242 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



There are numerous wild, charming spots on this creek 

 above as well as below us, towards its mouth; it empties 

 into the northeast fork of the Feather River, about eight 

 miles from here. My time does not allow me to explore 

 these places, and so I have to be satisfied when chance 

 takes me to one of them. 



September 19th. 



Truly everything is going to pieces, and if an earth- 

 quake were to swallow up this whole country, I would 

 not care a cent about it! I cannot advance a single step 

 forward. At this moment I might as well say that I have 

 to begin anew again; my money is very nearly all gone; 

 what little I have left will certainly go, too; and I have 

 to commence again to work for the paltry few dollars I 

 need to pay for my board. But I want to get ahead, and 

 / will get ahead even if I have to begin anew again a 

 hundred times, and if I have to burrow through the big- 

 gest mountains of California. 



Now, let me tell you just how it all happened. Such 

 is life in California. 



When I arrived at Nelson Creek, I found Rothrock and 

 his four partners to be as honorable, pleasant men as any 

 one can wish for. It is true the work was very hard; at 

 times I thought I could not stand it any longer, or I 

 would succumb ; and I was at the point of throwing down 

 my tools and quitting; but shame kept me from doing so; 

 I strained every nerve, and when evening came I looked 

 with satisfaction on my day's work; and on the follow- 

 ing morning I would think "well, you stood it yesterday, 

 and so you will be able to stand it today, ' ' and so it went 

 on day after day. I said that the work was very hard; 

 but I cannot say that we were worked beyond our ability ; 

 and after I had got used to it and accustomed to the rare 

 air of this high altitude, which inconvenienced me very 

 much in the beginning, I must confess I liked it very 

 well up there. Besides this, my pay was sure and I was 

 in hopes that I would be able to stay with Rothrock until 

 the beginning of winter. As you are aware, this hope was 



