[Illustration: J. D. BORTHWICK. M. & N. HANHART, LITH. OUR CAMP ON WEAVER CREEK.] THREE YEARS IN CALIFORNIA BY J. D. BORTHWICK WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLVII CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE California fever in the States--The start--New York to Panama--Shipboard--Chagres--Crossing the Isthmus--The river--Cruces--Gorgona, 1-25 CHAPTER II. Panama in July 1851--Its architecture--Shops--Churches--Dirt--Diseases and diversions--Embark for San Francisco--Fever--Hard fare--Arrival, 26-42 CHAPTER III. San Francisco--Appearance of the houses--Growth of the city--The Plaza--Ships in the streets--Living--Boot-blacks--Restaurants--Hotels, 43-64 CHAPTER IV. Scarcity of labouring men--High wages--Want of social restraint--Intense rivalry in all pursuits--Disappointed hopes--Drunkenness--American style of drinking--The bars--Free luncheons--The bar-keeper--Variety of national houses--The Chinese--Chinese stores and washermen--Theatres and gambling-rooms--Masquerades--“No weapons admitted”--Magnificent shops--Grading the streets--Steam Paddy--Raising houses--Cabs--Post-office--Fire--Fire companies--Mission Dolores--San José--Native Californians, 65-93 CHAPTER V. Start for the Mines--The Sacramento River--American river-steamboats in California--Natural facilities for inland navigation, and promptness of the Americans in taking advantage of them--Sacramento City--Appearance of the houses--Street nomenclature--Staging--Four-and-twenty four-horse coaches start together--The plains--The scenery--The weather--The mountains--Mountain roads and American drivers--First sight of gold-digging--Arrival at Hangtown, 94-111 CHAPTER VI. Hangtown--First impression of “the Diggins”--Idea of a mining town--Gambling-houses--The street--The stores--Jew slop-shops--The Jews: their peculiarities--Hangtown on a Sunday--Bowie-knives and revolvers--Gold-deposits--Method of washing--Long-toms--Rockers--Prospecting--Middletown--Our ménage, 112-127 CHAPTER VII. Digger Indians--Their love of dress--Their dogs--Their food--Their ingenuity--Indian female beauty, or otherwise--“Hunting” the Indians, and teaching them manners--’Coon Hollow--Coyote Diggings--Coyotes--Weaver Creek--The weather and the climate--Chinamen--A celestial “muss,” 128-145 CHAPTER VIII.