Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/67



men boys,  and  Ephraim  Green  and  Ira  Willis,  brother of Sidney  Willis,  urged  the  prospectors  to  return, that together  they  might  examine  the  place  which had shown  indications  of  gold. It was  with  difficulty that they  prevailed  upon  them  to  do  so. Willis and Hudson, however,  finally  consented;  and  the  so  lately slighted spot  presently  became  famous  as  the  rich Mormon Diggings,  the  island,  Mormon  Island,  taking its name  from  these  battalion  boys  who  had  first found gold  there.

It is  told  elsewhere  how  the  Mormons  came  to California,  some  in  the  ship  Brooklyn^  and  some  as  a battalion  by  way  of  Santa  F^,  and  how  they  went hence to  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  part  of  them,  however, remaining permanently  or  for  a  time  nearer  the  sea- board. I will  only  notice  here,  amidst  the  scenes now every  day  becoming  more  and  more  absorbing, bringing to  the  front  the  strongest  passions  in  man  s nature,  how  at  the  call  of  what  they  deemed  duty these devotees  of  their  religion  unhesitatingly  laid down their  wealth-winning  implements,  turned  their back on  what  all  the  world  was  just  then  making ready with  hot  haste  and  mustered  strength  to  grasp at and  struggle  for,  and  marched  through  new  toils  and dangers to  meet  their  exiled  brethren  in  the  desert.

It will  be  remembered  that  some  of  the  emigrants by the  Brooklyn  had  remained  at  San  Francisco,  some at New  Helvetia,  while  others  had  settled  on  the Stanislaus River  and  elsewhere. A large  detachment of the  late  Mormon  battalion,  disbanded  at  Los  An- geles, was on  its  way  to  Great  Salt  Lake,  when,  arriv- ing at Sutter's  Fort,  the  men  stopped  to  work  a  while, no less  to  add  a  little  to  their  slender  store  of  clothing and provisions  than  to  await  a  better  season  for  the perilous journey  across  the  mountains. It was  while thus employed  that  gold  had  been  discovered. And now, refreshed  and  better  fitted,  as  spring  approached their minds  once  more  turned  toward  the  original  pur-