Howdy, Let's again join our 49er H.C. GARDINER in October, 1851: "As our prospecting at Mormon Bar was not encouraging....I resolved to locate for the winter at SECRET RAVINE, some four or five miles from Horse Shoe Bar. Accordingly, I went over one day to spy out the land and prepare an abiding place. Very fortunately I discovered and pre-empted an abandoned log cabin eligibly located on a small mound contiguous to a spring of water. The cabin was about 10 x 12 feet and had evidently been built by expert woodsmen. It had an excellent fireplace and chimney. The door and canvas roof had been carried away; otherwise the building was intact, even to the rafters and ridgepole. "Much pleased with my prospective habitation, I returned to my old quarters at Whiskey Bar with the intention of immediate removal to Secret Ravine. The cloth of my old tent was much worn and unfit to turn rain, so I decided to reinforce it with a FLY or second roof, which would render the cabin impervious to water. Procuring a bolt of canvas at the store, and being an expert in the use of a palm and needle, I soon completed an excellent fly, which together with the old tent-cover, household goods, and mining utensils, were packed on the mule and coveyed to the new residence. "As everything was ready for the cover, it did not require much time to make the cabin habitable. The roof was soon placed in position, and by night a new door was hung, a bedstead made, the place thoroughly swept, and my traps moved in. Auger holes were bored in the logs and wooden pins driven, which afforded support for shelves on which were placed dishes, books, and papers. When all was arranged, I felt proud of my new dwelling, wherein I was esconsed as snug as a bug in a rug:-) "The fireplace was spacious, and took in sticks four feet long; moreover there was an excellent draft to the chimney, and no trouble from smoke. The cabin was isolated, being over a mile from the nearest habitation. Firewood was plenty and conveniently handy, so that with a riata hitched to the horn of the saddle, I drew in one day an immense pile of dead wood, and there was no need of economy in fuel, a good fire was kept burning continually, which soon dried the damp earth of the floor and made the place confortable. "In the ravine, about 20 rods[1 rod = 5 1/2yds], I discovered a deserted CLAIM which had probably been worked by the former occupants of the cabin. There I set my crade and began work. The gold was very fine, almost impalpable dust, but was heavy and easily saved. The claim, which was in the center of the ravine, was wet. It filled up every night and required half my time during the day to keep it free of water; nevertheless, up to the time when steady rains came,.I made fair wages...Though my claim was difficult to work....I stuck to it till driven out by the rains. Thereafter, I was idle a good part of the time, and passed the hours reading, writing, and eating, when not eating.... "Once a fortnight I ran up and passed a few hours with [Placer]county clerk [Abraham] BRONK at Auburn, which was only five miles distant. His office was the rendezvous for the lawyers at the county seat, and whenever I visited him, I always carried home a supply of books and periodicals that had accumulated in his quarters. These were very acceptable, as they served to interest me during the long winter evenings."( "In Pursuit of the Golden Dream - Reminiscences of San Francisco and the Northern And Southern Mines, 1849 - 1857 by Howard C. Gardiner",ed. Dale L.Morgan, (Western Hemisphere,Inc. MCMLXX). Again, EMERSON <[email protected]> thanks for telling me about this book. Now that really appeals to me:-))) Bob Norris in Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>