36 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



ing idle, impertinent visits in business places during business 

 hours ; but the word " bummer " implies a low, lazy character. 

 It is probably derived from the vulgar German words JBwn- 

 meln and Bummeler, which are about equivalent to " loafer " 

 and '" loaf." Its origin has been attributed to J3oehmen, the 

 German name of Bohemia, a nationality celebrated for the 

 number of its sharpers and adventurers. The Gipsies are 

 called Bohemiens in France, because of their roving lives and 

 worthless character. " Bummer " is generally supposed here 

 to be a Californianism. 



Summing ^ acting the bummer, used in such phrases as " he 

 is bumming around." 



Caballada, (ca bal yah' da) a herd of broken horses. 



Canada, (can yah' da) a small canon, a deep ravine, a nar- 

 row valley with steep sides. 



Canon, (can' yon) originally a tube, and hence applied to 

 mean a deep gorge with high, steep walls. Comparatively few 

 canons and caiiadas are to be found in that portion of the 

 United States east of the Mississippi, but they are abundant in 

 California. The Spaniards place the accent on the last syllable 

 of canon, (can yone') but in ordinary American usage the ac- 

 cent is on the first syllable. It is frequently spelt " canyon," 

 and " kanyon." 



Corral, (cor ral') a pen into which a herd of cattle or horses 

 is driven, when one is to be caught. 



To corral, to drive into a corral ; to drive a person into a 

 position from which he cannot escape. 



To coyote, a mining term, to dig a hole resembling the bur- 

 row of the coyote, or small Californian wolf. 



Claim, the tract of land claimed for mining purposes by a 

 man or party. There are various kinds of claims, such as 

 bank, bar, hill, tunnel, flat, etc. 



Color, a visible quantity of gold found in prospecting. If 

 the prospector finds one or more particles of gold in his search, 

 he savs he has found the color. 



