prospector in his red flannel undershirt, driving a laden donkey; a
hurdy-gurdy troupe on its way to the barbecue; a stage-coach drawn by
six half-broken wild horses; an old Spanish settler on a beautiful,
black thoroughbred; a late arrival from Oregon, mounted upon a sturdy
mule with his young wife upon a pillion behind him, and a whole drove of
China-men being taken out to work a white man's claim up on the Divide.

There passed Welch miners, who were to be the fore-runners of quartz
mining; miners from Australia, who were to replace the wooden "bateas"
of the Mexicans with the rocker and the iron gold-pan, and the term of
"specimen" with "nugget."

Finally came a hale, old voyaguer whom Longley greeted heartily as he
swung open the toll gate:

"Greetings, Monsieur Francois Gendron, and from whence came you today?"
The big Frenchman handed over the "six-bits" toll for himself and his
horse.

"From New Helvetia."

"Ah - Sacramento."

"And I am bound for the North Fork Dry Diggings."

"Auburn?" smiled Longley.

"Bah! the new names! In my day we called them differently. I came across
the Rockies in '32, Monsieur. But I must be en route - here are sheep
coming."