Beschreibung:

Lot of 2, including: 6pp from J(?) Dascourt(?), dated at Auburn (Placer County, CA), January 22, 1851, addressed to his friend Timothy Abbott, South Andover, Massachusetts. The writer had last written four months prior, and says he has fallen on hard times since, including being laid up with rheumatism for the previous two months. “all the bed I have is two blankets and the soft side of a pine plank to lay on, with my coat for a pillow.” He says being sick is not cheap, as board in $23/week and each doctor visit $16, and he recently had to pay $15 for a pair of boots, which was considered a good deal in the gold country. “We are not blessed with the company of the fairer sex. The only lady is an Irish widow lady…By George it has been so long since I have even shaken hands with a female I think it would almost set me into conniption fits.” He asks his friend about Jenny Lind, who is “all the rage” and claims the inhabitants of California have put together half a million dollars to entice her to come perform in San Francisco. The would-be miner then goes on to describe the vigilante justice in the mining towns. He tells a story of a man who shot his friend and promptly turned himself in to the magistrate, but a lynch mob took him from official custody, tried him on their own, and hung him. He also speaks of a man who spent all of his money on booze and stole a horse to support his habit. When he was caught, a mob shaved his head an branded him with H.T. for Horse Thief. The writer says his is going to give California until the autumn, after which he will return home whether he’s made money or not. I can do as well at home as I can here, and more comfortable. 1p, 8.25 x 10.5 in., dated at Chanlerville (likely Chandlerville, Sierra County, CA, now a ghost town), Sept. 2, 1852 at Lass Diggins', addressed to H.L. Mason in Sacramento, singed Jas. B. Marrin(?). Accompanied by the original cover, postmarked at Marysville, Sep. 17. The writer informs his friend of business opportunites in the mining towns and asks the price of a mule team in Sacramento.