James White was a 21 year old farmer from Quincy, MA. In 1849 he sailed from Boston around Cape Horn to San Francisco and the gold diggings of California. In all he spent 6 months at sea and a year in California. I've transcribed his journal and am publishing it here as well as on Amazon/Kindle and Apple/iBooks.
Sunday June 2d.
Ten days elapsed & nothing of importance transpired from the time the boys left.
Last night a man was shot by arrows by the Indians in the night in his tent on the outskirts of the town. They have committed several such crimes before & everyone has been on the lookout for them. Cattle & mules they had shot and stolen many times.
We had news from Cottonwood of 15 men begin driven off by the Indians & 5 horses stolen, the party being poorly armed. This news gave me fears of our party. The inhabitants of this place have been in constant alarm of the Indians.
I do not think the poor Indians are to blame. Many of them have been shot & driven from there homes by the miserable ignorance & ? by ? of whites. I mean Oregonians & Western men, men who I have heard boast of killing them & shooting harmless squaws & burning their camps, but these men are to be pitted being brought up in ignorance. Many of them can not read nor write. But after all they are worse than the savages.
I employed my time while here in exploring the country around Chasta, reading Congress News, Prof. Webster trial (and I thought how quick he would be hung if he were in California, Healey's Washington & his generals manhood causes of its premature decline, Scottish Chiefs which I borrowed. I have several times climbed the hills to enjoy the mountain scenery which was grand & picturesque.
Several graves in the hills back of town (where the first inhabitants wintered) told that death visited the place & laid his cold hand on many of the poor emigrants who were fortunate enough to get across the plains.
Monday June 3d.
The boys arrived in from their prospecting tour having traveled over 150 miles over mountains & snow from the headwaters of Cottonwood to the Trinity. Concluded we would pack up for the Trinity as soon as possible.
Tuesday the 4th.
Making preparations etc. The 5th, I went down after the cattle that were herded on Clear Creek. I drove them in that day 9 miles.
Thursday 6th.
Packed our oxen which was not a very pleasant task. Sold one of them, the wildest, for $100. The boys bought a mule while they were gone. Gave $200. Davis killed it after starting out by beating it over the head to his loss. Our oxen were wild & hard to get along. Had in Company with us 40 pack mules. The road was very bad, rocks & mountainous. Travelled 8 miles & camped on Clear Creek at night at a trading post.
Friday, June 9th.
Started early in morning. Left the wagon good entirely here. Had nothing but mule trail. Very rocky, bushy, narrow, eroded path. Very annoying indeed. Camped at noon on Tributary of Clear Creek.
In the afternoon got along exceedingly well with the cattle. Left mule train far behind which was very poorly conducted. No leader & packs going to the devil.
Camped at night at foot of the dividing ridge from the Trinity. Passed several sights of old Indian rancherias. Ascending all the afternoon. Saw many flowers on the road resembling those I had seen at home. Traveled today 14 miles