John D. Kinney, a Cincinnati boy, and a first-rate fellow, too, who came out with judge Turner, was my comrade. We staid at the Lake four days I had plenty of fun, for John constantly reminded me of Sam Bowen when we were on our campaign in Missouri. But first and foremost, for Annies, Mollies, and Pamelas comfort, be it known that I have never been guilty of profane language since I have been in this Territory, and Kinney hardly ever swears. But sometimes human nature gets the better of him. On the second day we started to go by land to the lower camp, a distance of three miles, over the mountains, each carrying an axe. I dont think we got lost exactly, but we wandered four hours over the steepest, rockiest and most dangerous piece of country in the world. I couldnt keep from laughing at Kinneys distress, so I kept behind, so that he could not see me. After he would get over a dangerous place, with infinite labor and constant apprehension, he would stop, lean on his axe, and look around, then behind, then ahead, and then drop his head and ruminate awhile. Then he would draw a long sigh, and say: Well could any Billygoat have scaled that place without breaking his neck? And I would reply, No, I dont think he could. No you dont think he could (mimicking me,) Why dont you curse the infernal place? You know you want to. I do, and will curse the thieving country as long as I live. Then we would toil on in silence for awhile. Finally I told himWell, John, what if we dont find our way out of this today well know all about the country when we do get out. Oh stuff I know enough and too much about the d d villainous locality already. Finally, we reached the camp. But as we brought no provisions with us, the first subject that presented itself to us was, how to get back. John swore he wouldnt walk back, so we rolled a drift log apiece into the Lake, and set about making paddles, intending to straddle the logs and paddle ourselves back home sometime or other. But the Lake objected got stormy, and we had to give it up. So we set out for the only house on this side of the Lake three miles from there, down the shore. We found the way without any trouble, reached there before sundown, played three games of cribbage, borrowed a dug-out and pulled back six miles to the upper camp. As we had eaten nothing since sunrise, we did not waste time in cooking our supper or in eating it, either. After supper we got out our pipes built a rousing camp fire in the open air-established a faro bank (an institution of this country,) on our huge flat granite dining table, and bet white beans till one oclock, when John went to bed. We were up before the sun the next morning, went out on the Lake and caught a fine trout for breakfast. But unfortunately, I spoilt part of the breakfast. We had coffee and tea boiling on the fire, in coffee-pots and fearing they might not be strong enough, I added more ground coffee, and more tea, but you know mistakes will happen. I put the tea in the coffee-pot, and the coffee in the teapot and if you imagine that they were not villainous mixtures, just try the effect once.
And so Bella is to be married on the 1st of Oct. Well, I send her and her husband my very best wishes, and I may not be here but wherever I am on that night, well have a rousing camp-fire and a jollification in honor of the event.
In a day or two we shall probably go to the Lake and build another cabin and fence, and get everything into satisfactory trim before our trip to Esmeralda about the first of November.
What has become of Sam Bowen? I would give my last shirt to have him out here. I will make no promises, but I believe if John would give him a thousand dollars and send him out here he would not regret it. He might possibly do very well here, but he could do little without capital.
Remember me to all my St. Louis and Keokuk friends, and tell Challie and Hallie Renson that I heard a military band play What are the Wild Waves Saying? the other night, and it reminded me very forcibly of them. It brought Ella Creel and Belle across the Desert too in an instant, for they sang the song in Orions yard the first time I ever heard it. It was like meeting an old friend. I tell you I could have swallowed that whole band, trombone and all, if such a compliment would have been any gratification to them.
Love to the young folks,
Sam.
The reference in the foregoing letter to Esmeralda has to do with mining plans. He was beginning to be mildly interested, and, with his brother Orion, had acquired feet in an Esmeralda camp, probably at a very small price so small as to hold out no exciting prospect of riches. In his next letter he gives us the size of this claim, which he has visited. His interest, however, still appears to be chiefly in his timber claim on Lake Bigler (Tahoe), though we are never to hear of it again after this letter.
To Mrs. Moffett, in St. Louis:
Carson city, Oct. 25, 1861.
My dear sister, I have just finished reading your letter and Mas of Sept. 8th. How in the world could they have been so long coming? You ask me if I have for gotten my promise to lay a claim for Mr. Moffett. By no means. I have already laid a timber claim on the borders of a lake (Bigler) which throws Como in the shade and if we succeed in getting one Mr. Jones, to move his saw-mill up there, Mr. Moffett can just consider that claim better than bank stock. Jones says he will move his mill up next spring. In that claim I took up about two miles in length by one in width and the names in it are as follows: Sam. L Clemens, Wm. A. Moffett, Thos. Nye and three others. It is situated on Sam Clemens Bayso named by Capt. Nye and it goes by that name among the inhabitants of that region. I had better stop about the Lake, though, for whenever I think of it I want to go there and die, the place is so beautiful. Ill build a country seat there one of these days that will make the Devils mouth water if he ever visits the earth. Jim Lampton will never know whether I laid a claim there for him or not until he comes here himself. We have now got about 1,650 feet of mining ground and if it proves good, Mr. Moffetts name will go in if not, I can get feet for him in the Spring which will be good. You see, Pamela, the trouble does not consist in getting mining ground for that is plenty enough but the money to work it with after you get it is the mischief. When I was in Esmeralda, a young fellow gave me fifty feet in the Black Warrioran unprospected claim. The other day he wrote me that he had gone down eight feet on the ledge, and found it eight feet thick and pretty good rock, too. He said he could take out rock now if there were a mill to crush it but the mills are all engaged (there are only four of them) so, if I were willing, he would suspend work until Spring. I wrote him to let it alone at present because, you see, in the Spring I can go down myself and help him look after it. There will then be twenty mills there. Orion and I have confidence enough in this country to think that if the war will let us alone we can make Mr. Moffett rich without its ever costing him a cent of money or particle of trouble. We shall lay plenty of claims for him, but if they never pay him anything, they will never cost him anything, Orion and I are not financiers. Therefore, you must persuade Uncle Jim to come out here and help us in that line. I have written to him twice to come. I wrote him today. In both letters I told him not to let you or Ma know that we dealt in such romantic nonsense as brilliant prospects, because I always did hate for anyone to know what my plans or hopes or prospects were for, if I kept people in ignorance in these matters, no one could be disappointed but myself, if they were not realized. You know I never told you that I went on the river under a promise to pay Bixby $500, until I had paid the money and cleared my skirts of the possibility of having my judgment criticised. I would not say anything about our prospects now, if we were nearer home. But I suppose at this distance you are more anxious than you would be if you saw us every month-and therefore it is hardly fair to keep you in the dark. However, keep these matters to yourselves, and then if we fail, well keep the laugh in the family.