Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/75

 Coi., MS.

of secondary  consideration. Some started  without  a dollar,  or  with  insufficient  supplies  and  covering,  often to suffer  severely  in  reaching  the  ground;  but  once there they  expected  quickly  to  fill  their  pockets  with what would  buy  the  services  of  their  masters,  and  ob- tain for them  abundance  to  eat. Many were  fed  while on the  way  as  by  the  ravens  of  Midas ;  for  there  were few in  California  then  or  since  who  would  see  a  fellow- being starve. But if  blankets  and  provisions  were neglected, none  overlooked  the  all-important  shovel, the price  for  which  jumped  from  one  dollar  to  six,  ten, or even  more,"  and  stores  were  rummaged  for  pick- axes, hoes,  bottles,  vials,  snuff-boxes,  and  brass  tubes, the  latter  for  holding  the  prospective  treasure. ^^

Through June  the  excitement  continued,  after which there  were  few  left  to  be  excited. Indeed, by the  middle  of  this  month  the  abandonment  of  San Francisco was  complete;  that  is  to  say,  three  fourths of the  male  population  had  gone  to  the  mines. It was as if  an  epidemic  had  swept  the  little  town  so  lately bustling with  business,  or  as  if  it  was  always  early morning there. Since the  presence  of  United  States forces San  Francisco  had  put  on  pretensions,  and scores of  buildings  had  been  started. " But  now," complains the  Star,  the  27th  of  May,  "stores  are closed  and  places  of  business  vacated,  a  large  number of  houses  tenantless,  various  kinds  oY  mechanical  labor suspended   or   given  up    entirely,  and    nowhere    the

Eleasant hum  of  industry  salutes  the  ear  as  of  late ; ut as  if  a  curse  had  arrested  our  onward  course  of enterprise,  everything  wears  a  desolate  and  sombre look, everywhere   all   is   dull,    monotonous,    dead."^^

^^ *I  am  informed  $50  has  been  offered  for  one, '  writes  Larkin  ou  June  Ist.

^ 'Earthen  jars  and  even  barrels  have  been  put  in  requisition,'  observes the CcUi/omittn  of  Aus. 5th.

ket price  will  be  paid  for  gold,  either  cash  or  merchandise,  by  Melius  &  How- ard, Montgomery street. ' Again,  by  the  same  firm  goods  were  offered  for •ale *for  cash,  hides  and  tallow,  or  placera  ^old.'  Cnl. Star^ May  27,  1848. Of quite  a  different  character  was  another  notice  in  the  same  issue. * Pay  up before  you  go— everybody  knows  where,'  the  editor  cries. 'Papers can  l^e forwaided to  Sattar's  Fort  with  all  regularity. But pay  the  prvutAt,  \1  ^oxk
 * 'The following  advertisement  appears  in  this  issue:  *The  highest  mar-  *