74 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



in places, sand predominating. The blue clay is 

 thought to be the richest by the diggers. The sides 

 of the ravine are so steep and irregular, that the miners 

 are troubled to find resting places of a night. The 

 gold taken out of this mine runs large ; the average 

 size of the lumps being that of a pea. Pieces have 

 been taken out of it that weighed above two pounds. 



Instances of robbery and murder have not been few in 

 the gold region, as might be conjectured from a know- 

 ledge of the motley character of the miners, and the 

 temptations offered to avaricious spirits. Yet, all 

 things considered, the number of instances will not 

 appear so very extraordinary. Lynch law, the only 

 resort of the wronged in pocket, or the friends of the 

 murdered, exercised its terrible power, and tended to 

 prevent the crimes that would, otherwise, have been 

 frequent. An instance of this summary justice we 

 here relate, to illustrate the means by which the miners 

 protected their lives and property. 



"A sailor, a deserter from the Ohio, took it into 

 his head, one night, to rob one of the volunteers, who 

 had set up a drinking store. He had already got two 

 bags, containing about five thousand dollars' worth of 

 gold ; but, not satisfied with them, grasped at a third, 

 half full of dollars in silver. The jingling of the coin 

 awoke the owner, who, springing up, gave the alarm, 

 and, after a hot pursuit, the thief was captured, and 

 bound to a tree until morning. At about nine, a jury 

 of twelve miners sat to consider the case, a volunteer 

 named Nutman officiating for Judge Lynch. Of 

 course, he was found guilty, and sentenced to be 

 hanged ; but, some opposition being raised to depriving 

 him of life, and a milder punishment suggested ; it was 

 finally determined that he should receive a hundred 



