Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/76



obtained "  he  said.  **  I  requested  him  to  let  me  get  a negative,  from  which  I  would  have  pictures  taken and  sold  in  San  Francisco  for  his  benefit,  but  he  re- fused indignantly.  The  thought  of  the  injustice  that had  been  done  him  made  him  unhappy.  He  wanted no  allusion  made  to  the  debt  due  by  California  to  him. Others  have  been  loaded  with  wealth  and  honor,  and he  has  been  left  to  struggle  along;  in  poverty  and  ob- scurity, he  who  discovered  the  gold  that  made  Cali- fornia what  it  is." Poor Marshall ! Too simple  and sensitive by  half  1  Had  he  made  the  gold,  and  it  had been stolen  from  him  by  an  ungrateful  republic,  he would  not  have  been  in  his  own  opinion  more  cruelly wronged than  by  this  neglect  to  reward  him  for — what? Yet we  can  but  feel  kindly  toward  the  man who, though  mistaken  in  what  constitutes  greatness, and merit  worthy  of  public  reward,  was  nevertheless well-meaning, honest,  and  industrious. His name  will forever be  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  the  country, howsoever accidentally  it  became  so.

Yet far  more  than  in  picking  from  the  historic  tail- race the  first  particle  of  the  divine  dirt  founcl  there, Marshall had  often  played  the  hero. The world knows its  impudent  men,  its  brassy,  bellowing  fellows; but how  few  of  its  real  noblemen  ! Many generous deeds are  recorded  of  Marshall  while  in  the  war ;  and it was  not  an  unmanly  act,  the  saving  his  saw-mill,  in the  way  he  did,  from  a  freshet  which  threatened  it just  before  the  discovery  of  gold. The dam  was  built of brush  with  the  butts  laid  down  stream. The rains coming on,  the  river  rose,  and  fears  were  entertained that the  works  would  all  be  swept  away. Side by  side with his  men,  Marshall  worked  day  and  night,  and received therefor  the  praise  of  his  partner,  and  the respect and  admiration  of  his  associates. Up to  his waist in  water,  in  constant  peril  of  his  life,  for  many hours he  worked,  and  finally  succeeded  in  anchoring the mill  in  safety.

Marshall claimed  to  have  been  the  cause  of  the  dis-