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[top right] San Francisco August 26^th 1849

Sir,

I fall under many obligations for the information
imparted in your letters of March & June both of which were duly received
The first should have been answered immediately immediately on its
had I seen the Elephant but that was not the case and now
as I have both seen and paid for seeing him you shall have the
answer – you will understand by this expression that we have
been in search of those "large lumps" that were said to be so
numerous in California – We landed in this place the 16th
day of July all in good health and spirits, found the Golden
fever at its height the [hole in page] (s)tandard high above any reports ever circulated
in the States. This rai(sed) [hole in page] the anticipations of many of our Co.
so high that it was a(lm)ost] [hole in page] impossible to keep them any where
and consequently were compelled [hole in page] to commence our journey to the mines
in the most unhealthy season amidst all the disadvantages of
inexperience and change of climate &c. We sailed up the San Joaquin
to Stockton about 160 miles where we landed pitched our tent
and stored our cargo and commenced making arrangements for
going to the "diggings" – The vessel and crew commenced
running as D. Packet between Stockton and San Francisco
with fair prospects of doing a good business. 4 men were left at
our camp and the remainder 23 in number left with our
mule team purchased at Stockton for the mines on
the Mokelumy [Mokelumne] a branch of the San Joaquin distant about
60 miles There we arrived in good health though much fatigued
next day commenced gold digging found there was hard labor
attached to it but that did not discourage any one there

[written sideways, down left of page]
Mr Brown from Norwich is here staid [stayed] on board of the Velasco with us one night
he was on his way to Sacramento I believe. Faulkner and Devotion are also here
they have purchased a lot and erected a building that serves as
Printing office and drug store – they paid $43.00 for the lot