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.
Mr. White seems to have lost track of what day it was.
Saturday June 8th.
Packed our oxen strong & commenced climbing the mountains. The path zig zag. We arrived on the summit without much difficulty. Very cold on top. Nothing could be seen either way. Mts rocky, snowy, craggy. The valley of the Trinity came in sight, going down the mts, which looked delightful. Quite a valley & covered with the needful grass. Came down the mts which was very precipitous in places with much trouble which is seldom done.
Arrived at noon on Clarks bar (named after our leader) where we were to take up quarters till better could be found. Turned our cattle out who had performed the journey so well to luxuriate in the good grass till we should call upon them again for beef. Distance travelled 8 miles good. Davis was behind with the mule train looking after some of our baggage that was entrusted to them which we expected to loose the most of. Laid by in the afternoon.
Sunday June 9th.
The water & air fine of the Trinity Valley. Went down on the bar with pick & pan. Found gold in the top dirt but very fine. Got about 12 ct to pan. Thought we could make an oz a day to a man with a machine easy enough. Pitched our tent & laid by the rest of the day. Thought of home sweet home, of writing, etc. Not much of a chance to write or send.
Monday June 10th.
Davis & the mules got in with the rest of the goods which were well smashed up by the animals rolling down the mts. Clark made long tom washer & made a race to set it in.
Tuesday the 11th.
Sat the machine. Water fell very fast. Got it to work. Found on weighing the gold it was very deceiving. Was light scales & did not weigh as much as it looked. It would not pay to stop here long.
Paxton & his party (some who had kept in company with us) left for down the river. Concluded two or three of us would go on a prospecting tour tomorrow or start up on the north fork of the Trinity about 30 miles from this place.
June 12th
Latham, Davis & myself started early in the morning with provisions, bedding, etc. on our backs for the North Fork. Traveled over mts through ravines & narrow windings. Trails of the Indians. Little travelled. Prospected in several places, but poor encouragement meet our toils. Camped at night in a small Tributary of the Trinity. Valley wide & too much verdure for a gold country. Today traveled 14 miles.
Thursday June 13th.
Started early after a cold & restless night. Followed a stream which was up to our middles & trudged on over mts, crossing creeks & deep ravines, finding no gold. Passed several deserted Indian wigwams. Met a party of 5 men returning from a prospecting tour having had no luck & reported we were entirely out of the gold region. Camped on the same creek at noon we forded in the morning higher up. Concluded to go no farther up but to turn back on another course over the ridge of snowy mts, from there on to the Weaver Creek, all on the north side of the Trinity.
Followed down the creek & camped on the site of an old Indian rancheria. Today we killed 3 or 4 rattlesnakes of moderate size. Saw deer etc. After a very comfortable nights lodging dreaming wide awake of Indians & home, etc., we got breakfast such as it was. Sailors bread, a piece of pork roasted on a stick & a cup of tea. We resumed our journey.
June 14th
Crossed the stream. Arrived at the snowy ridge at noon. Saw three or four deers. Killed snakes & saw bear tracks. In the afternoon after prospecting in the ravins we crossed through a gap in the ridge & followed down a stream we thought to be Weaver. Camped at night on a pretty little bottom. Distance travelled today (judged by the time & road or trail) 20 miles.
Saturday the 15th.
Arrived at our old camp on Trinity having got out of our latitude & followed down a stream that was three or four miles above Weaver. Arrived in camp about 10 o'clock A.M. Thus getting home two days sooner than we expected. Travelled 10 miles this morning & tired of prospecting. No news in camp. Concluded we start down the river soon about 30 miles between 2d and 3d canyon. Oh, what a life is this.