278 ELDORADO 



America, the same route T liad traveled in 1852, ])aying 

 for our tickets three liundred dollars each ; nine hun- 

 dred dollar's in all. Returnino; with us to "the States" 

 was a lad, Robert L. Hutchinson, twehe years of a,G:e, 

 having- the full consent of his mother, a widow with 

 five boys, whose father was killed by the Indians in 

 1848 while prospectinq- for oold. He \\as a brig-ht. 

 studious youth who had lieen in my em])Ioy a couple 

 of vears, caring- iov stock. He was unwilling to be 

 left behind. Four vears later, while attending- an 

 acarleniv, he was one of the first to respond when 

 "Father Aliraham" called for 75,000 trooi:)S and served 

 four -N'ears and four months. He was in nearly all the 

 great battles in the west, under Thomas, and with 

 Sherman from Atlanta to .-Vppomatox. He was a g-ood 

 soldier, was promoted, saved his money, took a coni- 

 mercial course after his discharge, was em])loyed for 

 a: time with a Salt Lake freighting firm at Tn(le])end- 

 ence, Missouri ; retm-ned to California, and is, at this 

 time an honored and successful business nran. with a 

 good wife, a native son and daug-htcr of the Golden 

 West, both educated and cultured. Tn all these years 

 I have never known him to taste intoxicating- liquors, 

 utter an oath, use tc^tbacco in any form or tell a lie. 

 \Voul(l that all young- men could establish 3 like record. 

 The arrival and departure of the steamer in those 

 (lavs was a notable event in the life of the ])ioneer and 

 "stranger in a strange land." The meeting- and part- 

 ing- of friends, the "good-bye" and "God bless you," 

 the waving- of "bandannas" and hats, as the steamer's 

 great wheels began to revol\-e, the watching fi-ou"' 

 wharves and steamer deck until the out-going- vessel 

 was lost to view in the Golden Gate, are well remenv 



