r
shipmates and with the two doctors, who had bought a tent and settled
themselves near our old place by Montgomery's store.

SATURDAY, 25.--The two holes were "bottomed" before noon with no paying
result. It had been hard work, and they were rather low-spirited about
it. The rest of the day they spent in washing some surface-soil, and
altogether collected about I ounce and a half of gold-dust,
counting the little I had washed out on the Friday. In the evening it
was all dried by being placed in a spade over a quick fire. We had
before determined to square accounts and divide the gold every Saturday
night, but this small quantity was not worth the trouble, so it was
laid by in the digger's usual treasury, a German match-box. These round
boxes hold on an average eight ounces of gold.

These two unproductive holes had not been very deep. The top, or
surface soil, for which a spade or shovel is used, was of clay. This
was succeeded by a strata almost as hard as iron--technically called
"burnt stuff,"--which robbed the pick of its points nearly as soon as the
blacksmith had steeled them at a charge of 2s. 6d. a point. Luckily for
their arms, this strata was but thin, and the yellow or blue clay which
followed was comparatively easy work--here and there an awkward lump of
quartz required the use of the pick. Suddenly they came to some
glittering particles of yellow, which, with heartfelt delight they
hailed as gold. It WAS MICA. Many are at first deceived by it, but it
is soon distinguished by its weight, as the mica will blow away with
the slightest puff. After a little useless digging among the
clay, they reached the solid rock, and thus having fairly "bottomed,"
the holes to no purpose, they abandoned them.

SUNDAY, 26.--Although impossible at the diggings to keep this day with
those outward observances which are customary in civilized life, we
attempted to make as much difference as possible between the day of
rest and that of work. Frank performed the office of chaplain, and read
the morning service in the calm and serious manner which we expected
from him.

I was rather amused to see the alacrity with which, when this slight
service was over, they all prepared to assist me in the formation of a
huge plum-pudding for the Sunday's dinner. Stoning plums and chopping
suet seemed to afford them immense pleasure--I suppose it was a
novelty; and, contrary to the fact implied in the old adage, "too many
cooks spoil the br