memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第18节
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ed out； 〃Come in。〃 In walked Marshall； who was a half…crazy man at best； but then looked strangely wild。〃 〃What is the matter； Marshall！〃 Marshall inquired if any one was within hearing； and began to peer about the room； and look under the bed； when Sutter； fearing that some calamity had befallen the party up at the saw…mill； and that Marshall was really crazy； began to make his way to the door； demanding of Marshall to explain what was the matter。 At last he revealed his discovery； and laid before Captain Sutter the pellicles of gold he had picked up in the ditch。 At first； Sutter attached little or no importance to the discovery； and told Marshall to go back to the mill； and say nothing of what he had seen to Mr。 Wimmer； or any one else。 Yet； as it might add value to the location； he dispatched to our headquarters at Monterey； as I have already related； the two men with a written application for a preemption to the quarter…section of land at Coloma。 Marshall returned to the mill； but could not keep out of his wonderful ditch； and by some means the other men employed there learned his secret。 They then wanted to gather the gold； and Marshall threatened to shoot them if they attempted it； but these men had sense enough to know that if 〃placer〃…gold existed at Coloma； it would also be found farther down…stream； and they gradually 〃prospected〃 until they reached Mormon Island； fifteen miles below； where they discovered one of the richest placers on earth。 These men revealed the fact to some other Mormons who were employed by Captain Sutter at a grist…mill he was building still lower down the American Fork； and six miles above his fort。 All of them struck for higher wages； to which Sutter yielded； until they asked ten dollars a day； which he refused； and the two mills on which he had spent so much money were never built； and fell into decay。
In my opinion； when the Mormons were driven from Nauvoo； Illinois； in 1844； they cast about for a land where they would not be disturbed again； and fixed on California。 In the year 1845 a ship； the Brooklyn； sailed from New York for California； with a colony of Mormons； of which Sam Brannan was the leader； and we found them there on our arrival in Jannary； 1847。 When General Kearney； at Fort Leavenworth； was collecting volunteers early in 1846； for the Mexican War； he； through the instrumentality of Captain James Allen； brother to our quartermaster； General Robert Allen； raised the battalion of Mormons at Kanesville； Iowa； now Council Bluffs； on the express understanding that it would facilitate their migration to California。 But when the Mormons reached Salt Lake； in 1846； they learned that they had been forestalled by the United States forces in California； and they then determined to settle down where they were。 Therefore； when this battalion of five companies of Mormons （raised by Allen； who died on the way； and was succeeded by Cooke） was discharged at Los Angeles； California； in the early summer of 1847； most of the men went to their people at Salt Lake； with all the money received； as pay from the United States； invested in cattle and breeding…horses； one company reenlisted for another year； and the remainder sought work in the country。 As soon as the fame of the gold discovery spread through California； the Mormons naturally turned to Mormon Island； so that in July； 1848； we found about three hundred of them there at work。 Sam Brannan was on hand as the high…priest； collecting the tithes。 Clark； of Clark's Point； an early pioneer； was there also； and nearly all the Mormons who had come out in the Brooklyn； or who had staid in California after the discharge of their battalion； had collected there。 I recall the scene as perfectly to…day as though it were yesterday。 In the midst of a broken country； all parched and dried by the hot sun of July； sparsely wooded with live…oaks and straggling pines； lay the valley of the American River； with its bold mountain…stream coming out of the Snowy Mountains to the east。 In this valley is a fiat； or gravel…bed； which in high water is an island； or is overflown； but at the time of our visit was simply a level gravel…bed of the river。 On its edges men were digging； and filling buckets with the finer earth and gravel； which was carried to a machine made like a baby's cradle； open at the foot； and at the head a plate of sheet…iron or zinc； punctured full of holes。 On this metallic plate was emptied the earth； and water was then poured on it from buckets； while one man shook the cradle with violent rocking by a handle。 