15 



you are charged with disturbing the peace." (Aside) " I'm 

 in a hurry, so plead guilty. If you take one of them lawyer 

 fellows, I'll stick you." Gibbs asked how much the fine was, 

 and the Judge announced very formally that he should be 

 fined $1.50 and costs. Whereupon Gibbs asked, in tones 

 that made several." visitors" look around to see where the 

 door was, " Where's my revolver?" He only wanted to 

 pawn it, however. After this the court adjourned for drinks 

 all around. 



In the afternoon we went to see a wash-up in one of the 

 neighboring gulch mines. Dick Allen went with us and ex- 

 plained the modus operandi. They took out $2800 for 160 

 days' work. When we returned home we found that there 

 were six of us compelled to sleep in the seven-by-nine corral 

 the Judge, Dick Allen, we three, and a native hoosier. 



JULY 22, SUNDAY. 



We were awakened early this morning by Dick Allen 

 saying, " I can't eat my breakfast until I have had six cock- 

 tails, and it's about time to commence ; so come on, boys." 

 We have spent some very queer days out here, but this beats 

 them all. To get out of the reach of the noise was im- 

 possible, and you might think that there was a den of wild 

 animals being fed, or something worse. We heartily recom- 

 mend Breckenridge as being the most fiendish place we ever 

 wish to see. We were forced to spend the morning and 

 afternoon in the company of men whose language was vile, 

 and whose actions were tinged with a shade of crime that 

 shocked and hurt our senses ; never did anything so bes- 

 tial and so unworthy even a mention by manly lips happen 

 t before our eyes. In the morning there was a series of 

 dog-fights. A ring of yelling demoniacs was gathered 

 around the two poor curs. Upon the success or defeat of 

 one or the other large sums of gold-dust were freely wa- 

 gered. The old Judge innocently remarked that " the men 

 would soon commence," and sure enough they did com- 

 mence very quick, quarrelling about the slightest thing, and 

 fighting like devils while their breath lasted, which, on 

 account of the rarity of the air at this altitude, was not more 

 than ten minutes. Finally Breckenridge seemed satisfied, 



