“Returning home, after an absence of about three weeks, from Galveston, where I had been with a drove of cattle, I found your letter awaiting me, and you can imagine the pleasure we all enjoyed in again hearing that you are in good health and still continue in the old business of mining, with fair prospects ahead of you, and we sincerely hope that your fullest expectations may be realized from your silver mine up in Cœur D’Alene. My family are all in the best of health and my two oldest sons are now of that age to be of great assistance to me upon the ranch. This, as you know, is quite a pleasant country in which to settle down for life, and we are all reasonably contented. For this reason, I ought not to complain. Yet this is not California, by any means. Although having a pleasant home, yet I am continually thinking of the happy years I spent in California, and with a desire to make that my future home, which I certainly would do if I could dispose of my property here. You tell me that great changes have taken place in some portions of the mining regions. That in many places our old piles of tailings have been levelled down; the places where we mined filled up again and planted with fruit trees and grape vines, and also that pleasant homes can now be seen among the hills where formerly all was desolate and dreary, and where in the opinion of all of us at that early day no reasons were known why they should not so continue. You tell me in your letter that the old-timers are fast disappearing, and that not more than 500 or 600 are at present living in the mining region. This fact I am sorry to hear, although ’tis what must be from the nature of things expected. If circumstances are such that I shall not be able to sell my property here and remove with my family to California, I shall, at any rate, make you a visit, perhaps next winter; if not, then the winter following, for I tell you, Pard, there is no spot upon the face of the earth more dear to me, except my home, or filled with such pleasant associations than the mining regions of California, and a residence there of fifteen or twenty years unfits a man for a residence in any other portion of the Union, or, in fact, anywhere else. When I come we will get Yank and Jeff, if we can find them, and start on a prospecting tour around among the old camps, where we mined in early days. We will go to Mokelumne Hill, then over to Angel’s camp, then up through Jackson in old Amador, and then we’ll strike onto our old trail up past Duncan’s store and pan out a few pans on the MacCosmy (Cosumnes). Then, if we have time, I would like very much to visit Chili Gulch, over in Calaveras County, that historic spot, where you remember the Chileans captured the Kentucky boys. Then we’ll strike on to the old trail up through Fiddletown, where we’ll find, I think, a few old-timers; then along up through old Hangtown, in Eldorado County, where you tell me that fifty or sixty old Forty-niners are still hanging out. We’ll prospect around up Cedar, Oregon and Spanish Ravines, take a look over in the big cañon and at that rich spot we struck at Poverty Point. We will lay in a fresh supply of provisions from Coleman’s store, if he is yet in business in Hangtown, lay in a few mince pies from Doctor Wakefield’s wife, under the hill, and continue our prospecting across the South Fork, up through Coloma, Georgetown, Spanish Flat, up on around Forest Hill and vicinity, where the boys used to roll the dust out by the million. And if we have time, Pard, we’ll visit Nevada, Rough and Ready, Squaw Hollow, Last Chance, and all other camps and river bars where we used to prospect in early days. And I tell you that such a trip, for me, would give me more pleasure than a journey through the Holy Land or any other portion of the earth’s surface. Give my best respects to all old acquaintances that you run across in your wanderings, and please tell them for me that from a residence of about twenty years among the mountain ranges of California I acquired that trait of hospitality which is peculiar to your State, and if any of them should ever chance to visit this portion of the country, they will always find the latch-string hanging outside the door. Don’t forget, either, what I have before mentioned to you, that when the storms of adversity strike you too heavy, or if the bed rock in the diggings is inclined to buck, and the claim don’t pan well, we have an extra room prepared and ready; an extra chair at the table, also, always ready for my old Pard which he is welcome to occupy the balance of his life. My family join in sending their respects, and hoping to hear from you soon again, I remain, as ever, Your old Pard,
“Tex.”
Tennessee having finished reading the letter, and after each one had given his opinion in relation to the kindness and noble qualities of the writer of it, it was suggested that they all unite in drinking to his health. The toast from old Mike upon the occasion being:
“An’ now, me b’ys, here’s a long life, hilth and prosperity to our ould comrade, Tex, an’ may the b’ys who are now afther drinkin’ to his hilth be able to mate togither yearly for the balance ov ther lives an’ repait the same operation, be jabers.”
Three cheers were then given for Tex, while old Mike was not forgotten.
Tennessee was asked if he was acquainted with the particulars of the incident that occurred in Chili Gulch referred to by Tex? He replied that he was, as he got the whole account of it from Kentuck, who was present and took a part in the affair:
“This Chili Gulch is a few miles from Mokelumne Hill and empties into the Calaveras River. It was given this name because ’twas discovered by a company of Chileans numbering about thirty, and they had worked there for several months, and were taking out gold by the bushel. In the winter of ’49-’50 a company of men composed of Texans and Kentuckians, with a few from Arkansas and Missouri, numbering about sixteen in all, camped near Chili Gulch, and finding that these foreigners were getting more than their share of gold, concluded to drive them out and take possession of these rich claims. They therefore posted notices in the gulch ordering the foreigners to vacate within twenty-four hours or suffer the consequences. But no attention was paid to the order for the reason that no law had been passed by the Government to prevent them from mining in California. And from this fact they inferred that they had as good a right to mine as any one. The miners, finding that they did not intend to leave, drove them out by main force and took possession, not only of their mining ground, but also of their tools, tents and even of some of their clothing. The Chileans went up to Mokelumne Hill for assistance, but the officers of the law refused to assist them. The sheriff did, however, in order to get rid of them, give them a blank warrant with the privilege of filling it out and serving said warrant in any manner they pleased. Armed with this authority they went early in the morning and took the whole company of miners prisoners, but unfortunately one Missourian was killed and another one badly wounded during the affray. They tied the hands of their prisoners, and driving them along in the road ahead of them, started for the town of Stockton, distant about eighty miles. Kentuck said ‘that they was jist the maddest set of men you ever did see, for the idea of bein’ driv along the road like a flock of geese by them d—d greasers, with their hands tied behind their backs, was terrible.’
“And said he, if we could only have got loose, we’d have killed the whole lot of ’em.