66 HISTORY OP CALIFORNIA. 



with provisions, and occasional presents of articles of 

 trifling value to him, but highly esteemed by the 

 Indians. They were watched by an American over 

 seer, who was employed by him, to assist in the general 

 business, particularly in slaughtering; for, as beef 

 was scarce, he used to send his man in quest of cows 

 and oxen ; which he killed, cut up, salted and dried, 

 in his shed, and watching the most favorable moment 

 for the operation namely, when meat could not bo 

 procured at the ' diggins' never failed to realize his 

 own price for it. 



" Proceeding higher up the ravine, I observed a 

 large tent erected on the slope of a hill, within a few 

 yards of the bottom, where the gold is usually found. 

 It was surrounded by a trench, the clay from which, 

 as it was dug up, had apparently been thrown out 

 against the canvas, forming a kind of embankment, 

 rendering it at once water and weather-proof. I ven 

 tured into it, encountering on my way an immense 

 piece of raw beef, suspended from the ridge-pole. 

 Upon some stones in front, inclosing a small fire, stood 

 a frying-pan, filled with rich looking beef collops, 

 that set my mouth watering, and severely tested my 

 honesty ; for, although acorns are all very well in 

 their way, and serve to stay the cravings of the 

 stomach for awhile, I did not find my appetite any the 

 less sharp, notwithstanding the quantity I had eaten. 

 But I resisted the temptation, and penetrated further 

 into the tent. At one side of it lay a crow-bar, and 

 an old saddle that had seen rough service ; yet not a 

 soul appeared, and my eyes were again ogling the 

 collops, whilst an inward voice whispered how impru 

 dent it was to leave them frizzling there, when, all at 

 once, a little man, in a < hickory shirt,' with his face 



