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Transcript: Stangroomletter18571102 [Page 1] Nevada 2nd November 1857 My Dearest Mother or Charly I have enough sense of my own to bear (of negligence in not writing regularly) without the additional ones caused by steamboat accidents. You have probably seen in the papers an account of the loss of the steamer Central America and 400 passengers. That ill-fated vessel (the same on which I came from New York to Aspinwall) carried down among the other mail matter a long letter from me to Papa with a full account of my prospecting tour in the mountains. I am not quite, but almost, certain that it was sent by that mail – if not, you will have got it and then will be a recapitulation of the principal facts. On the 21st July, I started with 3 others, Judge Colburn and 2 practical miners, on foot, with 2 pack mules, my white one and another less valuable one, which we bought for the trip, on a prospecting tour, i.e., to look for gold, or rather accessible gold-bearing strata. We went up and crossed the summit of the Sierra Nevada in the same place as last year, went some distance down the other side of the ridge among the Indians in Utah, and not finding any likely ground then we recrossed the Sierra some miles to the south, following an Indian trail part of the way and leaving it at the summit where it was covered with snow. The passage of the summit was difficult, the snow being 15 to 20 feet deep in some places and the sides of the snowbanks were so precipitous that after cutting steps in it (like Charly and I in the mer de glace) we could not get our smaller mule over without unloading her and carrying the pack up [Page 2] on our own backs. We crossed several branches and came down along the Middle Fork of the American River. One night while camping on that river, our mules strayed. The next morning we followed them up and caught the company's one, but my Charly was lost. I tracked him for several miles and walked down the ridge 40 miles farther to the nearest town, but could find no further traces of him. He had a long lariat (rope) round his neck and he either got caught by that in some brush or got caught by the Indians. I did all in my power both then and since to find him but have not seen or heard of him from that day to this. So much for Charly. We found indications of gold-bearing strata at great heights in the mountains but not sufficiently denuded to be worked to advantage. Lower down near a place called Michigan Bluffs, we took up some claims and think they are likely to pay very well (if at all). We are 6 partners and we are running a tunnel into the hill to try it. We are now 100 feet in and we expect to have to run 200 feet more before striking the gravel bed. It is an expensive and tedious as well as uncertain process, but the indications are sufficiently good to induce several other companies to stake their all upon the die and to abide the [Lagard?] of "the Cast." I am not very sanguine myself but think the chances in my favour sufficient to make it worth the trying. I bought into 2 other sets of claims in the same neighbourhood but in both we are waiting and paying a small sum to an adjoining company for the benefit of their experience in their tunnel. This is of [Page 3] [page torn away] slower though much safer way of prospecting. Judge Colburn is working in our tunnel for himself and has hitherto also done my share of work for me (of course by being paid for it). As you will know from my later letters, I had settled here, as I thought, for the winter, but business of every kind is so completely stagnant being here already [illegible, torn] engineers and surveyors that I think of trying my luck elsewhere. As soon as I can raise the money to do it, I think of moving over to Michigan Bluffs. It is a thriving little town though just burnt down [is built?] up again, and I hope to be able to combine a little mining with my business and so get along at all events until I know the result of my "ventures." At all events it cannot be worse than this. Last week I had my first and only job – 3 days' work which would probably have to last me for some time. I think of riding over to the Bluffs tomorrow to "look round." It is 36 miles s.e. of here on the Middle Fork of the American River. On my return from my first trip, I found Emily ill in bed. She had a long spell of fever and was confined to her room for 2 months. As luck would have it, the only medical man whom we could have any confidence in killed himself accidentally while out shooting a few days before her illness and we were actually afraid to call in any of the numerous quacks whose whole pharmacopœia consists in calomel and quinine, both in very large doses and very much adulterated. Her sister, who has had a great deal of experience, nursed her through it and we now think she is better off than she would have been with such medical advice as we could have procured. She is still very weak and I am afraid she will not have very good health this [Page 4] winter. We have had a pretty hard time for the last [page torn away] and (being determined not to buy anything we could not pay for) we have been without any furniture of our own and often without knowing which way to turn for our next meal. We have, however, got through it so far and I hope it will soon be over. I have managed to get enough money to carry us along for a short time and hope to make enough to keep us after then; at all events I can only try my best and hope for success. As long as poverty was at a distance, Emily felt very badly about it but when it came to the pinch she acted her part like a "Briton." You would have been amused to see us living on cracked wheat and potatoes for more than a week sometimes without meat. If it does not come again, I shall not regret it as it certainly has taught us the value of money, though I do not think Emily at least required such a lesson. Thank Grandmama for the 200 frs. Keep them for me for the present. I may be glad of them some day. I suppose you are in the sunny south again and again separated from poor dear Charly. If so of course she will read this and forward it to you. We had a smart earthquake here a few weeks ago, the most violent I have felt [illegible] in the mountains. It shook our house so that my first impression from long living in Railway stations was "There's the Empress" and Emily, who was in bed in the next room, cried out to know what I had upset to shake the house so, thinking I had upset the wardrobe. We have now very pleasant weather, having had enough rain to lay most of the dust. Write to me to "Nevada" the same as hitherto until further direction. Emily has had all what little time she has been well enough to do anything so occupied that you must consider this as much from her as from me. Believe us, Dearest Mother, with best love to Papa, Charly, the Bairns, Grandmama, your affectionate children Marc and Emily