IN THE .MINING DISTRICT 343 



not verified. Rotkrock and his company had such poor 

 success that he was compelled to discharge all his hired 

 men, I being one of them. I regretted to have to leave 

 these good people, to whom I had really become at- 

 tached during the time I remained with them; and 

 there being no prospect of finding work again in the near 

 future, and— considering the enormous prices charged 

 for provisions— and that there was no chance for me to 

 make a living by working alone, I packed my bundle and 

 started back again on my way to Long Bar. I must say 

 I disliked to do so. Of late several men had been robbed 

 and killed on the road; but there was no alternative for 

 me, and so I started. On account of the insecurity of the 

 road, I thought it best to make forced inarches, and so I 

 reached Long Bar towards evening on the third day. 



There was something oppressive in the aspect of Long 

 Bar, it looked deserted, quiet almost as a graveyard. The 

 few people I met on the street looked like wandering 

 corpses; they were barely able to drag themselves for- 

 ward. On the bar itself it was only here and there, at 

 long intervals, that one saw a man at work, who had so 

 far escaped fever and dysentery. 



I would have preferred to leave again at once, but 

 would it have helped me any? and whither should I have 

 gone:— there was nothing left for me, but to go to work 

 and take my chances. 



I have previously explained to you what sort of work 

 I am doing here. We had already purchased the neces- 

 sary machinery, pumps, etc., when sickness began to take 

 down our men one after another; and within a few days 

 we were compelled to stop work altogether. I kept up 

 to the last. But during the hot days of this month, I too 

 was taken down with fever. It is true, I had only one 

 chill; but that has reduced me to such a degree, that up 

 to this day I have been unable to do even the slightest 

 work. I am yet very weak, but I will go to work to-mor- 

 row, so as to make some money; my purse is getting to 

 be very slender. 



There you see now:— such is life in California;— con- 



