Up
in the diggings, as in the earliest days of the gold excitement, the
true-blooded prospector was still ready to drop whatever he had in hand
to follow new flashes of the golden gleam—as far north as the shadow of
Shasta, or southward to Mariposa, or wherever rumor ran. An early
example of this restlessness, one that may stand for all, was the "Gold
Lake" hoax of 1850. Alonzo Delano, in his settlement on Feather River,
watched its early stages.
"A
wonderful lake had been discovered, a hundred miles back among the
mountains, towards the head of the Middle Fork of Feather River, the
shores of which abounded with gold, and to such an extent that it lay
like pebbles on the beach. An extraordinary ferment among the people
ensued, and a grand rush was made from the towns in search of this
splendid El Dorado. Stores were left to take care of themselves,
business of all kinds was dropped, mules were suddenly bought up at
exorbitant prices, and crowds started off to search for the golden
lake."
Although
the exodus ruined a promising town-lot speculation for Delano, he was
philosophical enough to note that the country was more perfectly
explored after this swarm through the mountains.
Among
the gullible prospectors who went looking for Gold Lake were two former
acquaintances: Captain J. Goldsborough Bruff (see pages 57 to 59) and
Pete Lassen. In the picture below, sketched near Honey Lake in
October, 1850, Bruff is shown seated beside the tree. Lassen is
sleeping beside Bruff, his arm over his head.
