222 MULE-HUNTING EXPEDITION. 



in every detail ; does all the pumping, and cleans 

 the knives. 



Adjoining the dining-room is a well-selected 

 library, general reading-room, and museum, con- 

 taining a capital collection of stuffed birds, and 

 other useful objects of Natural History. The rate 

 each miner pays is five dollars, equal to 1L per 

 week: this includes eating and drinking. The 

 house is strictly a temperance one, no fermented 

 liquor being allowed within it. 



Wandering about San Francisco would be much 

 more enjoyable, if the hills were less steep, and the 

 wind, which is everlastingly blowing, freighted 

 with fine sand, that finds its way into your very 

 watchcase, could be stilled. 



March \\th. Steaming across the bay in a 

 white steamer called the ' Eclipse,' propelled by 

 the largest paddlewheels I ever saw. We are 

 en route to Sacramento, which we reach late at 

 night. 



March l'2th. Strolled about. Hardly believe 

 so vast a place can have grown up in ten years. 

 I think I like it better than San Francisco. The 

 streets running east and west are marked by 

 numbers 1st street, 2nd street, and so on ; those 

 having a north and south bearing by letter, as- 

 A street, B street, &c. Received a telegram 

 from the Commissioner, who had just reached 



