48 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



four thousand men were working in the gold district, 

 of whom more than one-half were Indians ; and that 

 from $30,000 to §50,000 worth of gold, if not more, 

 •was daily obtained. The entire gold district, with 

 very few exceptions of grants made some years ago 

 by the Mexican authorities, is on land belonging to 

 the United States. It was a matter of serious reflec- 

 tion with me, how I could secure to the government 

 certain rents or fees for the privilege of procuring 

 this gold ; but upon considering the large extent of 

 country, the character of the people engaged, and the 

 small scattered force at my command, I resolved not 

 to interfere, but to permit all to work freely, unless 

 broils and crimes should call for interference. I was 

 surprised to hear that crime of any kind was very un- 

 frequent, and that no thefts or robberies had been 

 committed in the gold district. 



" All live in tents, in bush arbors, or in the open air ; 

 and men have frequently about their persons thousands 

 of dollars worth of this gold, and it was to me a mat- 

 ter of surprise that so peaceful and quiet state of 

 things should continue to exist. Conflicting claims to 

 particular spots of ground may cause collisions, but 

 they will be rare, as the extent of country is so great, 

 and the gold so abundant, that for the present there 

 is room enough for all. Still the government is entitled 

 to rents for this land, and immediate steps should be 

 devised to collect them, for the longer it is delayed 

 the more difficult it will become. One plan I would 

 suggest is, to send out from the United States survey- 

 ors with high salaries, bound to serve specified periods. 



" The discovery of these vast deposits of gold has 

 entirely changed the character of Upper California. 

 Its people, before engaged in cultivating their small 



