started for the saw-mill. When half-way there,
or more, he saw an object moving in the bushes
at one side. " What is that ? " demanded Sutter of
his attendant. " The man who was with you yester-
day," was the reply. It was still raining. "Have
you been here all night?" asked Sutter of Marshall ; for
it was indeed he. " No," Marshall said, " I slept at
the mill, and came back to meet you." As they rode
along Marshall expressed the opinion that the whole
country was rich in gold. Arrived at the mill, Sutter
took up his quarters at a house Marshall had lately
built for himself, a little way up the mountain, and
yet not far from the mill. During the night the water
ran in the race, and in the morning it was shut off.
All present then proceeded down the channel, and
jumping into it at various points began to gather
gold.^* With some contributions by the men, added
to what he himself picked up, Sutter secured enough
for a ring weighing an ounce and a half, which he soon
after exhibited with great pride as a specimen of the
first gold. A private examination by the partners up
the river disclosed gold all along its course, and in the
tributary ravines and crceks.'^^
Sutter regarded the discovery as a misfortune. Without laborers his extensive works must come to a stop, presaging ruin. Gladly would he have shut the knowledge from the world, for a time, at least. With the men at the mill the best he could do was to make them promise to continue their work, and say nothing of the gold ^discovery for six weeks, by which time he hoped to have his Hour-mill completed, and
^*Bigler, Diary y MS., 65-6, gives a joke which they undertook to play on the Old Cap, as Marshall called Sutter. This was nothing less than to salt the iiiiiie in order that Sutter in his excitement might pass the hottle. Wim- mer's l)oy, running on before, picked up the gold scattered in the race for the harmless surprising of Sutter, and thus spoiled their sport.
'*•' Indeed, Sutter claims that he picked with a small knife from a dry gorge a solid lump weighing nearly an ounce and a half, and regarde«l the tributaries as the richer sources. The work-people obtained an inkling of their discovery, although they sought henceforth to dampen the interest. One of the Indians who seems to have worked in a southern mine published his knowledge. Pere, Jiem.y MS.
