California, at this time, was sparsely settled, and it was a fearful
undertaking to cross the snowy mountains to the relief of the
storm-bound emigrants. A better idea of the difficulties to be
encountered by the various relief parties can not be presented than by
quoting from the manuscript of George W. Tucker. This gentleman was
sixteen years old at the time of the occurrences narrated, and his
account is vouched for as perfectly truthful and reliable. This sketch,
like the remainder of this book, treats of an epoch in California
history which has been almost forgotten. The scene of his adventures is
laid in a region familiar to thousands of miners and early
Californians. Along the route over which he passed with so much
difficulty, scores of mining camps sprung up soon after the discovery of
gold, and every flat, ravine, and hill-slope echoed to pick, and shovel,
and pan, and to voices of legions of men. Truly, his narration relates
to a lost, an almost unremembered era in the history of the famous
mining counties, Placer and Nevada. In speaking of the first relief
party, he says:
"We mounted our horses and started. The ground was very soft among the
foothills, but we got along very well for two or three miles after
leaving Johnson's ranch. Finally, one of our packhorses broke through
the crust, and down he went to his sides in the mud.
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