HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



63 



lowest part of the ravine, at a little distance from Don 

 Emanuel's party ; a steep rock which towered above 

 our heads affording us shelter, and a huge, flat stone 

 beneath our feet promising a fair substitute for a dry 

 bed. Here then we stretched our macheers and 

 blankets, and arranged our saddles and bags, so as to 

 make ourselves as comfortable and warm as possible, 

 although, in spite of our precautions and contrivances, 

 and of a tolerably good fire, our encampment was 

 bitterly cold, and we lay exposed to a heavy dew. 

 We had given up our horses into the charge of the 

 Indians, and I saw to their being safely placed in the 

 cavallardj whilst Halliday went to chop wood ; a task 

 I was too weak to perform. I cannot say we slept ; 

 we might more correctly be said to have had a long 

 and most uncomfortable doze, and when morning 

 broke, we were shivering with cold, and shook the 

 dew in a shower from our clothes. I consulted with 

 my companion, and urged upon him the prudence of 

 our setting to work to construct ourselves a sort of log 

 cabin ; otherwise I felt certain, from the experience 

 of the past night, our sojourn at the mines would be 

 likely to prove fatal to one or both of us. He was, 

 however, far too eager to try his fortune at digging 

 to listen to my proposal, at which he even smiled, 

 probably at the bare idea of weather, privation, or 

 toil, being able to affect his powerful frame. I saw 

 him presently depart up the ravine, shouldering a pick, 

 and glancing now and then at his knife, whilst I pro 

 ceeded in search of materials for constructing a tem 

 porary place of shelter. 



" As my strength was unequal to the task of felling 

 timber, I endeavored to procure four poles, intending 

 to sink them into the ground, and to stretch on the 



