proceeded on till late in the night. Again halting, and posting a
sentinel who was relieved every two hours, they lay down to sleep, for
they were worn out with their rapid marches. At the first faint streak
of light, they were in motion, and thus pursuing their way rapidly for
three more days, they were glad to halt, as their horses were
emaciated, lame, and sore, and were scarcely able to keep their feet,
so galling and toilsome had been their journey.

[12] A common mode of taking fish among the Indians.

They calculated they had saved themselves from pursuit, and accordingly
prepared for a few days' rest which was made doubly sweet to them by
the prospect of the dear home and friends which loomed up before them.
Building a temporary shelter, they spent several days in that place and
became more acquainted with their two new companions. Jones was a
curiosity in himself, fearing nor caring for nothing but being broiled
alive, a fate for which he evinced the utmost repugnance, and declared
he would be willing to adopt any emergency than encounter it, an
alternative they all coincided heartily in, with the exception of Cole,
who expressed a decided belief that it was preferable to many things,
and delighted to hold up its advantages, but what they were he never
specified to his more sensitive companion.

They were both from Connecticut and had been some years sailors, their
ship having been driven and wrecked by winds on the Pacific coast they
were obliged to content themselves as best they could; and as they
enjoyed a large share of constitutional Yankee restlessness, sought to
turn their misfortunes to some account. While waiting for relief they
explored the deep unbroken wilds that surrounded them. In doing this
they encountered many difficulties, and often hazarded their lives, but
were rewarded by finding, as they asserted, gold mines scattered over a
large district. Returning home by an overland route with specimens of
the ore, they had induced others to return with them, accompanied by
their families, their object being to take up the land on which the
precious metal was found and settle it, guessing with characteristic
shrewdness that as soon as it was known in the Eastern States that
there was gold in the place, the land would be of immense value.

There were eleven of them all, two women and two children, one ten and
the other twelve years old; the rest being well calculated for such a
daring enterpr