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65 Mormon Island Saturday December 1st 1849. The first day of winter according to the chronology of home. Snow - frost and chilling airs prevail. Here no such features of climate have shown themselves. Cold weather cannot be said to visited us. To day the sun has been rather oppressive. The sky clear and cloudless - I wished for my straw sombrero as I sat at work. But we have rains instead of snow. It was about the 1st of November when the rains commenced this year - so far we have had nearly half dry weather. A large halo round the moon last night - prophesied coming wet - and to night she rises veiled by dark clounds. It is fortunate for the miners that winter has prons so favorable living in tents with no means of fire - but in the open air - cold weather would make them miserably uncomfortable. I must describe Mormon Island or Natoma encampment - sometime but will delay it now. I am sure it would be pleasurable to those who never have been eyewitnesses - of the scenes connected with this gold extravaganza - Natoma! how oft shall my memory revert to thy associations - whild fancy revisits thy hills thy ravines - thy noir of gold - thy widely diversified population - thy woods and wild game. Here has my foot impressed itself upon the soil - how my hand has dabbled in the golden sands - here has my eye rested on many a physical object - long to be remembered. Here the days have passed over my head. The sun hath risen and set upon me - morning hath gilded the landscape - and night enveloped it in gloom. The weeks have surprised me here - marked my labour and my rest - my joys and my depressions. I have walked thy hills Satoma - counted thy palaces - marked thy bulwarks. Yea in thee has my spirit found beauty and enjoyment - though her thoughts have been poisoned to the mine - to the pursuits of gain & gold. It is Saturday Night! - The labour of the week is over - the cradel - the shovel - and the pick have been laid away upon the bank. The miners have closed their toils - seated comfortably in our tent - there is comfort in the feeling that it is the last night of the week. I always enjoyed this night above its fellows of the week. It is the link between toil and rest. The bond joining physical