Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/66

 rstpected.

son, who  said  they  had  come  to  search  for  gold. Marshall received  them  graciously  enough,  and  gave them permission  to  mine  in  the  tail-race. Accord- ingly, next morning  they  all  went  there,  and  soon Hudson picked  up  a  piece  weighing  six  dollars. Thus encouraged they  continued  their  labors  with  fair success till  the  2d  of  March,  when  they  felt  obliged to return  to  the  flour-mill;  for  to  all  except  Martin, their informant,  they  had  intimated  that  their  trip  to

MoKMON Island.

the saw-mill  was  merely  to  pay  a  visit,  and  to  shoot deer. Willis and  Hudson  followed  the  stream  to  con- tinue the search  for  gold,  and  Fiefield,  accompanied by Bigler,  pursued  the  easier  route  by  the  road. On meeting at  the  flour-mill,  Hudson  expressed  disgust at being  able  to  show  only  a  few  fine  particles,  not more than  half  a  dollar  in  value,  wliich  he'  anil  his companion had  found  at  a  bar  opposite  a  little  island, about half-way  down  the  river. Nevertheless the disease worked  its  way  into  the  blood  of  other  Mor-