sierra swarmed with pack-trains[1] all the autumn. Their first resort was Yuba River; but in the spring of 1849 the forks of the American became their principal field of operations, the town of Placerville, first called Hangtown, being founded by them. They were not confined to any localities, however, and made many discoveries, being for the first winter only more numerous in certain places than other miners; and as they were accustomed to camp-life, Indian-fighting, and self-defence generally, they obtained the reputation of being clannish and aggressive. If one of them was killed or robbed, the others felt bound to avenge the injury, and the rifle or the rope soon settled the account. Looking upon them as interlopers, the Californians naturally resented these decided measures. But as the Oregonians were honest, sober, and industrious, and could be accused of nothing worse than being ill-dressed and unkempt and of knowing how to protect themselves, the Californians manifested their prejudice by applying to them the title 'Lop-ears,' which led to the retaliatory appellation of 'Tar-heads,' which elegant terms long remained in use.[2]
It was a huge joke, gold-mining and all, including even life and death. But as to rivalries they signified nothing. Most of the Oregon and Washington adventurers who did not lose their life were successful; opportunity was assuredly greater then in the
- ↑ One of the first companies with pack-animals was under John E. Ross, an immigrant of 1847, and a lieutenant in the Cayuse war, of whom I shall have more to say hereafter. Ross states that Levi Scott had already settled in the Umpqua Valley, and was then the only American south of the Calapooya Mountains. From Scott's to the first house in California, Reading's, was 14 days' travel. See Ross' Nar., MS., passim.
- ↑ Ross' Nar., MS., 15; Crawford's Nar., MS., 194, 204. The American pioneers of California, looking for the origin of the word Oregon in a Spanish phrase signifying long-ears, as I have explained in vol. i. Hist. Or., hit upon this delectable sobriquet for the settlers of that country. With equal justice, admitting this theory to be correct, which it is not, the Oregonians called them tar-heads, because the northern California Indians were observed to cover their heads with tar as a sign of mourning.
This may have been the other division of Lassen's company, though Hancock says there were 25 wagons, which does not agree with Burnett.
