204 Audubon's Western Journal 



out in winter, and burnt up in summer ! However, 

 when the excitement of the gold fever ceases, as 

 it must, California will find its level with the other 

 states, and many a hastily made fortune will be as 

 rapidly lost. 



I am leaving for the North Fork of the Stanis- 

 laus, twenty-five miles, to make one more effort to 

 keep the company together and to pay of]f our 

 indebtedness to the stockholders, but I fear my 

 efforts will be useless. 



Murphy's Diggings. Sunday ^ February 10. 

 Everything seems against us — weather and season, 

 water and rain, interrupt us in all our attempts at 

 work, and ill-luck seems to follow us. After fruit- 

 less labor at the Chinese Diggings I came here, 

 where the diggings are said to be very rich, but 

 where we have to wait for the waters to subside, 

 perhaps two months, and I have not the means to 

 keep the men for that length of time, even if the 

 date of their contract did not expire before then. 



These diggings are said to be the richest in the 

 southern mining district and here I came to make 

 my last effort for the good of my men; for myself 

 my home is awaiting me, and ample means to pay 

 off all the indebtedness I have personally incurred; 

 many times a day I thank God I never asked one 

 man to join the venture, though I feel strongly 

 that some, notably Clement, Walsh, Boden, poor 

 fellow, my cousin Howard Bakewell, and a few 



