Lost Lenore: The Adventures of a Rolling Stone

by Mayne Reid

my longingsfor Lenore? Is there in time a power that will yet appease them?"

  My sentimental reflections were interrupted, by a scene that was of adifferent character--altogether comical. Not far from the place where Ihad parted with Farrell, I saw a crowd collected around a tent. Twominers, who had been "regular mates," were quarrelling; and theirneighbours had gathered upon the ground, to be edified by an abundanceof vituperative eloquence.

  After the two men had, for a considerable time, amused the bystanderswith their dispute, there appeared to be but one point upon which theycould agree. That was that they should remain "mates" no longer.

  The tent, some provisions in it, along with their mining tools andcooking utensils, they owned in common: having shared between them theexpense attending their purchase.

  As these things could not be divided to the satisfaction of bothparties, it was proposed that each should remove from the tent, whateverwas fairly entitled to be called his "private property," and thateverything held in common--including the tent itself--should be burnt!This proposal was at once agreed to.

  Each then brought forth from the tent his roll of blankets, and alongwith some other purely "personal effects." The ropes, picks, shovels,and buckets--that chanced to be lying outside the tent--were then"chucked" inside; after which, a match was applied to the dry canvass,and the diggers' dwelling was instantly in flames. The two disputantsthen walked coolly away from the place--each carrying his bag upon hisback; one going to the east, the other to the west, amidst the cheers ofthe spectators--all of whom seemed greatly to admire this original modeof dissolving a partnership.

  Law is so expensive and uncertain in all newly-established communities,that even sensible people do not like to resort to it, in the settlementof their disputes. Perhaps in this respect, the citizens of oldercommunities might imitate the gold-diggers to advantage.

  While in California, I was witness to another incident illustrative ofthe unwillingness to resort to the judgments of a legal tribunal. Itwas a case of two gold-diggers, who had been working together, and wereabout to dissolve partnership. Among the property they had owned incommon was a fine mule. Each was desirous of becoming sole possessor ofthe animal; but neither would consent to give the other the pricedemanded for parting with his share. The difficulty might have beenarranged by arbitration; but, neither desiring to be under anyobligation to a third party, they adopted a more independent plan forsettling the dispute.

  "I'll give you fifty dollars for your share of the mule," proposed one,"or I'll take a hundred for mine? I want the animal."

  "And I'll give you fifty for your share, or take a hundred for mine?"said the other, "I want it too."

  "I'll make you another offer," said the first. "We'll play a game of`Euker,' and whoever wins shall have the mule?"

  The third challenge was accepted. The game was played; and thedifficulty settled in five minutes, without any expense or ill-feelingarising out of it!

  A disposition to settle doubts and difficulties by chance--that"unspiritual god"--is very common, among those who have long followedthe occupation of gold hunting--for the reason, no doubt, that there isso much chance or uncertainty in the calling itself. Gold-diggersbecome familiarised to a sort of fatalism; and, in consequence, allowmany questions to be decided by chance, that should be submitted to thetest of reason.

  I have seen a miner after working out a rich claim, toss up a dollar, todecide whether he should return home or not! The piece of money fellwrong side down; and the man remained at the diggings; and for aught Iknow, may be there still, working for a "pennyweight per diem."

  And yet I do not always condemn this mode of relieving the intellectfrom the agony of doubt.

  I once met two miners in San Francisco--to which place they had comefrom different diggings, for the purpose of having a few days' restafter months of toil. They had been shipmates to California; and nowmeeting again, each told the other of the way fortune had served him,since they had parted.

  "I have got together two thousand three hundred dollars," said one. "Icame out here to make up a pile of four thousand. If I had that, I'd gohome."

  "I have done nearly as well," said the other; "I have about twothousand; and if I had what we have both got, I'd go home; and nevertouch pick or shovel again."

  "Ah! so would I," sighed the first.

