The following copies of statements may be relied
upon as correct, word for word with the respective
originals. And as first in importance I give the ac-
count delivered me from his own lips by General
Sutter.
One rainy afternoon in January 1848, Marshall, dripping with water, en- tered my office, next the gnanl houie, in a hurried excited manner, and a k:nl to see me alone in the big house, wliieh was my private office, and the clerk ;' offices. I was surprised, because the day before I sent up all that he wanted, mill-iron and everything. I could not imagine wliat he wanted, yet I con- ducted him to my private rooms, parlor and bedroom, and we entered and shut the door. In this parlor I had veiy ancient furniture made l)y the Rus- sians at Fort Ross, the first manufactured in California, being of laurel, and very clumsy. Yob it was better than the chairs in many rich men's liome3 of that period. Often have I gone into the house of a well-to-do owner of large lierd^ of cattle, and have l)een offered a IniUock's liead to sit on, as a chair. Marshall asked me if the door was locked. I said, 'no, l)ut I will lock it.' H3 was a singular man, and 1 took this to l)e some freak of his. I was not in the least afraid of him. I had no weapon. There was no gun in tl^e room. I only supposed, as he was queer, that he took this queer way to tell me some secret.
He first said to me, 'Are we alone?' I replied, 'Yes.' 'I want two bowls of water,' said he. I rang the bell for a servant. I had six different signals for six different clerks and servants. The l)owls of water were brought. 'Now I want a stick of redwood,' said Marshall, 'and some twine and some sheet copper.' ' Wliat do you want of all these things, Marshall ? ' said I. 'I want to make some scales,' he replied. 'But I have scale? enough in the apothecary's shop,' said I. I had all the time a doctor, when I could get one, and a hospital, and treated people without charge. 'I did not tliink of that,' said Marshall. I went myself and got some scales.
Meajiwhile the door had become unlocked again, and so remained, although it was on the side of the room adjoining, my rooms being double. It was not my office, but my private rooms.
When I returned with the scales, I shut the door, but did not lock it again. Then Marshall pulled out of his pantaloons' pocket a white cotton rag, which contained sometliing rolled up in it. Just a 5 he was unfolding it to show me the contents, the door .was opened by a clerk passing through, who did not know that we were in the room, "ihere,' exclaimed Marshall, quickly thrusting the cotton cloth again in his pocket, ' did not I tell you we had listeners ? ' I appea :ed him, ordered the clerk to retire, and locked the door. Then he broiiglit out his mysterious secret again. Opening the clotli he held it l^efore me in his hand. It contained what might have been about an ounce and a half of gold-dust, flaky and in grains, the largest piece not quite so large as a pea, and from that down to le^s than a pin-head in size. 'I believe tliis is gold,' said Marshall, ' Init the people at the mill laughed at me, and called me crazy.' I carefully examined it, and said to him, 'Well, it looks so; we will try it.' Then I went to the apothecary's shop, and got aqua fortis and applied it. The stuff stood the test. Marshall asked me if I had any silver. I said, * yes, ' and produced a few dollars. Then we put an equal quantity in weight of gold in one side and silver in the other, and drojjping the two in the bowls of water, the gold went down and outweighed the silver under water. Then I brought out a volume of the old American encyclopedia, a copy of which I happened to have, to see what other tests there Avere. Then I said to him, ' I believe this is the finest kind of gold. '
Then he said he wished I would accompany him immediately to the mill. It was about supper-time, and i-aining hard. I said, ' You had better take supper now; I will go up early in the morning, as soon as I have
