136 ELDORADO 



wingdam in the river for the purpose of turning its 

 waters, hoping to strike it rich ni tlie natural channel 

 The fact tnat only a small volume of water was flowing 

 at that season of the year made the operation easy. Our 

 anticipations were not realized, however, only a small 

 amount of gold being obtained. We continued pros- 

 pecting down the stream until "Mormon island" and 

 "Nigger hiU" were reached, near where the town of 

 Foisom now is. 



Returning to Placerville, I decided to go to Sacra- 

 mento to learn if any letters had reached there from 

 home. Accordingly, leaving my mining tools, I shoul- 

 dered my blankets, starting on foot for the "city,"' 

 reaching it the loilowmg clay i found it a busy "burg ' 

 of two or three thousand inhabitants. The buildings 

 were mainly of canvas or other light material and very 

 much scattered. As it was not steamer day when I ar- 

 rived, I had but little difficulty in obtaining my mail 

 and was rejoiced to learn that all were well and anxious 

 for my return. 



Previous to the acquisition of California by the Unit- 

 ed States in 1848, there was not a postoffice in the ter- 

 ritory. The official documents to and from Mexico, as 

 well as the correspondence of the missionaries, were 

 taken by special carriers, and as there were no newspa- 

 pers published or circulated in the country, there was 

 but little need of postal facilities. The few foreigners 

 in the country would send or receive an occasional let- 

 ter by some trader or whaleship touching on the coast. 

 As soon as the United States asserted authority over 

 the territory the newspaper press commenced opera- 

 tions and postoffices were established in the country ; 

 but at this early day and for many years subsequent all 



