SOCIETY. 41 



49,310 in 1870, and of these, 22,760 were in the mining 

 counties, including San Diego, Kern, Yuba, and San Bernardi- 

 no, in which mining occupies only a small part of the inhabit- 

 ants. San Francisco has 12,030 ; Sacramento, 3,596 ; Nevada, 

 2,627 ; Placer, 2,410; Yuba, 2,337 ; Butte, 2,082 ; and other 

 counties smaller numbers. The census reports so far published, 

 do not classify the Chinese according to their occupations ; but 

 by my estimate, 18,000 of them are miners, 8,000 are agri- 

 culturists, and 22,000 are manufacturers, fishermen, domestic 

 servants, merchants, washmen, etc. In the class of miners are 

 included the builders and menders of roads. 



Most of our Chinese came from Southern China, and be- 

 long to large companies, each of which represents the district 

 from which its members came, and has a large building in 

 San Francisco, where they lodge and feed all the members of 

 their company when they arrive from China, or when they 

 eome on a visit from the interior. The companies are benevo- 

 lent associations, and take care of their indigent and sick. 

 There are few Chinese beggars in the streets, and few Chinese 

 patients in the public hospitals. The common laborers are 

 brought to the State under contract to work for several years 

 at a low rate of wages (from four to eight dollars) per month ; 

 and they usually keep these contracts faithfully. The employ- 

 ers in these cases are either the companies, or associations of 

 Chinese capitalists. The merchants are considered to be very 

 faithful to their promises, and in San Francisco they can get 

 credit among their acquaintances quite as readily as other men 

 in similar branches of business. In the mines, the Chinamen 

 work in the poorest class of diggings. They own no ditches, 

 large flumes, hydraulic claims, or tunnel claims. The white 

 miners have a violent antipathy to them, will not permit them 

 to work in many districts, and will often drive them from their 

 best claims in the districts where they are permitted to work. 

 Sometimes the Celestials venture to dam a stream, but not 

 often. They use the rocker more than any other class of miners. 



