ople here call this bird a grouse, and those who have crossed
the plains say that it is very much like the prairie-hen. The Spanish
name is gallina del campo, literally, hen of the field. Since the death
of my poor little victim, I have been told that it is utterly
impossible to tame one of these birds, and it is said that if you put
their eggs under a domestic fowl, the young, almost as soon as hatched,
will instinctively run away to the beloved solitudes of their congenial
homes, so passionately beats for liberty each pulse of their free and
wild natures.

Among the noteworthy events which have occurred since my last, I don't
know how I came to forget until the close of my letter two smart shocks
of an earthquake to which we were treated a week ago. They were
awe-inspiring, but, after all, were nothing in comparison to the
timber-quake, an account of which I have given you above. But as F. is
about to leave for the top of the Butte Mountains with a party of Rich
Barians, and as I have much to do to prepare him for the journey, I
must close.

LETTER _the_ ELEVENTH

[_The_ PIONEER, _December_, 1854]

ROBBERY, TRIAL, EXECUTION--MORE TRAGEDY

SYNOPSIS

Theft of gold-dust. Arrest of two suspected miners. Trial and acquittal
at miners' meeting. Robbed persons still believe accused guilty.
Suspects leave mountains. One returns, and plan for his detection is
successful. Confronted with evidence of guilt, discloses, on promise of
immunity from prosecution, hiding-place of gold-dust. Miners, however,
try him, and on conviction he is sentenced to be hanged one hour
thereafter. Miners' mode of trial. Respite of three hours. Bungling
execution. Drunken miner's proposal for sign of guilt or innocence.
Corpse "enwrapped in white shroud of feathery snowflakes". Execution
the work of the more reckless. Not generally approved. The Squire,
disregarded, protested. Miners' procedure compared with the moderation
of the first Vigilance Committee of San Francisco. Singular disappearance
of body of miner. Returning to the States with his savings, his two
companions report their leaving him in dying condition. Arrest and
fruitless investigation. An unlikely bequest of money. Trial and
acquittal of the miner's companions. Their story improbable, their
actions like actual murder.

Letter _the_ Eleventh

ROBBERY, TRIAL, EXECUTION--MORE TRAGEDY

_From our Log Cabin_, INDIAN BAR,

_December_ 15, 1851.

I little thoug