The Young Gold-Digger; Or, a Boy's Adventures in the Gold Regions (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1860 Excerpt: ... THE YOUNG GOLD-DIGGER CHAPTER I. ABOUT CERTAIN TRAVELLERS: HOW THEY WEBE CAUGHT IN THE SNOW, AND SENT GEORGE OFF TO LOOK FOE HELP. It was about the end of September, in the year 1849. The snow had begun to fall in the Californian mountains much earlier in the season than usual, and in uncommonly heavy masses; and many a caravan of emigrants had been overtaken by the blinding storm, who had hoped to gain the sheltered lowlands before the setting in of the cold weather. When the first report of the mineral wealth of California penetrated to the United States of America, the majority of the emigrants whom the news attracted to the golden shores took passage on board ship to reach the distant land by sea. But this route was a terribly circuitous one. First, the travellers were compelled to sail down along the entire coast of South America, to Cape Horn, its southern extremity, --which they had to double, and then to make their way back along the east coast--a very dangerous voyage, which was sure, under the most favourable circumstances, to occupy four months, and was not unfrequently found to require six, seven, or even eight for its accomplishment. B Notwithstanding these disadvantages, however, there were not ships enough to be had to accommodate all the eager applicants for berths; and as the line of steamboats which now conveys passengers to Panama, from whence they are at once carried on by other vessels on the opposite side of the isthmus, had not yet been established, thousands of travellers made up their minds to attempt the long and laborious journey by land, across the mountains to California, rather than wait their opportunity to procure a passage by sea. The fact was, people's heads were full of visions of wealth and gain; and they fancied, if they ...