246 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



their earnings in gambling and drinking at night, 

 thej incautiously let out the secret, and it spread 

 among the whites. The latter, without scruple, took 

 possession of the ground, and set the Indians adrift. 

 An alcalde was elected, the ground staked off, and 

 allotted to the several claimants. This gulch, although 

 rifled of its richest treasures, afforded good digging 

 for a large number of persons, for some weeks, many 

 carrying away, when the water failed, a thousand 

 dollars and upwards, as the result of their labors. 

 The three discoverers of the gulch, took away with 

 them about forty pounds of gold to each man, all 

 scraped up in the short space of seven weeks. 



Imitation lumps of gold have been made and brought 

 into circulation in California. The State Assayer 

 states that above forty specimens have been brought 

 to his notice. They are generally in size from four 

 to five ounces to a pound in weight — quartz, and every 

 thing else necessary to make them look right, properly 

 intermixed. 



It has been definitely settled that gold does exist in 

 the vicinity of San Jose. Specimens have been taken 

 to San Francisco. 



Several artesian wells have been constructed at San 

 Francisco, since the second great fire, and it is thought 

 that others will soon add to the comfort and conve- 

 nience of the people of that city. The want of good 

 water for drinking purposes, has been the mt)st serious 

 objection to San Francisco as a place of residence ; 

 and additional incentive to exertion in the matter is 

 furnished by the constant apprehension of destructive 

 fires.* 



♦ The Alfa Califomian, of the 1st of May, 1850, furnishes us with 

 an interesting account of the origin and meaning of the names of 



