ii8 ELDORADO 



place for catching suckers that I have ever seen.) As 

 we were uncertain whether our company was in the 

 rear or in advance of us, Mr. Moody decided to remain 

 at Ragtown for a few days, still hoping to join them, 

 and more especially as he could secure a "job" as "sec- 

 ond cook" in making beef soup and biscuit. 



By economy and small purchases I had managed to 

 preserve a portion of my provisions, which I left with 

 Moody in the event of the "boys" putting in an appear- 

 ance, reserving a small portion to last me over the 

 mountains. I only remained a couple of hours at Rag- 

 town, when I pushed on to the river where better feed 

 and water could be obtained. Here I camped alone 

 for the night. T gave my comrade my vest and an ex- 

 tra pair of socks I had "hung onto," as a parting gift, 

 as he had neither, and my coat would do me very well 

 without a vest. 



My next and last meeting place with Moody, was in 

 January, 1853, at "Dave Hammer's tavern," in Maren- 

 go, 111., where we took dinner together. He had made 

 his "pile" in the mines, returned to his old home in 

 Vermont, where he purchased a fine farm, married and 

 settled down. He wore eye-glasses, sported a gold 

 watch, wore a nugget ring and a fine suit of clothes, 

 getting all he wanted to eat and plenty of water to 

 drink. 



Carson river and valley, where I made my camp after 

 crossing the 45-mile desert, were for many years before 

 the discovery of gold and the advent of civilizing influ- 

 ences along with white settlers, the paradise of hunters 

 and trappers. The river abounded in nmskrat and 

 beaver, the pelts of which found ready market at old 

 Fort Hall and other trading posts of the Hudson Bay 



