Tour of the Gold-fields 239 



more than a few miles; and we journeyed on, 

 wondering who would be^ at the mushroom town, 

 Coloma, renowned for being the place where gold 

 was first found by the whites. 



We were told that Captain Sutter had made a 

 large fortune by digging gold with many of the 

 Indians he had about him; how true the story is, 

 of course, I cannot say. 



[No date.] Starting early we had time enough 

 to reach Georgetown, and after the first few miles, 

 were pleased to see a most favorable change in the 

 forest we passed through. A better class of white 

 oaks appeared, and following up a beautiful little 

 creek we gradually came to a pine growth large 

 and magnificent; both yellow and white pine were 

 there, also the long coned pine, and many superb 

 cedars over a hundred feet high. In many places 

 these trees were felled, and split into laths and 

 joists so straight and fine that but little dressing 

 was requisite to fit them for the buildings here 

 constructed, frame houses one storey high. I saw 

 some maples, very like what we call "soft" maple, 

 an elm or two, and many specimens of Nuttall's 

 splendid dogwood in full bloom. 



The ultramarine jay is here by dozens, robins, 

 fly catchers, chats, finches by hundreds. I see daily 



1 The text is here slightly confused. Perhaps Audubon 

 wondered what would become of the "mushroom town" 

 through which he had just passed. 



