attack of fever, but is now recovering fast; and Bowling, who lies inside the shanty in an almost helpless state.  My stock of drugs, too, is nearly exhausted.  Thank God, my own health has altogether been most excellent.  Although the vegetation dying off in the valleys at this time of the year gives rise to a sort of malaria, still, from the herbage not being of so rank a character about here as it is in the lower settlements, the effects are by no means so injurious; besides, the cool air from the mountains acts as a wholesome check.

Our provisions have run very low; nearly the whole of our flour is exhausted, and we are forced to live on the produce of our hunting expeditions.  The little flour we have is set apart for the invalids of the party.  Yesterday our hunters came in, after being absent all day, with only a black-tailed deer and a couple of hares; quails, however, are tolerably plentiful.  Lacosse and the trapper have volunteered to set off to Sutter’s, and bring us up a supply of breadstuffs sufficient to last us until the sickly season sets in.  I believe it is arranged for them to start off tomorrow.

September 1st.—­There have been several discussions as to the prudence of keeping the large quantity of gold we have already procured in camp, when we are liable to be surprised by the Indians, who for the sake of it would tomahawk and scalp us all round.  It seems to have spread from tribe to tribe that the yellow earth which the pale faces are in search of will buy not only beads and buttons and red paint, but rifles, and charges of powder and ball, scarlet blankets, and the “strong water,” which the Indian “loves, alas! not wisely but too well.”  Some are of the opinion that we ought to keep it by us, always leaving a proper guard on the look-out, until we finally abandon the digging, when we could return with it to the settlements in a body.  Bradley and Don Luis are rather opposed to this plan, and volunteer to take the gold themselves to San Francisco or Monterey immediately, and deliver it into the custody of some merchant there on our joint account.  I don’t like this suggestion, for the amount is sufficiently large to tempt any one to make off with it; besides, it would be dangerous to send it without a strong guard.  To-day we have put ourselves on short rations, as our stock of provisions is getting very low.

September 2nd.—­The camp generally seem to be in favour of Bradley’s proposition.  Some of the more timid ones consider that we shall be in constant danger for the next two months before the rainy season commences, when we must give over work.  It is a great pity that the gold was not sent down at the time Lacosse and the trapper left.