Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/70



CHAPTER IV.

PBOXmATB EFFECT  OF  THE  GOLD  DISOOVERy.

Mabch-Auoust, 1848.

The Pboplb  Sceptical  at  Fibst— AmnJDs  or  the  Bbbss— The  Couvtby Converted bt  a  Sight  or  the  Metal— The  Epidemic  at  San  Fran- cisco— At San  Jo»t,  Monterey,  and  down  thb  Coast — ^The  Exodus — Desertion or  Soldiers  and  Sailors— Abandonment  of  BcsiNBBSp of Farms,  and  or  All  Kinds  or  Positions  and  Propertt.

As when  some  carcass,  hidden  in  sequestered  nook, draws from  every  near  and  distant  point  myriads  of discordant  vultures,  so  drew  these  little  flakes  of  gold the voracious  sons  of  men. The strongest  human appetite was  aroused — the  sum  of  appetites — this yellow dirt  embodying  the  means  for  gratifying  love, hate, lust,  and  domination. This little  scratch  upon the earth  to  make  a  backwoods  mill-race  touched  the cerebral nerve  that  quickened  humanity,  and  sent  a thrill  throughout  the  system. It tingled  in  the  ear and at  the  finger-ends;  it  buzzed  about  the  brain  and tickled in  the  stomach;  it  warmed  the  blood  and swelled the  heart;  new  fires  were  kindled  on  the hearth-stones, new  castles  builded  in  the  air. If Satan from  Diablo's  peak  had  sounded  the  knell  of time;  if  a  heavenly  angel  from  the  Sierra's  height had heralded  the  millennial  day;  if  the  blessed  Christ himself had  risen  from  that  ditch  and  proclaimed  to all  mankind  amnesty — their  greedy  hearts  had  never half so  thrilled.

The effect  of  the  gold  discovei^  could  ndt  be  long confined to  the  narrow  limits  of  Sutter's  domain. The