Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/359



price of  wives  in  the  market,  and  how  much  it  would cost to  people  Zion  at  current  rates ;  thinking  of  the temple to  the  living  God  which  he  was  to  rear  in  the wilderness; thinking  of  anything  except  lucre,  and the price  of  tea. " Ten  chests  with  the  privilege," began Gillespie. " I  will  sell  not  less  than  ten  chests, the  purchaser  to  have  the  privilege  of  taking  as  much more  at  the  price  sold  as  he  pleases." Around the open boxes  merchants  were  blowing  and  crushing, and smelling  and  tasting;  Sam  sat  serene. "And how much  am  I  offered?  "  Gillespie  went  on. " Thirty- five  cents,  thirty-five ;  forty  ;  and  five ;  fifty ;  fifty-five cents  I  am  offered ;  sixty.  Are  you  all  done  gentle- men ?  Sixty  cents,  going ;  sixty  cents,  once ;  sixty cents,  twice ;  third  and  last  time — "  "  Sixty-one  !  " came from  the  top  of  the  box. " Sixty-one,  sixty-one cents,  and  sold.  How  much  will  you  take  Mr  Bran- nan?" Now there  was  tea  enough  in  that  ship  to give  every  grocer  in  town  a  good  stock,  and  the  bid- ders present had  all  so  reckoned,  and  had  deemed  it folly  running  it  up  to  a  high  price  when  they  could just as  well  buy  it  low. The tea  was  then  worth  in the  market  one  dollar  and  a  quarter,  or  two  dollars and a  half,  or  five  dollars,  according  as  it  was  held  and controlled. Brannan was  the  heaviest  buyer  there; he might  take  fifty  chests  out  of  the  five  hundred. So they  reasoned,  and  were  content  that  Sam,  the ravenous, should  first  satisfy  himself  Imagine,  there- fore their chagrin  as  in  answer  to  the  auctioneer's question,  "How  much  will  you  take  Mr  Brannan," they heard  come  from  the  top  of  the  box,  where  the eyes were  still  bent  on  the  continued  whittling,  in notes  like  the  snarl  of  a  coyote,  "The  whole  damned concern."

The prices  of  provisions  were  exceedingly  unsteady, and those  accustomed  early  in  the  morning  to  enter the markets  with  their  baskets  on  their  arms,  for  few delivered what  they  sold  in  those  days,  soon  learned not to  be  surprised  at  anything  in  the  way