Coloma

Still, we attached little importance to the fact, for gold was known to exist at San Fernando in the south, and yet was not considered of much value.

Colonel Mason then handed me a letter from Captain Sutter addressed to him, stating that he, Sutter, was engaged in erecting a sawmill at Coloma, about 40 miles up the American Fork above his fort at New Helvetia, for the general benefit of the settlers in that vicinity, that he had incurred considerable expense and wanted a preemption to a quarter section of land on which the mill was located, embracing the tail race in which this particular gold had been found.

Mason instructed me to prepare a letter in answer for his signature.

I wrote off a letter reciting that California was yet a Mexican province, simply held by us as a conquest, that no laws of the United States yet applied to it, much less the land laws or preemption laws, which could only apply after a public survey.

Others, Captain Sutter included, made speeches, and before the celebration was over, Sutter was enthusiastic, and many others showed the effects of the aguadente.

The next day, namely July 5, 1848, we resumed our journey toward the mines, and in twenty-five miles of as hot and dusty a ride as possible, we reached Mormon Island.

I have heretofore stated that the gold was first found in the tail race of the stew mill at Coloma, forty miles above Sutter's Fort, or fifteen above Mormon Island, in the bed of the American Fork of the Sacramento River.

It seems that Sutter had employed an American named Marshall, a sort of millwright, to do this work for him, but Marshall afterward claimed that in the matter of the sawmill they were co-partners.

Finding that they were already crowded and that the first fruits had been gathered, Mr. Audubon turned with his friend Layton to the northern mines.

The two proceeded to Sacramento and thence to Coloma and Georgetown, where the journal suddenly stops.

The trip was probably interrupted at this point, and Mr. Audubon called back to San Francisco to make preparations for his return home.

Throughout the whole of this long journey, Mr. Audubon took notes of scenes and occurrences by the way.

House stories of Indians are told to every traveler.

Though often near them, I have never found any who were not greater cowards than myself, and we leave today for Sutter's Mills, Georgetown, etc., in good health and spirits.

May 4th, Coloma.

Sutter's Mill is about 50 miles distant, nearly east of Sacramento.

one do that, Wendy?

Well, we sponsored an old guy who had a revolutionary gold pan and we went over to Coloma, California with him so he could participate in the championship yeah and they made me go in the ladies and they give you a bucket of sand and they put an amount of gold in the bucket they don't tell you how many specs are in there yeah and then you have to pan it in the fastest time and retrieve the exact amount of gold and take it to the

officials and then you win and so how many specs did you have for your winning uh attempt

There was seven specks in my bucket.

Still we attached little importance to the fact for gold was known to exist at San Fernando in the south, and yet was not considered of much value.

Colonel Mason then handed me a letter from Captain Sutter, addressed to him, stating that he, Sutter, was engaged in erecting a sawmill at Coloma, about forty miles up the American Fork, above his fort at New Helvetia, for the general benefit of the settlers in that vicinity, that he had incurred considerable expense, and wanted a preemption to a quarter section of land on which the mill was located, embracing the tail-race in which this particular gold had been found.

Mason instructed me to prepare a letter in answer for his signature.

I wrote off a letter reciting that California was yet a Mexican province, simply held by us as a conquest, that no laws of the United States yet applied to it, much less the land-laws or preemption-laws, which could only apply after a public survey.

The entrance was by a large gate, opened by day and closed at night, with two iron ship's guns near at hand.

inside there was a large house with a good shingle roof used as a storehouse and all round the walls were ranged rooms the fort wall being the outer wall of the house the inner wall also was of adobe these rooms were used by captain sutter himself and by his people he had a blacksmith's shop carpenter's shop etc and other rooms where the women made blankets sutter was monarch of all he surveyed and had authority to inflict punishment even unto death a power he did not fail to use he had horses cattle and sheep and of these he gave liberally and without price to all in need he caused to be driven into our camp a beef and some sheep which were slaughtered for our use already the gold mines were beginning to be felt many people were then encamped some going and some coming all full of gold stories and each surpassing the other we found preparations in progress for celebrating the fourth of july then close at hand and we agreed to remain over to assist on the occasion of course being the high officials we were the honored guests people came from a great distance to attend this celebration of the fourth of july and the tables were laid in the large room inside the storehouse of a fort a man of some note named sinclair presided and after a substantial meal and a reasonable supply of agua dente we began the toasts all that i remember is that folsom and i spoke for our party others captain sutter included made speeches and before the celebration was over sutter was enthusiastic and many others showed the effects of the agua dente the next day namely july five eighteen forty eight we resumed our journey toward the mines and in twenty-five miles of as hot and dusty a ride as possible, we reached Mormon Island.

I have heretofore stated that the gold was first found in the tail-race of the stew-mill at Coloma forty miles above Sutter's Fort, or fifteen above Mormon Island, in the bed of the American Fork of the Sacramento River.

It seems that Sutter had employed an American named Marshall, a sort of millwright to do this work for him but marshall afterward claimed that in the matter of the sawmill they were copartners at all events marshall and the family of mr wimmer were living at coloma where the pine trees afforded the best materials for lumber he had under him four white men mormons who had been discharged from cook's battalion and some indians these were engaged in hewing logs building a mill-dam and putting up a sawmill marshall as the architect had made the tub wheel and had set it in motion and had also furnished some of the rude parts of machinery necessary for an ordinary up-and-down sawmill labour was very scarce expensive and had to be economised the mill was built over a dry channel of the river which was calculated to be the tail-race After arranging his head-race, dam, and tub-wheel, he let on the water to test the goodness of his machinery.