  "Well, then," challenged his old shipmate, "I'll tell you what we cando. We both want to go back home, with not less than four thousanddollars. We need not _both_ be disappointed. One of us can go; and letthe other stay. I'll cut a pack of cards with you; and the one who cutshighest, shall take four thousand dollars, and go home. The odd two orthree hundred will be enough, to carry the loser back to the diggings.What say you, old hoss?"

  This proposal was instantly accepted. The man, who had made it, losthis two thousand dollars; and next morning he handed the money over tohis more fortunate friend, shook hands with him, and started back forthe diggings!

  This story may seem improbable, to those who have never been inCalifornia in its best days; but I can vouch for its truth.

  After parting with Farrell, I seemed destined to witness a variety ofincidents on that same evening; and of both characters--comic andtragical.

  Shortly after passing the crowd, who had assisted at the dispute of thetwo miners, I came in sight of another concourse of people--in themiddle of which appeared two or three policemen. They were gatheredaround the shaft of an abandoned claim. I went up to see what theexcitement was about; and learnt, that a Chinaman had been foundsuspended in the shaft.

  The Celestial had committed suicide, by hanging himself; and the plan hehad adopted for terminating his existence, seemed, from its ingenuity,to have met with as much admiration from this crowd, as had beenbestowed by the other one on the mode of settling their dispute, whichhad been adopted by the two diggers.

  The Chinaman, knowing that the shaft was a deep one, had placed a largelog of wood across the top of it. To the middle of this he had tied theend of a rope about fifteen feet long. The other end he had fastened,loop fashion, around his neck; and then jumped down the shaft. No JackKetch could have performed the operation for him, in a more effectualmanner.

  I afterwards learnt that the Chinaman had been an opium eater; and thathe had secretly squandered some gold, in which his mates owned shares.The crime preying on his conscience--perhaps, when he had no opium tofortify it--was supposed to be the cause of his committing the act ofself-destruction.

  Volume Two, Chapter XXXI.

  A DISAGREEABLE PARTNERSHIP.

  For two or three days I strolled about the diggings, looking for someopportunity of setting myself to work. On the Eureka lead I found fivemen holding a claim, that stood a good chance of being "on the line."It was within four claims of a place where gold was being taken out; andthe "lead" would have to take a sharp turn to escape this place. Ashaft had already been sunk to the depth of twenty feet, that would haveto go down about ninety feet further. It would require eight hands towork the claim; and the five who owned it wished to sell some shares--for the purpose of making up the number.

  The price asked was fifty pounds each; and, not seeing any betterprospect of getting into a partnership, I purchased a share; and paidover the money.

  I did not much like the appearance of my new partners. None of themlooked like men accustomed to do hard work, or earn their livelihood inany respectable way. They seemed better suited for standing behind acounter, to sell gloves and ribbons, than for the occupation ofgold-digging. But that the claim was likely to prove rich, I should nothave chosen them as working associates.

  One of the number was named John Darby. He was one of thoseindividuals, who can never avail themselves of the fine opportunitiesafforded, for saying nothing. Darby's tongue was constantly on the go,and would often give utterance to a thousand words that did not containa single idea. His eloquence was of the voluble kind, and very painfulto the ear--being nothing but sound, without
one grain of sense. Hisvoice often reminded me of the clattering of the flour-mills I had heardin Callao. Whenever he would mount a hobby, and get his tongue freelygoing, the air seemed to vibrate with the movement of ten thousanddemons, each hurling a fire-ball into the brain of the listener!

  According to his own account, Darby had been ten times shipwrecked onthe voyage of life. Several times, by not being able to marry as hewished; and once, when he was too successful in this design. The lattermisfortune he regarded as being more serious than all the others.

  Physically, as well as morally and intellectually, my gold-diggingcompanion, John Darby was a singular creature. He did not weigh morethan ten stone--though he was six feet one inch high standing in hisshoes.

  He had a small round head, from which hung long bay-coloured tresses ofhair; and