great deal and learned more of human nature than I ever knew before. As to money, I have made none yet. But I am still in hope. I would have written you three weeks ago, but I was taken with a bilious attack which kept me in bed two weeks. Now I am better and will be able to work Monday. My hand trembles so I don't know whether you can read my letter or not. I am still with Doc Partlow. He has gone over on Trinity River to prospect, and I hope he will bring back good news. I have not received any letters from you since I last wrote, but the mail comes in today and I look for letters strongly. We wrote to Jo Crain in Oregon to send our letters to us, and it is about time they were here. I have got hold of a few papers which say that you have had a cold winter in all the States. This is a splendid climate. A man can go without a coat all winter when he can work. The weather now is delightful, not a cloud to be seen, and a cool breeze from the mountains which are on all sides of us. Sacramento City has been all overflowed, but the river has fallen and the city is on dry land again. Charley Hansicken is in Sacramento City, editor of a paper.
If I had known as much a year ago as I do now, I would not have left the States. As it is I am here and I am going to make some money before I come back. That is what I came for. I do hope and pray that you are all well and doing well. If I made three Hundred Dollars or over between this and the first of August, I am going to Oregon. All I want is a little capital there and I can make money. If I should make that much, I should go to The Dalles and buy broken-down cattle of emigrants and recruit them up and drive them into the [Willamette] Valley and winter them and in the spring I can treble my money. ... I had the prettiest kind of a specimen to send to you, but when I was sick I gave my purse to one of the Boys to buy me a pair of blankets and they let it go. I was too sick to mention anything about it. I am very sorry I have none at present, but the next time I write I will send one.
There was a great time in town Saturday, an election for Senator. ... It was an old-fashioned one like they used to have in Covington, drinking and quarreling and gambling. There is a great amount of gambling going on in California. The mail is in, but nothing for us which I am very sorry indeed for. I
