ELDORADO 145 



CHAPTER XVI. 



MINING EXPERIENCE. 



About the first of January, 1851, I met some friends 

 from Illinois, who had preceded me on the overland 

 trip, and it was agreed that we become mining part- 

 ners. At the same time we decided to leave that locality 

 and try our fortune in Amador county — which joins 

 Eldorado on the south — as we had heard favorable re- 

 ports from that section. Accordingly we shouldered 

 our "traps" and after a hard day's tramp over mount- 

 ain spurs, across brush and wooded canyons, fording 

 the upper Cosumnes river — better known as the "Ma- 

 cosma" — we arrived near nightfall at Drytown, a min- 

 ing camp on Dry Creek in the aforesaid county. The 

 inevitable saloon, gambling, and dance house, as in all 

 mining towns, were prominent features of the place. 

 The "shingle" of the man who neither used the "hoe," 

 shovel, or rocker, but reaped a rich harvest neverthe- 

 less, was in evidence as elsewhere, bearing the "leg- 

 end" "Si compra oro aqui" — gold dust bought here. 



We looked out a suitable camping place under the 

 friendly protection of a neighboring pine tree suf- 

 ficientlv distant from the disturbing revelry of the 

 "madding crowd," cooked our evening meal and 

 spread our blankets for the night's rest. Bright and 



