of cow-boys are respectable as compared with the border ruffians of forty years ago. The term desperado, as I am informed, is derived from the Sanscrit, or some other tongue: desper signifying to “git” and ado being an abbreviation of the word adieu; in border dialect meaning “Farewell, I’m off.” The individual who made the application, even if it was many years ago, knew who he had reference to; for if ever there was a man who felt inclined to “git” and to tender an affectionate farewell, it is one of these old-style border ruffians or desperadoes, when, chancing to be alone, he meets some one with whom he is not on good speaking terms, the sight of whose clenched fist strikes terror into his soul.
They resemble the hyena very much, for when in numbers they are brave, ferocious and warlike, and will at such times attack anything that has legs, from an old milk-stool to a yearling calf, or anything that walks, from a congressman to the walking-beam of a steamboat; but when alone and he scents danger from afar, although encased in armor and with an arsenal suspended to his waist, yet at such a time he resembles very much the appearance of a little dog running up the road with a big tin kettle tied to his tail, while from a rear view all that can be seen is the hardware.
As the spring of ’51 approached, the opinion became general that the mines of California were very nearly worked out, or rather that portion of them which was thought to be worth working, and consequently many left the mining regions in the dry diggings and went up to the various rivers, north or south, others again returning to their Eastern homes. Owing to the great specific gravity of gold, and being ignorant, also, of the reasons why gold was almost invariably associated with running streams, for at this time quartz was unknown and hill gravel mining was not a possible conception, it was supposed that gold would always be found only in the lowest places. The time soon arrived, however, when all old miners, in this mining region at least, were to learn something new in relation to mining, and discover that the richest deposits were not in the lowest places by any means, but in the hills above, in the beds of other, older rivers, and also among the quartz, which is called the mother of gold, since it is only in this rock that gold is found in its original state. To illustrate: Some miners were at work with their cradles in what is called Emigrant Ravine, and about two miles above town. It was a hot, sultry day, and a stranger, with his pick and pan for prospecting, inquired of them if there was a place where he could start in to work. One of the miners, for a joke, pointed towards an oak tree near the ravine upon a little rise of ground, and remarked:
