212 Audubon's Western Journal 



(I should call them streams) which meet at the 

 lower end of the diggings. The larger one is 

 called the Cayote River, a branch of the north 

 fork of the Stanislaus, and the diggings are about 

 ten miles up if you follow the windings of the 

 creek, but by the road only five to the Stanislaus. 



The first year these diggings were worked many 

 large amounts of gold were dug here with little 

 labor; the second year required harder labor for 

 poorer results, and it is its early reputation that 

 keeps it up, though some holes are still paying 

 well ; I was told four, out of the fifty then being 

 worked. The largest amount taken in the time I 

 have been here, two days, was found by five 

 [Englishmen, two pounds and three ounces; others 

 are well content with an ounce a day and do not 

 give up their holes if much less than that is the 

 result of ten hours or more work. 



There are a few Indians near this place; poor, 

 miserable devils, dirty and half clothed, for they 

 have given up buckskin for Mexican blankets, their 

 faces begrimed with dirt and their whole appear- 

 ance one of neglect and filth. They dig a little 

 gold from time to time and leave a good share of 

 it with a French trader, Poillon by name. He 

 makes his trade pay by giving them presents in 

 the morning to secure their good-will, and a little 

 extra change at night, on his provisions. I saw 

 him selling the lowest part of a leg from the fore- 



