE COAST-THE EXODUS -DESERTION OF SOLDIERS AND SAILORS-ABANDONMENT OF BUSINESS, OF FARMS, And of All KINDS OF POSITIONS AND PROPERTY.

As when some carcass, hidden in sequestered nook, draws from every near and distant point myriads of discordant vultures, so drew these little flakes of gold the voracious sons of men. The strongest human appetite was aroused-the sum of appetites-this yellow dirt embodying the means for gratifying love, hate, lust, and domination. This little scratch upon the earth to make a backwoods mill-race touched the cerebral nerve that quickened humanity, and sent a thrill throughout the system. It tingled in the ear and at the finger-ends; it buzzed about the brain and tickled in the stomach; it warmed the blood and swelled the heart; new fires were kindled on the hearth-stones, new castles builded in the air. If Satan from Diablo's peak had sounded the knell of time; if a heavenly angel from the Sierra's height had heralded the millennial day; if the blessed Christ himself had risen from that ditch and proclaimed to all mankind amnesty-their greedy hearts had never half so thrilled.

The effect of the gold discovery could not be long confined to the narrow limits of Sutter's domain. The

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