A Sportsman 13 



and partridge shooting and fishing than I did to 

 studies. 



One Ossian E. Dodge, a spirited singer, came 

 along, accompanied by several minstrels of like 

 character, whose concerts interested the town. One 

 of their songs pertaining to California was given 

 with great effect, of which I remember only the fol- 

 lowing lines: 



'T is there they say the gold is found. 



In great big lumps all over the ground. 



Who'll go? Who'll go? 



And we all sleep sound on the cold damp ground 



Except when the wolves come howling around. 



Who'll go? Who'll go? 



I thought I would. 



Another thing influenced me somewhat in that 

 direction. One of the boys at school who had lately 

 returned with his parents from California indicated 

 a considerable degree of affluence by prodigally 

 throwing oranges at some of the boys, who so as- 

 sented for the privilege of keeping the oranges thrown. 

 How slight are the circumstances which seriously 

 affect ovu- lives! 



In 1852, at seventeen years of age, I arrived in San 

 Francisco with my double-barrelled shotgun, a revolver, 

 and a large, double-edged knife with a blade thirteen 

 inches long, made from an old sword my elder brother 

 had acquired in the Mexican War of 1846-47. I made 

 a long passage of 142 days around Cape Horn, a 

 monotonous trip diversified occasionally by catching 

 sharks when becalmed in the tropics, spearing por- 

 poises, and! trolling for bonita and dolphins. Off 

 Cape Horn, where sea birds were plentiful, we caught 



