r diggings. Grass is plentiful in the
valley, but the rocky heights are covered with a stinted vegetation,
offering no food to our horses. The soil, mineralogically considered,
does not seem to vary materially from that in the neighbourhood of
Weber's Creek. If anything, it is more impregnated with gold. On
Friday, Don Luis discovered a large rough lump in a canone about a mile
from the shanty; and the next evening a similar lump, though rather
smaller, was picked up by Bradley in one of his hunting excursions.

_August 8th_.--We have engaged the services of our friend the trapper
at the rate of fifteen dollars a-week, with an allowance of whisky
twice a-day. He will hunt for us, but will have nothing to do with gold
digging and washing. He has a tolerable contempt for dollars, or else
he would have demanded higher wages. A man who has spent nearly all his
life in the wilderness, who has known no wants but such as his rifle
could quickly supply, may, however, well look with contempt on the
"root of all evil." If he were hungry, a shot at some panting elk or
bellowing buffalo would stock him with food for weeks to come. If he
were athirst, the clear water of some sparkling rivulet would yield him
all that he would require. The hide of the bear or of the buffalo would
serve to clothe him and to shelter him from the sharp night frosts;
while a score of beaver skins would purchase him ammunition more than
sufficient to last him all the year round. What, then, should he want
with gold?

Yesterday, while we were at dinner, we were surprised by seeing a party
of Indians approaching the camp from the direction of Truckee Lake.
They appeared not to have any hostile intentions, so we quietly awaited
their approach. The foremost chief held before him a long stick, with a
bunch of white feathers dangling at the end. Story explained to us that
this was a friendly sign, and said we had nothing to fear from the
party. As they approached nearer towards us, they commenced dancing and
singing, and we could soon perceive that very few among them were
armed, and that altogether their appearance was anything but warlike
and imposing.

Story went out to meet them, and shook hands with the few foremost
chiefs. When they reached the shanty, before the door of which we were
seated, the chiefs gathered on the right-hand side of us, and squatted
themselves down upon the ground, when the pipe of peace was immediately
produced by a veteran chief