IN THE MINING DISTRICT 239 



dently been a tavern in its better days; there was yet the 

 bar, an immense number of empty bottles, flour sacks, 

 sugar bowls, boxes of all sizes, etc. While we were thus 

 rummaging around, to see if we could find something 

 useful which we might appropriate I happened to stum- 

 ble upon a small keg. I lifted it up; it was rather heavy 

 and gave a gurgling sound. I smelled it; it had a pleas- 

 ant spirituous odor. Having advanced thus far in my 

 exploring expedition, I raised an alarm, and the others 

 came to my assistance. We tasted— first with the tip of a 

 finger, and then we became bold and absorbed a moderate 

 "snifter." Imagine our surprise when we found it 

 to be old cognac of the very best quality; just two gal- 

 lons of it! It made us a first rate punch which we en- 

 joyed after supper sitting around a big fire till late in the 

 evening. Thus ended my birthday, a great deal pleas- 

 anter than it had begun, and after I had wrapped myself 

 in my blankets, sleep came to me much sooner than usual. 

 I could easily understand that after the fatiguing trip. 



Early on the following morning we took down half of 

 our load and left it in the house in charge of one of our 

 company, and then started again on our journey. We 

 found the road in a far better condition than we had ex- 

 pected after our experience on the two previous days ; and 

 as our oxen had been thoroughly rested, we made the four 

 miles to the end of the valley in a little less than V/2 

 hours; the time passed quickly enough with me, because 

 this part of the valley offers so many fine, romantic views. 



We now began to ascend again, the first hills being 

 about 400 or 500 feet high, densely covered with brush- 

 wood, but showing few trees. We soon encountered snow 

 again, but since we had now less than half our former 

 load, we got stuck but 2 or 3 times, and if one of our 

 oxen broke through, as did happen now and then, the 

 others soon dragged him out again. Considering every- 

 thing, we made rather good time for the next two miles 

 on a bald ridge, which offered us some magnificent views 

 into the surrounding gulches and the snow crowned 

 mountains beyond. Then gradually our ascent began to 



