Chandler addresses his friends regarding his stay in California as a gold prospector. He writes, "I am bound to stick a while longer." He also wonders why someone named John "would be content to settle in Hartland." He guesses that "there must be some attraction," and states that there are a lot of "Cala [California] widows there perhaps." He also writes about how an Indian tricked his companions and himself and stole from them while they were away from their cloth tent. This letter does not indicate the year, but based on the times that Chandler sent picture sheets home as seen in other letters, a letter from 3 September 1855 mentioning that the last time he saw "L" was in July (which is mentioned in this letter), and the etymology of the phrase "cloth tent", which began to appear in 1854-1855, it is highly probable that this letter was written in 1855.
California Gold miners Gold mines and mining West (U.S.) History 1848-1860 Pioneers Correspondence Hartland (Vt.) Native American
Time Period
1855-1872
Place
California
Source
Autograph letter signed, 4 pages; Robert B. Honeyman Jr. Collection of Early Californian and Western American Pictorial Material, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
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