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Ayer_MS_3139_00064r_o2.jpg – John Mott-Smith Journal, 1849-1851

Over these hills. With each meal time comes longing appetite. Keen for its __________ sixth Nature’s sweet restorer balmy sleep.”

Bought is a cut of Hard Bread at $5.00 on speculation. If an appetites hold us till late spring as they have store our speculation mill end family.

Saturday, December 15th 1849

The storm has left us with with an air colder than any heretofore. Truly __________ any wind. Yesterday was equally with heavy showers. Luck some the violence of the wind once during te afternoon. What our tent had will nigh succumbed to its force. The rain __ down in torrents. I thought of the ______ sick Scotchman and ________ him in his sort and ____________ tent. How the sick suffer in comfortable country. No nurse smoothing their pillow. No wife prepared with tender care. Delicious to tempt the fastidious appetite. No dry house nor attempt proud rooms aid to recovery. The sick like on their palette discouraged at every turn. How so many recover is to me a mystery.

Senior and myself want out to be out of this hole this morning. It is full of water we threw back storms periphery for nothing. Our bucket was lost in the flood. Farmer found his caught by his spade and thus accidentally rescued. But few of the miners were at work. This afternoon we set our cradle and obtained $6.00.

One of our neighbors had quite a streak of luck. He was looking for the bid of his ___________ which was still under the high water when he discovered some gold which had been brought down and deposited in a bank of the current. He went to his tent and got his fam and evading scooped up with his hand all he could. My attention was called and offered him immediately $50.00 for the pan of dirt. Just my unusual sight that I sat down by him while he washed it out. Vinly the show exciting before he had done washing I offered him $150.00 for the lot. I felt almost discouraged when he let down the offer and half choked. ______________ all the afternoon for the small ____________ we were likely to. When in hall came up from work the lucky minor came to our tent and ____________ his

-Austin Luther MSU