Y8 AFFAIRS ABOUT THE COLOMA SAW-MILL.
their course. His eye glancing down the river fell upon the rocks where he had twice found gold. He hesitated for a moment", then turned to the right, made for the river, and was soon opposite his favorite place. The late rains had swollen the stream, and the water was very cold. This did not deter him, for undressing and carrying his gun and clothes, he waded over ; but when he reached the opposite bank lie was so benumbed that he could not work. He tried to light a fire, but his fingers refused to hold the flint and steel. He then tried to catch fire from his gun, a cap-lock, but while in the water the*cliarge had got wet. The only way left was to run and jump ; and the most exasperating part of it was that right before him, staring him in the face, was what he sought, and for which he had braved the danger of deadly cramps, but which now he was powerless to grasp. Snow had fallen ; the day was cloudy, and the mists heavy. On the bare rock the snow soon melted ; in the crevices and deep places it remained. As soon as he became a little warm, Bigler set himself to work, first search- ing the upper rocks, thence slowly working his way down to the water's edge, where it was so plentiful that he spent the remainder of the day picking it up, grain by grain, from the tiniest speck to the lump worth over five dollars. As he dug out the gold, he put it in his cap. The labor was so engrossing that night came on before he was awai-e of it. As he arose, and tried to straighten himself, he cried out with pain. He thought his back was broken; and without recrossing the river, he made his way along the bank, until when opposite the dam, he called for Brown to bring over the raft.
Meanwhile the suspicions of his comrades had been aroused, and no sooner had he reached the cabin than they began to question him. Why had he crossed the river ? Or if he wished to hunt on that side why had he not crossed it in the morning ? It was no use trying to deceive them further, nor was Bigler in the