On the bottom were nailed cleats of wood。 With this rude machine four men could earn from forty to one hundred dollars a day； averaging sixteen dollars； or a gold ounce； per man per day。 While the' sun blazed down on the heads of the miners with tropical heat； the water was bitter cold； and all hands were either standing in the water or had their clothes wet all the time； yet there were no complaints of rheumatism or cold。 We made our camp on a small knoll； a little below the island； and from it could overlook the busy scene。 A few bush…huts near by served as stores； boardinghouses； and for sleeping； but all hands slept on the ground； with pine…leaves and blankets for bedding。 As soon as the news spread that the Governor was there； persons came to see us； and volunteered all kinds of information； illustrating it by samples of the gold； which was of a uniform kind； 〃scale… gold；〃 bright and beautiful。 A large variety； of every conceivable shape and form； was found in the smaller gulches round about； but the gold in the river…bed was uniformly 〃scale…gold。〃 I remember that Mr。 Clark was in camp； talking to Colonel Mason about matters and things generally； when he inquired； 〃Governor； what business has Sam Brannan to collect the tithes here？〃 Clark admitted that Brannan was the head of the Mormon church in California； and he was simply questioning as to Brannan's right； as high…priest； to compel the Mormons to pay him the regular tithes。 Colonel Mason answered； 〃Brannan has a perfect right to collect the tax； if you Mormons are fools enough to pay it。〃 〃Then；〃 said Clark； 〃I for one won't pay it any longer。〃 Colonel Mason added： 〃This is public land； and the gold is the property of the United States； all of you here are trespassers； but； as the Government is benefited by your getting out the gold； I do not intend to interfere。〃 I understood； afterward； that from that time the payment of the tithes ceased； but Brannan had already collected enough money wherewith to hire Sutter's hospital； and to open a store there； in which he made more money than any merchant in California； during that summer and fall。 The understanding was； that the money collected by him as tithes was the foundation of his fortune； which is still very large in San Francisco。 That evening we all mingled freely with the miners； and witnessed the process of cleaning up and 〃panning〃 out； which is the last process for separating the pure gold from the fine dirt and black sand。
The next day we continued our journey up the valley of the American Fork； stopping at various camps； where mining was in progress； and about noon we reached Coloma； the place where gold had been first discovered。 The hills were higher； and the timber of better quality。 The river was narrower and bolder； and but few miners were at work there； by reason of Marshall's and Sutter's claim to the site。 There stood the sawmill unfinished； the dam and tail…race just as they were left when the Mormons ceased work。 Marshall and Wimmer's family of wife and half a dozen children were there； guarding their supposed treasure； living in a house made of clapboards。 Here also we were shown many specimens of gold； of a coarser grain than that found at Mormon Island。 The next day we crossed the American River to its north side； and visited many small camps of men； in what were called the 〃dry diggings。〃 Little pools of water stood in the beds of the streams； and these were used to wash the dirt； and there the gold was in every conceivable shape and size； some of the specimens weighing several ounces。 Some of these 〃diggings〃 were extremely rich； but as a whole they were more precarious in results than at the river。 Sometimes a lucky fellow would hit on a 〃pocket；〃 and collect several thousand dollars in a few days； and then again he would be shifting about from place to place； 〃prospecting；〃 and spending all he had made。 Little stores were being opened at every point； where flour； bacon； etc。； were sold； every thing being a dollar a pound； and a meal usually costing three dollars。 Nobody paid for a bed； for he slept on the ground； without fear of cold or rain。 We spent nearly a week in that region； and were quite bewildered by the fabulous tales of recent discoveries； which at the time were confined to the several forks of the American and Yuba Rivers。' All this time our horses had nothing to eat but the sparse grass in that region； and we were forced to work our way down toward the Sacramento Valley； or to see our animals perish。 Still we contemplated a visit to the Yuba and Feather Rivers； from which we had heard of more wonderful 〃diggings；〃 but met a courier； who announced the
