cams_rjboylan_b012_f003_014_2

but I presume there are some who see verry [very] tight times -- and strange
as it may appear all Kinds of intoxicating liquors are plenty and
drunkeness [drunkenness] is on the increase -- we sold our mule and Cart for $225
thereby making $55 and the extreme wet season enabled us to
join with others and turn a stream of water on our claim on
black hill it onely [only] cost us one day work but black hill as well
as every thing [everything] else proves to not be of much value the gold is verry [very]
fine and large quantity of black sand and small iron stone prevents
saving gold, we can make from three to six dollars pr. [per] day pr. [per] man
we only work on the hill during time of storms and high water.

Nearly a month ago we took up an old claim on the creek
about a mile distant from our Cabin about 250 feet of the ground
never having been worked we have spent some time and labour [labor]
to turn the water and open a tail race but owing to extreme bad
weather, and much water have not been able to prove it yet and if it
fails as nearly every thing [everything] has for the last year I shall not look
any further in California -- an acquaintance of mine who
has been here a long time and not having been successfull [successful] he
was perfectly discouraged but was determined to Keep trying
his luck turned he struck in to a bank and has been making
an average of an ounce pr. day since, he immediately conveyed
inteligence [intelligence] to me of a favourable [favorable] looking place, in the creek in a verry [very]
obscure place which is the place we are now about ready to test.

The weather appears to be much more Settled and if our claim
proves good there will be work enough for me while I remain and
enough for James. One year there are some good mining ground
in this vicinity yet and emence [immense] quantity of gold has been taken
I Know one claim to sell for one thousand dollars. I hope you
will not feel any alarm about us I give you a full account of
the scarcity of provisions and prices thinking you may hear some
awful reports from news papers [newspapers] &c but I am not at all uneasy.
The cost of transportation from Stockton is 30 to 40 cts. pr. lb.