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Show 38 PERSONAL ADVENTURES from four to six. In the middle of the day, the heat became so intense, that I was compelled to discontinue my labours, and rest awhile, whilst the exhalations arising from the dampness of the ground where I washed the clay were no less oppressive and injurious. In fact, as the time advanced, I felt myself growing weaker; and, as our provisions 'vere nearly exhausted, it became necessary to determine upon son1e course for the future. The result of our deliberations will appear in due place. I had resolved upon seeing a little of the neighbouring country whilst I had the opportunity, and learning something further re· specting the "upper diggins," namely "Carson's Creek," and the "Mormon diggins," although both were by this time pretty well worn out. They are situated a good distance up the ravine, the latter being distant from the Stanislaus about a mile to the eastward. It had been considered as the best placer during the preceding spring, and many of the miners dug from two ounces to two pounds of r IN CALIFORNIA. 39 gold a day. "Carson's Creek," which derives its nan1e from a soldier who discovered it during a furlough, had been also tolerably productive. At the time I am now speaking of, however, the mineral \Vealth of both these mines, as ·well as of a third, called Angel's Camp, had considerably diminished, and they were much upon the same footing as the Stanislaus, in this respect. I was informed that during the previous winter a great quantity of rain and snow had fallen in these parts of the Stanislaus, in consequence of which, the miners had been exposed to great privations, and provisions had risen to an enormous price, flour reaching four dollars a pound ; po~k, fiv.e; biscuit, three, and rice, two; whilst beef was not to be procured at any price. The general appearance and peculiarities of these placers did not present any characteristic difference from those other sections of the Stanislaus to which I have already alluded : there were numerous tents, good, bad, and indifferent; stores and gambling-booths; shanties |