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Show 44 PERSONAL ADVENTURES Yankee spirit of trade, I went on in this manner, until I made up a purse containing about three hundred dollars. Hallirlay follo,ved tny example, and succeeded equally well : for instance, he procured in gold double their real value, fo r some few dollars of coined money, which he sold to Don Emanuel's Indians, who, being inveterate gamblers, found dollars more convenient than gold-dust, and did not mind a sacrifice to procure them. I ascertained also that he had agreed to accornpany Doctor Dan on an excursion to Stocton, the Doctor's intention being to take his waggons and cattle there, to fetch up a large quantity of provisions to retail at the mine on his return. For his services, Halliday was to receive nine ounces of gold. The distance to Stocton and back, from the Stanislaus, is about one hundred and thirty miles. Previously to his leaving, how· ever, we removed three n1iles further up the ravine. The reason of our doing so was, that we might still be near Don Emanuel's party; for the Don, discovering that the spot he had IN CALIFORNIA. 45 at first selected to establish his trading-post was neither salubrious nor profitable, shifted his quarters, and 've were obliged to do the same, being unable to take care of our horses which, so long as we remained near the Don ' his Indians looked after. l-Ie chose a gentle' slope on the right side of the ravine; and t.I1e Indians, falling to work, soon cut down a sufficient n urn her of poles, which they sank in to the ground, surmounting then1 with crosspieces, and covering them with boards fron1 the waggons, and, lastly, enclosing the whole structure with raw hides. This made the Don a good dry store, where he transacted his affairs in cornparative comfort. Our stock of provisions being now exhausted, we purchased some biscuit and beef and resumed our mining operations with such' indifferent success, that, as Halliday had made up his mind to seek a more remunerative emp~ oy~ent, and was even about to set out upon his tnp to Stocton, I also detel'lnined to renounce gold-digging here, and to return to Monterey as soon as possible. |