86 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



Thus life in the gold region is made up of variety* 

 and contrast. Sometimes the diggers and washers 

 pass weeks busily engaged at their toilsome occupation, 

 without the monotony of the time and scene being 

 disturbed. Again, adventures and exciting incidents 

 will be plentiful and various. At one time, pleasant 

 weather and fandangos offer easy enjoyment ; at 

 another, extremes of weather, hard work, and bad 

 food render the life of the miner almost intolerable. 

 Frequently, the gold-seeker chances to meet spots 

 that yield ample reward for his toil; and often he 

 works beneath the fierce rays of a broiling sun, while 

 his legs are in chilly water, and his day's toil scarce 

 yields more than enough to pay for his living. The 

 trading-posts, situated at and near the mines, do a far 

 more certain and an equally profitable business. They 

 are generally the establishments of shrewd, speculat- 

 ing Yankees, who know what sort of labor is requisite 

 to make a gold-seeker successful, and prefer to trust 

 to the profits of bargaining in provisions and mining 

 necessaries for gold. 



That the country is pregnant with an enormous 

 quantity of the precious metal is unquestionable. But 

 that severe and weakening labor, together with tough 

 constitutions, are indispensable requisites for pro- 

 curing it, scarcely admits of a doubt. Very few spend 

 any considerable time in working at the " diggings," 

 who do not suffer from exposure, and lose a portion 

 of their constitutional stability. So far, all attempts 

 at the construction of machines for washing the gold 

 from the sand, have been of little avail. Machines 

 have been invented and carried out to the gold region 

 by some of the numerous companies, which, upon 

 trial, have soon been abandoned for the "cradle," and 



