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59 a hill slope - giving us evidence that miners - was wide awake in the pursuit of gold. We had to cross the Willow Spring stream - and how were we to do it - it was both wide and deep. I remember when a boy my dread of crossing or fording streams - when a slip promised a ducking or ever worse consequence - to be admit in calculation and in leaping [?] posers to me and I always had an antipathy to unbridged books. Although more accustomed now to judging of such things and calculating the chances of success yet it is not the pleasantest thing in the world to stand on the bank of a deep looking brook - just too wide for common leaps - seeing the rapid water whirling over the pebbly bottom - with the purpose of crossing. I had partially got over this stream in our path and just left a bog from which I had dispaired to leap across safely to seek for a more favorable spot, And wondering how our friend Torrence would succeed when I was attracted by a splash - and saw the unfortunate T. waist deep in the water. Simon reached forth a helping hand and drew him out. For my life I could not help laughing at the scene. We reached a favorable gulch soon and panned out some of its dirt. It yielded us about one shilling - to a panfull. Torrence who had stopped to wring out his clothes - now joined us and we went to the hill top - to eat our meal. We three prospectors on the top of a beautifully rounded hill - erst show quiet plodding citizens of New York State were now stangely seated in the California Mines - discussing simple hard tack and gingerbread - was prospecting from punishing us the liquids of our repast. The country around us did certainly look pleasant. Near and around us - the hilly country thinly covered with the evergreen oaks - and stretching before us - the plains of the Sacramento - a long vester of foliage - and nearing outline of the tops - these on a then and individual standing alone and throwing its whole figrin in the picture. The blue mountains of the Const surge - finished the view - and foined their cool color to the livelier tint of green - spread before us. Then the clouds - a beautiful mass belting the whole horizon roamed - hanging in the purest ether - every tint - fresh and vivid - and the beaming sun from zenith position - blinding all with warmth and sunshine. Well might Fremont praise this beautiful scenery said I - so strangely contmeting with the everlasting snows of