dark orbs, and,
taking her fat little hand in mine, I led her to my room, where, in the
penitence of my heart, I gave her everything that she desired. The
little chatterer was enchanted, not having had any new playthings for a
long while. It was beautiful to hear her pretty exclamations of ecstasy
at the sight of some tiny scent-bottles, about an inch in length, which
she called baby decanters.

Mr. B. intends, in a day or two, to take his children to their
grandmother, who resides somewhere near Marysville, I believe. This is
an awful place for children, and nervous mothers would "die daily" if
they could see little Mary running fearlessly to the very edge of, and
looking down into, these holes (many of them sixty feet in depth),
which have been excavated in the hope of finding gold, and of course
left open.

LETTER _the_ SIXTH

[_The_ PIONEER, _July_, 1854]

USE _of_ PROFANITY--UNCERTAINTY _of_ MINING

SYNOPSIS

Prevalence of profanity in California. Excuses for its use. A mere slip
of the tongue, etc. Grotesqueness of some blasphemous expressions.
Sleep-killing mining machinery. What a flume is. Project to flume the
river for many miles. The California mining system a gambling or
lottery transaction. Miner who works his own claim the more successful.
Dr. C. a loser in his mining ventures. Another sleep-killer.
Bowling-alleys. Bizarre cant phrases and slang used by the miners
"Honest Indian?" "Talk enough when horses fight". "Talk enough between
gentlemen". "I've got the dead-wood on him". "I'm going nary cent" (on
person mistrusted). All carry the freshness of originality to the
author's ear.

Letter _the_ Sixth

USE _of_ PROFANITY--UNCERTAINTY _of_ MINING

RICH BAR, EAST BRANCH _of the_ NORTH FORK _of_ FEATHER RIVER,

_September_ 30, 1851.

I think that I have never spoken to you of the mournful extent to which
profanity prevails in California. You know that at home it is
considered _vulgar_ for a gentleman to swear; but I am told that here
it is absolutely the fashion, and that people who never uttered an oath
in their lives while in the "States," now clothe themselves with curses
as with a garment. Some try to excuse themselves by saying that it is a
careless habit, into which they have glided imperceptibly from having
been compelled to associate so long with the vulgar and the profane;
that it is a mere slip of the tongue, which means absolutely nothing;
etc. I am willing to belie