Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/73



the malady.®  Men  hastened  to  arrange  their  affairs, dissolving partnerships,  disposing  of  real  estate,  and converting other  eflFects  into  ready  means  for  depart- ure. Within a  few  days  an  exodus  set  in  that  startled those who  had  placed  their  hopes  upon  the  peninsular metropolis.* "Fleets  of  launches  left  this  place  on Sunday  and  Monday,"  exclaims  Editor  Kemble, "closely stowed  with  human  beings. .  .Was  there ever  anything  so  superlatively  silly  ?"^^  But  sneers, expostulations, and  warnings  availed  not  with  a  multi- tude so possessed.

The nearest  route  was  naturally  sought — by  water up the  Bay  into  the  Sacramento,  and  thence  where fortune beckoned. The few  available  sloops,  lighters, and nondescript  craft  were  quickly  engaged  and  filled for the  mines. Many who  could  not  obtain  passage in the  larger  vessels  sold  all  their  possessions,  when necessary, and  bought  a  small  boat;^^  every  little rickety cockleshell  was  made  to  serve  the  purpose; and into  these  they  bundled  their  effects,  set  up  a  sail, and steered  for  Carquines  Strait. Then there  were two routes  by  land:  one  across  to  Sauzalito  by  launch, and thence  by  mule,  mustang,  or  on  foot,  by  way  of San  Rafael  and  Sonoma,  into  the  California  Valley; and the  other  round  the  southern  end  of  the  Bay  and through Liver  more  Pass.

'Brooks writes  in  his  diary,  ander  date  of  May  10th:  'Nothing  has  been talked of  but  the  new  gold  placer,  as  people  call  it. ' *  Several  parties,  we hear,  are  already  made  np  to  visit  tlie  diggings. ' May  1 3th :  *  The  gold  excite- ment increases daily,  as  several  fresh  arnvals  from  the  niinei)  have  been  re- ported at  San  Francisco.'  Four  Months  among  the  Gold-fndftrH^  14-1.").

writes Brooks  in  his  diary,  ander  date  of  May  20th. ' lu  the  month  of  May it was  computed  that  at  least  ITiO  people  had  left  8. F., and  every  day  since was adding  to  their  number.'  Annals  S.  /*.,  203. The census  taken  the
 * * Several  hundred  people  must  have  left  hero  during  the  last  few  days,'

March previous  showed  810,  of  whom  177  were  women  and  60  children;  so

that 150  would  be  over  one  fourth  of  the  male  popula

Baasham to  Cooper,  May  15th,  in  VaUejOj  Doc.f  M8.,  xxxv. 47.    Those  with-

out means have  only  to  go  to  a  merchant  and  borrow  from  $1,000  to  $2,000,  < and give  him  an  order  on  the  gold  mines,  is  the  way  Coutts,  Diary ^  MS.,  1 13, pats it.

the whole  bnsiness,  and  pronounces  the  mines  'all  sham,  a  supurb  (sic)  take- in as  was  ever  got  up  to  ffuzzle  the  gullible. '
 * Cal, Stetr,  May  20,  1848.  Kemble,  who  is  fast  coming  to  grief,  cnrses

" 'Little  row-boats,  that  before  were  probably  sold  for  $50,  were  sold  for  v $400  or  $500.'  QiUetpie,  Vig,  Com.,  MS.,  3.