Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/79



Marshall came  up  and  said,  "Boys,  I  believe  I  have found  a  gold  mine." The remark  produced  no  start- ling effect upon  his  hearers,  and  Marshall  walked  off" to  his  house  on  the  mountain-side  which  he  had  lately built  for  himself  Later  Marshall  visited  the  men's cabin,  and  again  remarked  that  he  was  almost  sure he  had  found  gold  at  the  lower  end  of  the  race.  Then he  said,  "  Brown,  I  want  you  and  Bigler  to  shut down the  head-gate  early  in  the  morning. Throw in a  little  saw-dust,  rotten  leaves,  and  dirt ;  make  all tight, and  we  will  see  what  will  come  of  it."

The men  do  as  they  had  been  told. And while they are  at  breakfast  Marshall  goes  down  to  the  mill- race alone. After breakfast  the  m^en  come  out,  and each betakes  himself  to  his  work. Presently Mar- shall appears, his  old  white  hat  within  his  arm,  look- ing wonderfully pleased. A smile  overspreads  his face, and  the  boj's  know  that  it  means  something unusual. Coming nearer,  slowly,  quietly,  yet  in heavy  depth  of  tone  he  speaks  :  "  Boys,  by  God,  I've got  it ; "  and  he  places  his  hat  down  on  a  bench  in the  mill-3^ard. All gather  round  to  see  what  it  is  ; and there,  sure  enough,  on  the  top  of  the  crown, knocked in  a  little,  lies  the  worshipful  metal. There is about  half  an  ounce  of  it,  in  flakes  and  grains,  from the smallest  particle  to  pieces  as  large  as  a  kernel  of wheat  or  larger,  and  though  not  one  of  the  party  has ever before  seen  gold  in  its  native  state,  there  is  no longer  a  skeptic  among  them. Azariah Smith  draws from his  pocket  a  five-dollar  piece,  part  of  his  mili- tary pay, and  compares  it  with  the  dust. There seenL-^; to  be  little  difference  in  color  or  weight ;  the coin is  somewhat  lio-hter  in  tint,  which  is  accounted  for by reason  of  its  alloy. Not a  very  crucial  test,  but all sufficient  at  this  juncture.

Led by  Marshall,  all  now  hasten  down  the  race, and soon  are  absorbed  in  picking  from  the  seams  and crevices the  precious  metal. They conclude  that the  deposit  is   rich ;    and   from  this  time  the  fever