84 EAMBLES APTER SPORT. 



Nothing particular occurred on our way up to Port- 

 land j little quiet games of eucre went on in tlie saloon, 

 at which fascinating games two ladies from Dead Man^s 

 Gully _, Calaveras County, particularly distinguished 

 themselves ; indeed one of them confided to me that 

 ^' she had cleaned out some few ; and if she had three 

 days more she guessed she could clean out the balance/' 

 The first evening that I retired to my cabin I was 

 congratulating myself on being alone, there being only 

 two berths, and I accordingly went to bed in a con- 

 tented state of mind. On awaking in the morning, I 

 heard a peculiar sound in the unoccupied berth under 

 me, and on leaning over to see the cause, a strange 

 sight met my eyes. Sitting up in his berth, with his 

 knees close under his chin, was a long yellow-faced 

 Yankee, who appeared to be dividing his attention 

 equally between liquoring-up out of a bottle of spirits, 

 and expectorating on various objects in the cabin. 

 The immediate object of his aim was an unfortunate fly 

 which had pitched near the door handle. " Darn me,'' 

 said he, without noticing me in the slightest ; " that's 

 the fourth shot I've had at that cussed fly; go yer a 

 dollar I plug him next shoot ; not on it, eh ? Waal, I 

 guess it's lucky for you, 'cos (here he made a terrific 

 shot that killed the unfortunate insect) I reckon he's 

 gone up. Yessir," he continued, settling himself com- 

 fortably*, and proceeding to pick his teeth with his 

 penknife, " I guess two rods is about my distance. Go 

 yer a game of poker afore breakfast, dollar a game ; not 

 on it ? Tarnation, what air you on ? I expegs I ain't a 

 going to make a red cent this trip. Never mind, wait 

 till I gets to Walla-Walla ; if I don't go through the 

 boys up there call me a singed alligator." With this 



