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Ayer_MS_3139_0073_02.jpg – 1849-1851 Monday, January 14th, 1850 California greeting between meeting friends. I am much amused today. A crowd of miners arrived from above having narrowly escaped drowning by the rise of water in the night. They cut a hole in the back of their tent and clambered up the rocks. They were friends of their neighbors the young Pennsylvanian Dutchman. One of the comers saw his friend just leaving his tent and commenced advancing at the same time. “ W_________ you son of a bitch!” “Ha – you son of a bitch how are you. How do you do you old son of a bitch!” Then their some recognition with shaking of hands but whether the remainder of the greetings and according to the sample I could not hear. Tuesday, January 15th, 1850 Escaped narrowly manslaughter. Payson was practicing with his Allen’s Revolver and I standing was standing beside him when the pistol exploded leaving the back of his hand. It was the mercy of _______ dence that neither of us were mangled by the accident.

We are at work for Murren getting out poles for his tent. $10.00 each per day. This is a new phase in my history. Being hired out as a day laborer. I was weary at noon with soreness and heaving. Trowbridge was busied this afternoon Senor read the Episcopal Service. In the rain we bore his body out to the palace of the Natoma Sted. In we fall we gold adventures one after another. The number of deaths in this country is alarming. Some have calculated that every tenth man falls a victim. Truly we are treading on slippery places.

Sunday, January 20th, 1850 ‘Tis again the holy day of rest. The bright sun enlivens the earth. The pure sky forces itself in deepening blue. All without appears glad and grateful as if uniting with the character of this day. What holy associations belong to the Sabbath. What interest attaches to it in view of its Divine appointment? It is the day which moves our hearts upward.

Transcribed by Austin Luther – 9/13/2020