ptember.
There they hired a team to take them to Coloma, at which place they encamped. He whom Mr Taylor calls his partner went over to the middle branch, where he met friends whom he joined, and was soon making one or two hundred dollars a day. Being thus left alone, Taylor returned to the fort, arriving the 25th of September, and having in his pocket about twenty-five dollars. While considering in just what way he would make his fortune, his money being pretty well spent, he was accosted by his old friend Barton Lee. ** Chris, what are you going to do?" "Well," said Taylor, "I think I shall go into business here." "You are just the man I want," returned Lee. "Come and dine with me."
Now neither of these individuals had capital suffi- cient to pay a week's board; yet each thought the other possessed of abundance. Both, however, were enlightened before dinner was over. Lee had a little the advantage, as he had begun a large business by renting a room in the fort for a store, though he had nothing to put in it. For this he had promised to pay a rental of $100 a month; the first month's rent was still due. These interesting facts came out gradually between courses, as they might be told without affecting digestion.
"What do you think of it ?" asked Lee after dinner. " I think I shall go into business," said Taylor. ' ' Where is the stock to come from?" inquired Lee. "Do you know any one at San Francisco?" "No one," re- sponded Taylor. "But we can get goods enough; we will buy them." There were at this time con- stantly arriving from the bay small sloops, laden with such goods as the miners required. Assuming the attitude of senior partner, although Lee had the room rented before him, Taylor said, "While I sweep out the store, you go down to the embarcadero and buy out the first vessel that arrives; buy everything on board." " But where will I get money with which to pay for it all?" Lee wanted to know. "Leave that
