Saw Mill Camp
Nov[embe]r 23rd 1851
My dear Mother1
Having an opportunity of sending a letter to England by a Friend I embrace it for the purpose of writing and sending you a few specimens of gold, I must however first of all express my surprise at not having received any letters from you for such a length of time, I think not since June, and this is the third I have written since hearing from you. Letters are the only consolation we poor miners have to check our drooping spirits during our toil among the mountains[.] If you cannot write oftener persuade others to take pity upon my solitude & relieve my monotonous existence by a little news from the civilized world — I never receive any newspapers which I requested to be addressed to me [at] Sonora2 & also my letters. The person who takes the letters is my old partner Mr Wilson,3 who since he left us last winter has been doing very well and has realized enough to enable him to pay a visit to New York & London, after which I believe he intends going to Australia to use his gold mining experience in that region which we hear is as rich as California and even more extensive — In my last I explained to you the nature of my present employment if not my future prospects which are still rather distant, we however are now beginning to finish a part of it as we have a Saw Mill & Steam
Engine erected which has cost us a great deal of labour and money, already as much as ten thousand dollars in Cash besides our Labour which has been much, having first of all to cut a road about 5 miles to get the Engine up the mountain. The heaviest part was the two boilers, each [2] weighing4 about three tons which are now fixed on a mountain five thousand feet above Stockton5 where we had to bring it from and is now working day and night, cutting up logs into boards at the rate of about 10 thousand feet a day. Our Company is named "The Tuolumne County6 Water Company" and shares are now getting valuable, and a large Town has been built entirely upon the strength of our Company bringing the water into a large tract of Country abounding in Gold but which is of no value without water — We expect to be working two months before finishing even a part of it, after which we shall be drawing a revenue from the water we shall be able to convey and we shall then finish the remainder next Spring (if no mishaps occur)[.] I am fearful we shall have a wet winter as we had such a dry one last year, we have already had several showers which is rather unpleasant to us camping out, but we must put up with it as we shall be out here nearly all the winter.
The weather here is warm especially when the sun shines in the middle of the day — but the nights are very cold. I have very little news to communicate being away here in the mountains, we occasionally see and shoot a Deer but have never yet with a live grizzly bear although they are frequently about — terrible tales are told of the[ir] ferocity and strength. I will just relate a ludicrous adventure that occurred a few days ago. One of our companions was out shooting very early one morning & had the good fortune to kill one of these ferocious animals, rather small but still a very formidable enemy it being too heavy to carry to the Camp, he cut off the head as a trophy of victory and was returning down the hill when he saw several of our men ascending who were engaged cutting log[s] for the Saw Mill, being of a ludicrous turn of mind [3]7and all had a hearty laugh — They then returned to the camp where[?] we laughed at the men who were chased by a Bear's head — I have enclosed six specimens of Gold (of course dug by myself) hope they will arrive safe as they are rather clumsy in a letter -
hoping all friends are well | [I] remain your affectionate son | J Wallace8, 9
Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1631.1410)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1]1
6. Letter from "Saw Mill Camp". Nov. 23rd. 1851
[To Mary Ann Wallace]2
... However we are now as it were begining [sic] to finish a part of it as we have a saw mill and steam engine erected which has cost us a great deal of labour and money. It has already cost us ten thousand dollars in money, besides our labour, which has been a great deal, as we had first of all to cut a road about 5 miles to get the engine up the mountains. The heaviest part was the two boilers, each weighing abou about 3 tons, which we have now got fixed on a mountain about five thousand feet above Stockton3, where we had to bring it from, and & is now working day & night cutting up logs into boards at the rate of about 10 thousand feet a day. Our company is named the Tuolumne County Water Company, and the shares are now getting valuable. A large town4has been built, entirely upon the strength of our company bringing the water into a large tract of country, abounding in gold, but which is of no value without the water. We expect to be about two months before we finish a part of it after which we shall be drawing a revenue from the water we shall be ably [sic] to convey, & we shall then finish the remainder next spring.
[John Wallace]5
Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1631.4446)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Saw Mill Camp.1
Nov. 23rd. 1851.
