The Author and his friends part company
Their regrets at the separation
Friendship in the wilderness
Friendship at a supper
The Author finds himself alone
Monterey deserted
High wages
Officers’ servants not to be obtained
A few arrivals from the mines
Stores shut, houses blocked up, and ships
left defenceless.
We had previously determined, on arriving at the sea-coast,
to part company. There was now no object for
keeping together in a party, and our future plans
were, of course, very undecided. It was, therefore,
clearly advisable that we should, at least for the
present, separate. This resolution was not come
to without something like a pang—a pang
which I sincerely felt, and which I believe was more
or less experienced by us all. We had lived for
four months in constant companionship—we
had undergone hardships and dangers together, and a
friendship, more vivid than can well be imagined in
civilized lands to have been the growth of so short
a period, had sprung up betwixt us. There had
been a few petty bickerings between us, and some unjust
suspicions on my part in respect to Bradley; but these
were all forgotten. Common sense, however, dictated
the dissolution of our party. When we reached
Monterey, we went to an inferior sort of hotel, but
the best open; and the following day we arranged the
division of the proceeds arising from the sale of
the gold that Bradley had left with Captain Sutter
for consignment here. The same night we had a
supper, at which a melancholy species of joviality
was in the ascendant, and the next day shook hands
and parted. Don Luis went back to his own pleasant
home, and Bradley started for San Francisco. As
for the others, I hardly know what were their destinations.
All I know is, that on waking the next morning, I
found that I was alone.
After breakfast I walked about the town. Like
San Francisco, Monterey has been nearly deserted.
Everybody has gone to the diggings, leaving business,
ships, and stores, to take care of themselves.
The persons who remain are either persons carrying
on profitable branches of commerce, the very existence
of which requires the presence of principals upon
the spot, and their clerks and servants, who have been
tempted by high wages to stay. To give an idea
of the rate of remuneration paid, I may mention that
salesmen and shopmen have been receiving at the rate
of from two thousand three hundred to two thousand
seven hundred dollars, with their board, per annum.
Mere boys get extravagant salaries in the absence
of their seniors; and the lowest and most menial offices
are paid for at a rate which only such a wonderful
influx of gold would render credible.
But, even with the inducement of this high pay, it
was found exceedingly difficult to retain the services
of persons engaged in commercial and domestic capacities.
I learned from Colonel Mason that the officers in
garrison at Monterey had not been able for two months
to command the assistance of a servant. Indeed,
they had been actually obliged either to cook their
own dinners, or to go without. Every one had
taken his turn in the culinary department, and even
Colonel Mason had not been exempted.
