Gold Rush Era Letters

it big in the bed of the river The bar and bed are seldom both rich we will be in in the course of two weeks. We are making from two three dollars per day diging [digging] our race that pays expences [expenses] &c -- You say you do not think you can let the farm to good advantage -- never mind the land will still be there. I wish you to try to have a stack of hay sufficient to winter your stock if convenient if not convenient let it go and I will get it with gold when I return or sell the stock.

I hope you will have some person to stay with you and not think of staying alone and give yourself as little uneasiness about the farm and things out doors as possible one thing sure and certain as soon as the fall or winter rains drive me out of frezno [Fresno] I leave for home. I received a letter from the (hon H D Risley) and such a letter well he begins. Thus you "Robert in the land of gold and I. H. D Risley in the land of corn -- twenty years ago you over a dry Kettle I over a salt Kettle --" then about the road &c -- now I wish to have an interest in the road enough to exempt me from paying toll probably one share of $100 and then I wish you to buy if you can [if ?] the sales are opened for canal land -- the west half of the South west quarter of Section no. three Town Thirty four north of Range ten East contain Eighty acres being the lot lying on the East side of the road begining [beginning] at the first coner [corner] of Chapmans field extending half mile towards Jackson grove it was apprised [appraised] at $3.25/100 per acre I would give $4if that is sold I would then take the East half of the North East quarter of Section nine (9) Town 34, Range 10 E