see the tracks of many deer along the
flats, but caught no sight of the animals themselves. At one place,
however, we did frighten a small band of half a dozen elk. They crashed
away recklessly through the brush, making noise and splashing enough for
a hundred. Yank threw one of his little pea bullets after them; and
certainly hit, for we found drops of blood. The sailor shook his head
disparagingly over the size of the rifle balls, to Yank's vast disgust.
I never saw him come nearer to losing his temper. As a matter of fact I
think the sailor's contention had something in it; the long accurate
weapon with its tiny missile was probably all right when its user had a
chance to plant the bullet exactly in a fatal spot, but not for such
quick snap shooting as this. At any rate our visions of cheap fresh meat
vanished on the hoof.

The last day out we came into a wide bottomland country with oaks. The
distant blue hills had grown, and had become slate-gray. At noon we
discerned ahead of us a low bluff, and a fork in the river; and among
the oak trees the gleam of tents, and before them a tracery of masts
where the boats and small ships lay moored to the trees. This was the
_embarcadero_ of Sutter's Fort beyond; or the new city of
Sacramento, whichever you pleased. Here our boat journey ended.

We disembarked into a welter of confusion. Dust, men, mules, oxen,
bales, boxes, barrels, and more dust. Everything was in the open air.
Tents were pitched in the open, under the great oaks, anywhere and
everywhere. Next, the river, and for perhaps a hundred yards from the
banks, the canvas structures were arranged in rows along what were
evidently intended to be streets; but beyond that every one simply
"squatted" where he pleased. We tramped about until we found a clear
space, and there dumped down our effects. They were simple enough; and
our housekeeping consisted in spreading our blankets and canvas, and
unpacking our frying pan and pots. The entire list of our provisions
consisted of pork, flour, salt, tea, coffee, sugar, tobacco, and some
spirits.

After supper we went out in a body to see what we could find out
concerning our way to the mines. We did not even possess a definite idea
as to where we wanted to go!

In this quest we ran across our first definite discouragement. The place
was full of men and they were all willing to talk. Fully three quarters
were, like ourselves, headed toward the mines; and were consequently