r,
was quite a respectable affair. I had the honor of making a flag for
the occasion. The stripes were formed of cotton cloth and red calico,
of which last gorgeous material no possible place in California is ever
destitute. A piece of drilling, taken from the roof of the Humboldt,
which the rain and the sun had faded from its original somber hue to
just that particular shade of blue which you and I admire so much,
served for a union. A large star in the center, covered with gold-leaf,
represented California. Humble as were the materials of which it was
composed, this banner made quite a gay appearance floating from the top
of a lofty pine in front of the Empire, to which it was suspended.

I went over to Rich Bar at six in the morning, not wishing to take so
fatiguing a walk in the heat of the day. After breakfast I assisted
Mrs. B. and one of the gentlemen in decorating the dining-room, the
walls of which we completely covered with grape-vines, relieved here
and there with bunches of elder-blow. We made several handsome
bouquets, and arranged one of syringas, white lilies, and the feathery
green of the cedar, to be presented, in the name of the ladies, to the
orator of the day. You can imagine my disgust, when the ceremony was
performed, to observe that some officious Goth had marred the perfect
keeping of the gift by thrusting into the vase several ugly purple
blossoms.

The exercises were appointed to commence at ten o'clock, but they were
deferred for half an hour, in expectation of the arrival of two ladies
who had taken up their abode in the place within the last six weeks,
and were living on Indian Bar hill. As they did not come, however, it
was thought necessary to proceed without them. So Mrs. B. and myself
were obliged to sit upon the piazza of the Empire, comprising, in our
two persons, the entire female audience.

The scene was indeed striking. The green-garlanded hills girdling Rich
Bar looked wonderfully beautiful, rising with their grand abrupt
outlines into the radiant summer sky. A platform reared in front of the
Empire, beneath the banner-tasseled pine, and arched with fragrant fir
boughs, made the prettiest possible rustic rostrum. The audience,
grouped beneath the awnings of the different shops, dressed in their
colored shirts,--though here and there one might observe a dandy miner
who had relieved the usual vestment by placing beneath it one of calico
or white muslin,--added much to the pictures