My dear Mother
Having an opportunity of sending a letter to England by a friend, I embrace it for the purpose of writing and sending you two or three specimens. I must, however, first of all express my surprise at not having received any letter from you for such a length of time. I think the last I had was in June, and this is the third I have written since I heard from you. Letters are the only consolation we poor miners have to cheer our spirits during our toil among the mountains, and if you cannot write oftener I wish you would persuade Fanny2 or Thomas3 to take pity upon my solitude, and relieve my monotonous existence by a little news from the civilised world. I would address this letter to Fanny, but do not know her address, and I despair of ever getting any letters from Alfred4, and I know nothing of Herbert5. I had also expected to receive some newspapers which I requested to be addressed to me at Sonora6, and also my letters in future to be addressed the same way, but I have never had any. The person who takes this letter is my old partner, Mr. Wilson, who since he left us last winter, has been doing very well, and has realized enough to enable him to pay a visit to New York and London, after which, I believe he intends going to Australia to use his gold mining experiences in that region, which we hear is as rich as California, and even more extensive. In my last letter I explained to you the nature of my present employment, if not of my future prospects, which are still rather distant. However we are now as it were beginning to furnish a part of it as we have a saw mill and steam engine erected which has cost us a great deal of labour and money. It has already cost us ten thousand dollars in money, besides our labour, which has been a great deal, as we had first of all to cut a road about 5 miles to get the engine up the mountain, the heaviest part was the two boilers, each weighing about 3 tons, which we have now got fixed on a mountain about five thousand feet above Stockton7, where we had to bring it from, and is now working day and night cutting up logs into boards at the rate of about 10 thousand feet a day. Our company is named the Tuolumne County Water Company, and shares are now getting valuable. A large town has been built, entirely upon the [2] strength of our Company bringing the water into a large tract of country, abounding in gold, but without which is of no value without the water. We expect to be about two months before we finish a part of it, after which we shall be drawing a revenue from the water we shall be able to convey, and we shall then finish the remainder next spring. I am afraid we shall have a wet winter as we had such a dry one last year. We have already had several showers, which is rather unpleasant to us camping out, but we must put up with it as we shall be out here nearly all the winter. The weather here is warm, especially when the sun shines in the middle of the day, but the nights are very cold. I do not know that I ever told you that I have never shaved since I have been in the mines, so that if you could see me in my present appearance, you would certainly not know me, as I have a beard and mustash [sic] that would only be suitable to a jew [sic] in England. I have very little news to relate to you, being away here in the mountains. We occasionally see and shoot deer, but I have never yet met with a live grizzly bear, and although they are frequently about, and terrible tales are told of their ferocity and strength. I will just relate a ludicrous adventure that occurred a few days ago. One of our companions was out shooting very early one morning, and had the good fortune to kill a grizzly bear, rather small, but still a formidable animal. It being too heavy to carry to the camp he cut off the head as a trophy of victory, and was returning down the hill, when he saw several of our men ascending who were engaged in cutting logs for the saw mill; being of a ludicrous turn of mind he saw an opportunity for a practical joke, so concealing himself behind a fallen tree, he awaited their approach. When they had arrived within a few yards of the place of his concealment, he made a kind of growling sound, peculiar to the grizzly bear. They all suddenly stopped short, and looked cautiously round scarcely knowing whether to run or not, when our bear killer gave another hideous growl, at the same time thrusting the head above the log. That was enough, the whole of them started down the hill as fast as their legs would carry them, jumping over logs that lay in their way, and clearing other obstacles with wonderful facility, some falling down and rolling half way down before they were able to pick themselves up. Yelling and screaming they reached the camp where all the rest of us were wondering what made them come down so remarkably fast. They of course all began to relate that a bear was in full chase of them, that they had heard him growl, and had seen [3] him jump from behind a log and start in chase of them, and that he must be now close to the camp. All the guns, rifles were immediately put in requisition, and a party started in search of the awful monster. They had gone but a short distance when they met our friend cooly [sic] walking down the hill, who pretended to be surprised at the formidable party approaching, so hiding his bear’s head and waiting for their approach, when they all began to tell him the news of the grizzly bear, with a few additions which had already been added to it, and concluded by asking him if he had not seen anything of it. "Why yes", said he, ["]I guess I did see it and hear it too, but this is all any of you saw[",] at the same time, producing his bear's head, when they all immediately saw the joke that had been played upon them, and all had a hearty laugh, and they then returned to the camp where we all had a hearty laugh at the men who were chased by a bear's head.
I have enclosed you six specimens of California gold, of course dug by myself. I wish you to let Fanny and Thomas each have one of them, and you can do as you like with the others. I hope they will arrive safe, as they are rather clumsy in a letter. I must now conclude, hoping you in good health, and all friends the same, so must remain
Your affectionate son | J. Wallace.
Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1631.7663)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP1631,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 17 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1631