Consequently, we left Yuba City and went up the Feather River into the mining country. After prospecting for several days, we succeeded in securing a claim on the middle fork of Feather River, nearly thirty miles above Bidwell’s.
At this time large quantities of snow still remained in the mountains above Bidwell’s Bar. We made sufficient arrangements to comply with the mining rules and regulations to hold the claim, and formed a company.
The names of all of this company I do not at this time recall, but at least there were two additional men that made the journey with us from Boston to California—Alden J. Nutting, of Westford, Mass., and Cyrus Whittemore, of Antrim, N. H.
The most promising claims had been selected and we made the best arrangements that seemed practical at that time.
The winter of 1849-50 was noted for the great amount of rain that fell in the valleys and the enormous depth of snow that accumulated in the mountains. It was not expected that the streams would become sufficiently low so as to admit of working our claim before June.
After making the arrangements to hold the claim we returned to Bidwell’s and did some mining there and at a place on the middle fork of Feather River, about 15
miles from Bidwell’s. The water being high our success was poor.
While at Yuba City I became acquainted with a man by the name of Damon. Capt. Robert D. Bonner went into trade then in company with another man and desired to hire some money at 10 per cent interest per month.