Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/51



January, 1848,  while  sauntering  along  the  tail-race inspecting the  work,  Marshall  noticed  yellow  particles mingled with  the  excavated  earth  which  had  been washed by  the  late  rains. He gave  it  little  heed  at first;  but  presently  seeing  more,  and  some  in  scales, the thought  occurred  to  him  that  possibly  it  might  be gold. Sending an  Indian  to  his  cabin  for  a  tin  plate, he washed  out  some  of  the  dirt,  separating  thereby  as much  of  the  dust  as  a  ten-cent  piece  would  hold ;  then he went  about  his  business,  stopping  a  while  to  ponder on the  matter. During the  evening  he  remarked once or  twice  quietly,  somewhat  doubtingly,  "  Boys,  I believe  I  have  found  a  gold  mine." '*I reckon  not." was  the  response;  "no  such  luck."

Up betimes  next  morning,  according  to  his  custom, he walked  down  by  the  race  to  see  the  effect  of  the night's sluicing,  the  head-gate  being  closed  at  day- break as usual. Other motives  prompted  his  investi- gation, as may  be  supposed,  and  led  to  a  closer  exam- ination of the  ddbris. On reaching  the  end  of  the race a  glitter  from  beneath  the  water  caught  his  eye, and bending  down  he  picked  from  its  lodgement against a  projection  of  soft  granite,  some  six  inches below the  surface,  a  larger  piece  of  the  yello\V^  sub- stance than any  he  had  seen. If gold,  it  was  in  value equal to  about  half  a  dollar. As he  examined  it  his heart began  to  throb. Could it  indeed  be  gold ! Or was it  only  mica,  or  sulphuret  of  copper,  or  other ignis fatuusi  Marshall  was  no  metallurgist,  yet  he had  practical  sense  enough  to  know  that  gold  is  heavy and malleable;  so  he  turned  it  over,  and  weighed  it  in his  hand;  then  he  bit  it;  and  then  he  hammered  it between  two  stones. It must  be  gold ! And the mighty secret  of  the  Sierra  stood  revealed  I

Marshall took  the  matter  coolly;  he  was  a  cool enough man  except  where  his  pet  lunacy  was  touched. On further  exammation  he  found  more  of  the  metal.

night on  the  way,  which  Parsons  gives  him,  and  coant  the  2$tbi.0Qe  day,  we

liave the  24th  as  the  date  oi  discovery,  trebly  proved. MuT, Cjm.,  Vol,  VL   8