CONTENTS vii 



PAGE 



Ground. — Grass Valley at Last.' — A Deserted Tavern. — Our Log 

 House on Nelson Creek. — Up Hill and Down Hill. — A Family 

 Memorial Day. — Animal Life in the Mountains. — Actual Work. — 

 Independence Bar. — The Transformation. — Prices of Eatables 204 



LETTER IX 



Inclemency of Weather in the Mining Districts and Its Effects. — 

 Various Experiences. — Game. — American River-steamers. — Trip to 

 Sacramento. — The Capital. — Back to San Francisco. — Wonderful 

 Improvements. — The Wharves and the Daily Happenings. — A Re- 

 markable Incident, Showing the Superiority of American Ship- 

 building. — Cholera Cases. — Something More About the Indians. — 

 Resolutions. — Diary Notes. — Struggles for the Daily Bread. — Ex- 

 pressman No. 107. — Hotel Waiter 258 



LETTER X 



The First Alameda Boom in 1853. — A Typical Western Real Estate 

 Deal of Early Days. — Philanthropist Chipman. — An Honest 

 Man. — Superiority of the American Press. — Americans Ahead. — 

 San Francisco's Upbuilding. — Great Shipping Facilities. — Troud 

 of America. — Ups and Downs. — Strange Things Happen. — Success 

 for the Worker Assured. — Current Coins in 1853. — Godcfroy's 

 Secret. — Baron von Schroedcr's Gulden. — Tit for Tat 279 



LETTER XI 



Christmas in Childhood Days. — Dreams. — Etoubleau Sells Out. — The 

 Journeyman Painter. — Diary Notes. — Sylvester Dreams. — Mexican 

 Settlers. — Missions. — Medieval Architecture. — Watsonville. — A 

 Berlin Dragon. — Shipwreck. — A Narrow Escape. — Cape Bonita, 

 a Dangerous Rock. — Help 293 



LETTER XII 



Meditations. — A Treat. — An Orange Speculation. — German-American 

 Press. — Diary Notes : Trip to San Pedro. — The "City of Angels." — 

 Distasteful Employment. — Assaulted for Righteous Opposition. — 

 The Carriage Painter. — Debts Paid. — Flagman. — Compass-man. — 

 Assistant Deputy County Surveyor. — Desert Survey. — Catalina 

 Island in 1856. — San Pedro. — Anaheim, a Settlement of Stock- 

 holders. — Wilmington. — Clerkship. — Politics. — The Quarrel. — Lion- 

 ized in Los Angeles. — Appointed Deputy County Clerk. — The Ex- 

 plosion of the S. S. "Ada Hancock." — Horrors at Wilmington. — 

 Local Coal Oil Wells Discovered in 1865. — Back to San Fran- 

 cisco. — At Wertheimer's. — A Friend's Transition. — Friendly Turns. 

 — Off for Europe. — Farewell Parade at Los Angeles 303 



