Introduction 17 



River to Stockton. At San Francisco the company- 

 was reunited and from here started for a tour of 

 the southern mines. Finding that they were 

 already crowded and that the first fruits had been 

 gathered, Mr. Audubon turned with his friend 

 Layton to the northern mines. The two proceeded 

 to Sacramento and thence to Coloma and George- 

 town, where the journal suddenly stops. The trip 

 was probably interrupted at this point and Mr. 

 Audubon called back to San Francisco to make 

 preparations for his return home. 



Throughout the whole of this long journey Mr. 

 Audubon took notes of scenes and occurrences by 

 the way. In his descriptions he exhibits the keen 

 observation of the naturalist and the trained eye 

 of the artist. The result is a remarkable picture of 

 social conditions in Mexico, of birds and trees, of 

 sky and mountains and the changing face of nature, 

 of the barrenness of the desert and the difficulties 

 of the journey, of the ruined missions of California, 

 of methods of mining, and of the chaos of races 

 and babel of tongues in the gold fields. It was 

 manifestly impossible to keep a daily journal, and 

 the entries were made from time to time as oppor- 

 tunity occurred. Considering the circumstances 

 under which they were taken, the notes are remark- 

 able for their accuracy. It was Mr. Audubon's 

 intention to rewrite and to publish them in ten 

 parts. One part was printed privately and given 



