Reminiscences of John H. Charles. 35 



The three greatest trials of our four mouths' jouruey 

 had been iu crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains, some 

 difficulty in always finding grass for the cattle, and 

 scarcity of water, which was felt at times. It was in 

 Nevada that we suffered most for water. On one occa- 

 sion we ran out and while I stayed to guard camp my 

 colleagues made a detour of many miles on either side 

 in search of water. While I was awaiting the return of 

 my friends a man came across the sands bearing a small 

 keg of water upon his shoulder. When he came to camp 

 I asked for a drink and was informed that I could have 

 a cup of water for one dollar. I was so thirsty that I 

 paid for the drink. Before leaving the man asked if 

 we had an abundance of food. I answered "Yes." He 

 started away, but soon came back and asked for some- 

 thing to eat. I charged him a dollar for a square meal 

 and so got even with him. 



I soon tired of prospecting for gold, and went to 

 w^ork for a mining company. The miners almost coerced 

 newcomers into working for them, they wanted men so 

 badly. Wages were high, so by May of the next year I 

 had saved one thousand dollars. We had sold our 

 surplus provisions upon arrival for a good price. Not 

 liking life in the mining region, I now decided to return 

 to Ohio, making the homeward journey hj way of the 

 Isthmus of Panama. 



SECOND TRIP TO CALIFORNIA. 



I now remained at home for eighteen months. 

 Upon my arrival there I was sure I should never go West 

 again. But soon several young men in my county began 

 to plan a trip to California and I joined them. We went 

 again to Independence, Missouri, for our start across the 

 plains. Here three of us who had made the trip to 

 California before bought up a hundred cows. We got 

 them for less than twenty dollars per head. We had an 

 idea that we could drive them to California and make 

 some money on them. W^e followed about the same 

 route which I had taken two years before. We reached 

 the mining country in the spring of 1853 and had no 

 trouble in selling our cows at eighty dollars per head. 



