Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/72



treated with  a  familiarity  hitherto  unknown  in  these parts to  such  worshipful  wealth. Among the  comers was Samuel  Brannan,  the  Mormon  leader,  who,  hold- ing up a  bottle  of  dust  in  one  hand,  and  swinging  his hat with  the  other,  passed  along  the  street  shouting, " Gold !    Gold  1     Gold  from  the  American  River  I"»

This took  place  in  the  early  part  of  May. The conversion of  San  Francisco  was  complete. Those who had  hitherto  denied  a  lurking  faith  now  unblush- ingly proclaimed  it;  and  others,  who  had  refused  to believe  even  in  specimens  exhibited  before  their  eyes, hesitated no  longer  in  accepting  any  reports,  however exaggerated, and  in  speeding  them  onward  duly  mag- nified.® Many were  thrown  into  a  fever  of  excitement,^ and all  yielded  more  or  less  to  the  subtle  influence  of

^ 'He  took  his  hat  off  and  swung  it,  shouting  aloud  in  the  streets.'  Bigler^9 Diary, MS.,  79. Evans in  the  Oregon  Bulletin  makes  the  date  *  about  the  12th of May.*  See  also  FindUCa  Stat.,  MS.,  4-6;  Roim' Stat,,  MS.,  12;  N,  Helv. Difiry, passim,  (rillespie,  Vig,  Com.,  MS.,  4,  refers  to  three  samples  seen  by him,  the  third  'was  a  wnole  quinine-bottle  full,  which  set  all  the  people  wild.'

®By the  10th  of  June  the  sapient  sceptic,  Kemble,  turned  completely around in  expressing  his  opinion,  denying  that  he  had  ever  discouraged,  not to say  denounced,  'the  employment  in  wnich  over  two  thirds  of  the  white population of  this  country  are  engaged.'  But  it  was  too  late  to  save  either his reputation  or  his  journal. There were  not  wanting  others  still  to  denounce in vain  an<l  loudly  all  mines  and  miners. 'I doubt,  sir,'  one  exclaims,  in  the Cali/ornian, 'if  ever  the  sun  shone  upon  such  a  farce  as  is  now  being  enacted in California,  though  I  fear  it  may  prove  a  tragedy  before  the  curtain  drops. I considtT  it  your  duty,  Mr  Editor,  as  a  conservator  of  the  pnblic  morals and welfare,  to  raise  your  voice  against  the  thing. It is  to  be  hoped  that Greneral Mascm  will  despatch  the  volunteers  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  send these unfortunate  people  to  their  homes,  and  prevent  others  from  going thither.' This  man  quickly  enough  belied  a  wisdom  which  led  him  unwit- tingly to  perform  the  part  of  heavy  simpleton  in  the  drama. Dunbar, Romance of the  Age,  102,  with  his  usual  accuracy,  places  this  communication  in  the Alta California,  May  24,  1848 — impossible,  from  the  fact  that  on  that  day  no paper  was  issued  in  California,  and  the  Alta  never  saw  the  light  until  the  fol- lowing January.

^ Carson,  Uer.^  4,  who  for  a  long  time  had  rejected  all  reports,  was  finally convinced by  a  returning  digger,  who  opened  his  well-filled  bag  before  him. my Icga  performed  some  entirely  new  movements  of  polka  steps — I  took several— houses were  too  small  for  me  to  stay  in;  I  was  soon  in  the  street  in search  of  neocjjsary  outfits;  piles  of  ^old  rose  up  before  mo  at  every  step; castles of  nuirblc,  dazzling  the  eye  with  tlieic  rich  appliances;  thousands  of slaves  bowing  to  my  beck  and  call;  myriads  of  fair  virgins  contending  with each other  for  my  love— were  among  the  fancies  of  my  fevered  imagination. The Rothschilds,  Oirards,  and  Astors  appeared  to  me  but  poor  people;  in short,  I  had  a  very  violent  attack  of  the  gold  fever.'  For  further  partical&rs» see Larkin'a  Doc.,  MS.,  iv. passim.
 * I looked  on  for  a  moment;  he  writes,  *a  frenzy  seized  my  soul;  unbidden