spark, the discovery of that precious metal having been made there.
While some men were digging a mill-race the alluring deposit first
appeared. This event has made the Fort world-renowned.

At the time we describe Fremont on his second expedition, nothing
whatever was known of the immense fields of treasure over which he
and his men daily walked, although, for many years previous to the
discovery being made, the mountaineers had trapped all the rivers in
that vicinity, and on their banks had herded their animals for months
together. They had drank thousands of times from the pure water as it
flowed in the river's channel, and, no doubt, frequently their eyes
had penetrated through it until they saw the sand beneath in which,
perchance, the sparkling specs may have occasionally allured them
sufficiently to recall the proverb that "all is not gold that
glitters."

The writer once made inquiry of one of these mountaineers who had
spent two summers in the manner narrated above near and at Sutter's
Fort some twenty years since. He was asked whether he ever saw there
anything in the shape of gold which in any way aroused his suspicions?
His reply was: "Never. And had I, it would have been only for a
brief space of time, as finally I should have been certain that I
was deluded and mistaken, without there had been the _Eagle_ of our
country stamped upon it."

Provisions were immediately obtained at the Fort and carried to
Fitzpatrick and his party. Great difficulty had now to be encountered
to prevent the men from losing their lives by the sudden change from
want to comparative luxury. Notwithstanding the utmost care was taken,
some of the party lost their reason. The hardships of the journey had