sets in. Further tests are applied, for trembling
doubts will arise, and some is thrown into vinegar,
and some is boiled in Mrs Weimer's soap kettle. En-
joining secrecy Marshall takes some of the gold and
goes with it to the fort to have it further tested.
And when he returns thus he delivers himself: "Oh
boys ! it's the pure stuff." Then he goes on to relate
his adventure: " I and the Old Cap " for so he calls
Sutter, " went into a room and locked ourselves up.
And we were half a day trying it. And the regulars
there wondered what the devil was up. They thought
perhaps I had found quicksilver, as the woman did
down toward Monterey. Well ! we compared it with
the Encyclopedia, and it agreed with it ; we applied
aqua fortis but it would have nothing to do with it.
Then we weighed it in w^ater; we took scales with
silver coin in one side balanced by the dust in the
other, and gently let them down into a basin of water ;
and the gold went down and the silver up." And
he motions the manner of it with his hands. *' That
told the story what it was," he concludes.
Marshall reported further that Sutter would soon be there, and examine into the matter for himself Sure enough, next day Marshall entered the men's cabm and said, "Boys, the Old Cap has come; he is up at my house. Now I will tell you what we will do. You know, he always carries his bottle. Let us each throw in and give Henry some gold, and in the morning, when you shut down the head-gate, let him take it down and sprinkle it over the base rock ; and when the Old Gent comes down, and sees it lying there, he will be so excited that he will out with his bottle and treat all hands." It was agreed ; the salting was done ; and while the men were at breakfast next morn- ing they saw Sutter, with Marshall and Weimer on either side of him, coming down to the mill. Sutter was dressed with care as became the owner of square leagues, and the commander of a fortress, and he walked with a cane. The men stepped out into the
