distance, and seating themselves in a circle on the ground gravely discuss matters. One after another they then went to the store and made their purchases, returning afterward to their place in the circle. And their method of barter was frequently in this wise: Upon a leaf, or piece of paper, one would pour out perhaps a teaspoonful of gold-dust, and taking it to the shopkeeper, point to the article desired and ejaculate, ugh! which being interpreted meant, "I will give you this for that." If the shopkeeper took it, well; if he refused it the Indian would withdraw, increase the pile of dust, and return, repeating the operation until the amount was large enough to procure the article. Again, if it was biscuits they desired, of which a teaspoonful of dust in the days of '48, would buy but half a dozen, and they wanted several dozen, they would go and come, never at any one time bringing more than the first measure of dust, receiving six each time until they had secured all they required, or until their dust was gone.
The Mexican scrape was quite becoming to the California root digger, and took his fancy wonderfully. In the absence of a scrape, however, an American blanket would do, and for this, of a quality worth $4 or $5, they cheerfully paid Weber, the Coloma shopkeeper, $100. Before the end of 1848 thousands of savages, who up" to that had lived on roots and acorns, and had paraded the forests as naked as Adam in the garden, were arrayed in gorgeous apparel costing $500, conspicuous in which was gaudy calico, red handkerchiefs, hat, shirt, pantaloons, and blanket or scrape. For food, in place of acorns and mashed grasshoppers, they purchased almonds and raisins at $16 a pound; and for a bottle of whiskey they paid $16.
While the Reverend Mr Colton was playing miner on the Stanislaus, in the autumn of 1848, there came to his camp three wild men, attracted thither by a red belt which each of them wanted ; so they first bought it and then gambled to see which should have
