Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/92



Coloma, where  nothing  of  note  occurred  till  Sunday, the 11th  of  March,  when  Ma,rshall  started  the  saw- mill running. The following  week  was  spent  in  deep- ening the fall  in  the  tail-race ;  but  on  Sunday  all  went gold-digging, when  Bigler  secured  two  ounces. About this time  Bigler  took  charge  cf  the  Indians,  teach- ing them to  saw  and  chop  wood. Though anxious enough to  learn,  they  were  extremely  awkward,  and were continually  hurting  or  cutting  themselves. He worked in  this  manner  until  Friday,  the  7th  of  April, when he,  Stevens,  and  Brown,  started  for  the  fort to have  a  settlement  with  Sutter,  and  to  tell  him that they  wished  to  leave  for  Salt  Lake. On the evening of  the  next  day  they  arrived  at  the  flouring- mill, and  found  the  place  well-nigh  deserted. They were told  that  Willis  and  Hudson,  with  others,  were up the  river  getting  gold. Bigler stayed  over  Sunday at the  flouring-mill  to  make  arrangements  as  to  what they should  buy  of  Sutter  for  their  intended  journey. Those present  agreed  to  send  in  advance  a  few  men to pioneer  a  route  across  the  Sierra,  the  main  body  to be  in  readiness  to  start  in  the  beginning  of  June,  with the exception  of  eight  men  who  were  to  leave  the  fol- lowing Saturday with  an  express  for  the  States. Next day Bigler  and  his  friends  started  for  the  fort  with Browett who  was  to  act  as  si3okesman,  but  were  una- ble to see  Sutter,  or  buy  the  seeds,  cattle,  horses,  and tv/o brass  cannon  they  wished. On Tuesday  they left the  fort  for  home,  intending  to  turn  their  atten- tion for the  rest  of  their  stay  to  gold-digging. As they could  not  make  the  journey  in  a  day,  they  en- camped for the  night  at  a  creek  fifteen  miles  from  the flouring-mill, and  next  morning  Bigler,  whose  mind was running  in  one  direction,  began  to  look  for  gold; and he  and  his  four  companions  |oon  found  about  ten dollars. As Willis  and  Hudson  were  not  far  away, they determined  to  look  them  up  and  see  what  success had attended  them  ;  so  keeping  close  to  the  river  they soon came  across  them,  at  what  afterward  was  called