ELDORADO 271 



from curiosity to examine what was written and found 

 the following: "I will give $5000 more. (Signed) : 

 Joaquin Murrieta." Men mounted in "hot haste" and 

 started in pursuit, hut no trace of the rohher could be 

 found. 



In the fall of 1853 Joaquin, with three of his band, 

 appeared in my neighborhood one morning, having 

 several stolen horses in their possession. Riding to a 

 stopping place kept by one Clark in the foothills, 

 where "refreshments could be had for man and beast," 

 on what was known as the Shingle Springs and Hang- 

 town road, they dismounted and called for breakfast. 

 While at their meal a party arrived from whom the 

 horses were stolen the previous night. They rushed 

 in, thinking to take the robbers unawares, but the lat- 

 ter were on their guard and shots were exchanged. 

 One of the bandits was killed, the others escaped, and 

 mounting their horses rode rapidly into the mountains, 

 leaving the stolen animals and the horse, with an ele- 

 gant silver mounted saddle, bridle and pistols which 

 belonged to the dead bandit. Upon their leaving the 

 eating house a brother of the proprietor was encoun- 

 tered and shot dead. A company, of which I was 

 one, was soon formed to pursue the robbers, but after 

 two days constant riding the search was abandoned. 

 Only once did we discover any trace, and that in a 

 secluded and partially abandoned mining camp, which 

 was surrounded by timber and a dense growth of 

 chaparral. 



Subsequently Joaquin and three of his men. includ- 

 ing "Three-fingered Jack," a most daring and despe- 

 rate criminal, were captured by Sheriff Love of San 

 Francisco while they were attempting to make their 



