148 EI.DORADO 



ing and as a year had nearly elapsed since leaving my 

 home in Illinois, I decided to again visit Sacramento 

 City in anticipation of hearing from home and friends 

 and to remain in the valley for a time with the view of 

 improving my health. As no other means of reaching 

 or returning from the mining camps existed except 

 by pack train I was compelled to make the distance 

 (fifty miles) again on foot. After descending to the 

 valley of the Consumnes river which was reached on 

 the first day, I remained over night at the hotel and 

 ranch of "Billy" Wilson on the bank of that stream — 

 a beautiful spot surrounded by large spreading live 

 oaks, with quite an area under cultivation, the prod- 

 ucts being barley, corn and vegetables, and also a 

 garden of many varieties of flowers. The hotel was 

 a two-story wooden structure, conveniently arranged 

 and comfortably furnished, with office, sitting room, 

 dining and bed rooms. It was the nearest approach to 

 civilization and home life I had met with since leaving 

 the frontier of Iowa. The fortunate and enterprising 

 proprietor had made a fortune at mining near Hang- 

 town in '49, and, purchasing a portion of a Mexican 

 grant, was now enjoying the delights of a home with 

 an intelligent family, consisting of wife, sons and 

 daughters. It was one of the beauty spots of all that 

 section. • I greatly appreciated my stay with such 

 pleasant surroundings and left the following day with 

 reluctance. 



From the time of leaving the foothills the view to 

 westward of rolling plains and rich valley lands along 

 the river, with an occasional isolated spreading live 

 oak, or a cluster of "these beautiful trees, formed a 

 most charming picture. Bands of antelope would he 



