cams_rjboylan_b012_f003_006_1

Nachez [Natchez], Hou Cut, [Honcut] California November 27th, 1851

Dr [Dear] Wife & children I am well and enjoy good health.
I have just returned from a trip down to Sanfrancisco San Francisco.
I went down to see what could be done about gitting [getting]
Quartz machinery we are quite sanguine that we
have a good quartz vein -- but quartz veins in California
fail as well as other mining. I purchased a morter [mortar] for
pounding quartz and other impliments [implements] for prospecting
so that we can quite well satisfy ourselves of the quality
of the quartz. one gentleman of Capital has has called
on us to day made an engagement to return in a few days
and prospect the quartz and if a Steam engine and crushing
machinery can be obtained he will furnish the capital and
take an interest at his own risk if not he has an engine
and machinery East that he has ordered forwarded to
California but will not be here before Spring. The machine
-ry at the present time will cost counting transportation
about fifteen Thousand dollars. There are now ten of us
in company and we have by purchase and discovery over
two shares to the man and we offer two share or take
in two men that have capital and pay them back
on the cost of erecting machinery out of the first proceeds
10/12 of the whole and then all be equal partners. I should like
very well to have J A Matteson, here. I think he would find
plenty of room for his ambition and I hope make that
pile that would satisfy any reasonable minded man