James D. Hague 



a mulatto-like young man, large, 

 strong, well-built and pleasing in 

 look and manner, who, when he had 

 heard from King what it was, seemed 

 to conceive an irresistible desire to 

 join the party ; and his services, 

 offered for any possible duty, were 

 promptly accepted for the oppor- 

 tunely created place of cook's mate. 

 This engagement proved to be the 

 beginning of a most important chap- 

 ter in the young man's life. 



His name was " Jim." According 

 to his own story he was born in 

 Jamaica, in the West Indies. He 

 ran away from home when he was 

 seven years old, went to sea as cabin- 

 boy, continued going to and fro in 

 the world and sailing up and down 

 in it until he landed in California 

 and found his way to Alta, where 

 he was in service as a cook when 

 favoring fortune brought him into 

 King's camp. Since his first escape 

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