the "banker" himself--in charge of
his "croupier," who pays them out, or draws them in, as the bank loses
or wins, along with such coin as may have been staked upon the _albur_.

Around the table's edge, and in front of each player, is his own private
pile, usually a mixture of doubloons, dollars, and ivory cheques, with
bags or packets of gold-dust and nuggets. Of bank-notes there are few,
or none--the currency of California being through the medium of metal;
at this date, 1849, most of it unminted, and in its crude state, as it
came out of the mine, or the river's mud. By the croupier's hand is a
pair of scales with weights appertaining; their purpose being to
ascertain the value of such little gold packages as are "punted" upon
the cards--this only needed to be known when the bank is loser.
Otherwise, they are ruthlessly raked in alongside the other deposits,
without any note made of the amount.

The dealer sits centrally at the side of the table, in a grand chair,
cards in hand. After shuffling, he turns their faces up, one by one,
and with measured slowness. He interrupts himself at intervals as the
face of a card is exposed, making a point for or against him in the
game. Calling this out in calm voice and long-drawn monotone, he waits
for the croupier to square accounts; which the latter does by drawing
in, or pushing out, the coins and cheques, with the nimbleness of a
presti-digitateur. Old bets are rearranged, new ones made, and the
dealing proceeds.

Around the tables sit, or stand, the players, exhibiting a variety of
facial types, and national costumes. For there you may see not only
human specimens of every known nationality, but of every rank in the
social scale, with the callings and professions that appertain to it; an
assemblage such as is rarely, if ever, observed elsewhere: gentlemen who
may have won university honours; officers wearing gold straps on their
shoulders, or bands of lace around the rims of their caps; native
Californians, resplendent in slashed and buttoned velveteens; States'
lawyers, and doctors, in sober black; even judges, who that same morning
were seated upon the bench--may be all observed at the Monte table,
mingling with men in red flannel shirts, blanket coats, and trousers
tucked into the tops of mud-bedaubed boots; with sailors in pea-jackets
of coarse pilot, or Guernsey smocks, unwashed, unkempt, unshorn; not
only mingling with, but jostled by them--rudely, if occasi