CHAPTER III.
FURTHER RUMORS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOLD IN CALI- FORNIA PRIOR TO THE DISCOVERY BY MARSHALL.
J* Is yellow dirt the passion of thy life ?
Look but on Gripus or on Gripus' wife.
— Pope.
Nearer the mythic than any we have yet encoun- tered, in point of elaboration at least, is the story told in 1865 by the Paris correspondent of the London Star. The writer claims to have discovered, in a pri- vate collection in Paris, belonging to an antiquai'ian named M. le Carpentier, the first gold found in Cali- fornia. It was in this wise: During the revolution of 1830, and for years afterward, M. le Carpentier had felt somewhat nervous lest his collection should be seized by a mob or by burglars, for it was now very valuable. While in this frame of mind he was startled, late one night in 1837, by a loud knocking at the street door. After some delay he opened it with great precaution, and there stood a middle-aged man, emaciated, apparently in wretched health, and in tat- tered garments.
" You do not know me," began the individual, speaking somewhat wildly, " but I know you, and that is enough. I want you to assist me in applying to government for a vessel and a hundred men, and I will bring back a ship-load of gold." The antiquary's face showed what hft thought of the proposal.
" Oh, I am not mad," the invalid continued. " See here! You are wise. You know the value of this" — producing from his pocket a large piece of quartz, richly impregnated with gold. M. le Carpentier was
