cams_jcornock_b2990_f013_001_02

twenty cts [cents] per pound Butter five shillings
Wood costs nothing but the trouble of Chopping [chopping]
it. building lots costs nothing and seventy or
Eighty dollars will buy Lumber enough to
put up a comfortable little house and almost
any one [anyone] can put up a California house so
you see our expences [expenses] to live are not much more
than yours. I came to this place last October

I have put up a house and I went to mining
in November on a claim I have been working
ever since it has not turned out to be very rich
as yet although it pays my expences [expenses] as I go
along and little more but that is better than
one out of ten of the miners are doing here
and I was going to say in the state there
many men in this Golden State go hungry to
bed or more properly speaking to grass for the ground
is their beds but thank god I have always had a meal
and bed for the hungry if they chance to call on me.

I am getting old now and therefore I claim the prive-
ledge [privilege] of prophesying and that is that is this is
but the beginning of trouble this being a dry
Winter [winter]. Will make money scarce here the farmers
will not be able to plant their crops so early so
they will not raise so much produce and accor-
ding to Indian sayings: every third winter is
very Wet. So 49 was Wet and then 52 next 55 if they
are correct so that according to the signs