228 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



a spot covered with the softest and greenest grass, we 

 kindled a blazing fire, and soon had a large coffee pot 

 humming. Two frying pans were at once set agoing, and 

 so, while the bells of the cattle furnished the music, we 

 disposed of our plain miners' supper in even less time 

 than it had taken to prepare it. Then every one of us 

 pulled out his short clay pipe, and yarns were in order 

 until the fire getting smaller and feebler, finally sank 

 down in embers and ashes. One after another we spread 

 our blankets on the ground; each one placed his arms 

 alongside, and shoved a rock, a piece of wood or some 

 such thing under his head, so as to rest more comfort- 

 ably; the conversation at first lively, became by degrees 

 more and more dull, and the answers came faint and in 

 monosyllables, until at last the eyelids dropped and we 

 became silent. 



On the following morning when the first rays of the 

 rising sun lighted the tops of the trees in our valley our 

 breakfast was already disposed of, our oxen were yoked 

 up, and we started again upon our journey. The coun- 

 try through which we now passed had the same char- 

 acter as on the day before, only it showed less cultiva- 

 tion; the hills became steeper and steeper, so steep in 

 fact that our oxen often had hard work to pull the wagon 

 with its heavy load up to the summit, and in going down 

 again, we had to put the drag chain on both hind wheels. 

 Among the oaks we noticed more and more firs and pines, 

 and the foliage became at last so dense that only at rare 

 intervals could we get a good view of the surrounding 

 country. Towards noon we reached a beautiful large 

 valley, entirely open, with a Mexican ranch on it, the 

 ' 'Indiana Ranch," which, however, had not a very good 

 reputation. Here we rested ourselves for about an hour, 

 and then continued our journey. Just behind the "In- 

 diana Ranch" we passed a pleasant little mining camp, 

 Toll's New Diggings, and then began the ascent. That 

 was a pretty tough piece of work! From here the road 

 leads upward continuously and is very steep for about 3 

 miles; but not only that, the road is here also much less 



