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Show 48 PERSONAL ADVENTURES water, and that, as we drew near to Stocton, one of the party, who had frequently made the journey to and fro, pointed out to us the prudence of picking up every log or stick of wood we saw, as it was a scarce article in the town; advice which we fo1lowed, and of which we after"rards fully appreciated the value. I had heard so much of Stocton -so called after the Commodore of that name-that my curiosity was naturally excited to make acquaintance with a place so famous amongst the miners. I counted eight tents, some spiral, others ·walled-in with canvass, one of which, about fifty feet long, served for a store. There were several bulrush huts, and one im· mense wooden house in course of erection, some sixty feet square, and protni5ing two stories. It was intended for trading pur· poses, and bad been long required by the pro· prietor, Mr. Weaver, whose business 'vas very extensive, considering the appearance of the place, and who was the owner of the chief portion of the land about there. He was endeavouring to attract settlers to the spot, IN CALIFORNIA. 49 by offering them locations at non1inal rents ' or land for nothing, provided they 'vould build upon it. In this enterprise he had not as yet been very successful. Indeed, the to,vn-if so it may be called-is situated in a most unwholesome district; the site of it beinO' a c5 low, flat plain, in the im1nediate nei O'hbour- ~ hood of a swamp which, during a great por-tion of the year, is covered with deep vvater. Fever and ague, the prevalent maladies in the upper country, rage here in the summer with unmitigated severity, and attack the most robust constitutions; whilst in winter, the fierce winds sweep with unbroken fu ry through the district, and, adding to its other natura discomfort~ , namely, a scarcity of fuel and fodder, render a residence here rniserable to the last degree. To con1plete the description, I should adrl, that every other hut in the town is either a groggery or a gamblingplace. I determined to remain here for a few rlays, as much out of consideration to my jaded horse as to recruit n1y own strength ; and as VOL. II. D |