[Autograph letter of a California gold hunter writing back home to his brother.]

Coon Hollow, California, 23 Nov. 1851. 8vo (9.75” x 7.5”). 4 pp. of manuscript.

An engaging California gold rush letter detailing a gold-hunter’s eventful journey via Panama and providing an account of the miner’s first days in the goldfields.

John F. Cummings writes this letter to his brother William Cummings, who lived in Ware, Massachusetts. The first half describes his journey via the Panama route, which included a deadly fight between white men and natives at Chagres over the concession for carrying gold-seekers’s baggage across the isthmus. Cummings arrives in San Francisco on 17 Nov., and soon after departs for Sacramento, where he and his traveling companions begin their search for gold. They go see Charles H. Cummings, the writer’s brother, who suggests Coon Hollow (AKA Coon Hollow Hill and El Dorado, located southwest of Placerville, CA) as a good place to mine. Cummings and his four companions—Hilton, Canturbury, Hunt, and Davis— bring provisions to Coon Hollow and board together for $3 a week. They start building a log-house and make initial attempts at mining, the circumstances of which Cummings relates.

John Cummings is known to have written his brother William again, a year later, on 25 Apr. 1852 from Indian Springs, CA, noting, among other matters, that he has to travel from place to place to find gold diggings that will pay. John’s brother Charles H. Cummings (1823–1893) reached San Francisco on 7 Apr. 1850 and settled in Sacramento with his family, where he appears to have lived at least until 1880. Charles is known to have worked in the offices of the Central Pacific Railroad, and to have also worked as Assistant Treasurer of the Southern Pacific Company.

SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES

“I will give you a little history of my journy I left New York Oct 13th at 3… I was sea sick about 4 days… on the Atlantick we arrived at Chagres [Panama] Oct 23rd [but] did not land til the 24th… on account of a disturbance between the Boatmen [and] the Natives [who] carried [baggage] to and from the steemers for $1.00. The whites carried for $2.00 and did not like to have the Natives carry for a less sum the whites wanted to get the business into their hands and employ the Natives to work for them as near as I can learn… Their were a number killed and wounded in the fight…"

“[The fight caused] about a hundred miners returning home [who had] arrived at Chagres… to flee back to the woods for safety… Our Captin and Oficers as went ashore and settled the disturbance so that his passingers could pass along to Panama in saftey.”

"We stopped at Chagres…and then started up the river…our baggage we hired carried on mules at 8 cts a pound I carried 5 or 6 pound in my hands. I would not carry any again… Some carried 50 pounds. Some started with baggage and throwed it away. We came through in a day… It was a hard days work when I came through the watter was not over my Boots others came after me perhaps 2 ours waded up to their arms owing to showers that day the streams rise and lower very fast.”

"We left Panama Oct 30th AM in a boat (paid $1.00) [and] Nov 6th. Arived in Acapulco [where we] took in Cole [and] provisions. 7th I went ashore & Bathed paid 20 cts to get Ashore 20 to come back left Acapulco the 8th… 9th had meetings by 2 Methodis Ministers. Arrived in San Francisco Nov 17th [and quickly] left for Sacramento… Arived in Sacramento next morning. … There were men Died on Board the Origon Steemer a Mr. Gove of Manchaster N.H. a Colard Man from new Bedford Died of Disease been in Panama some time. Moss Died of the Feaver. I think for want of proper norishement after the fever left him…”

"Went and see Charls. H. Cummings…he thought Coon Hollow wood be as good a place as I could go Mr Hilton, Canturbury, Hunt, Davis are with me 5 of [us] Bought provisions together, and we shall Board together for the present. I think we can Board for about 3 dollars a week. Yesterday we commenced building a loghous. … I Bought a good pair of Boots for $4.00. Blanckets for $5.00 at Lovelands Store, Shovel $3.50 Pick $3.00. … We went out day before yesterday with our pans and washed a few pans of dirt got some over a dollar. We have not found a place to make a business of working yet, we have got to get a Slouse first and then we will find the work. … I like the place better than I expected so far Coon Hollow is about 50 miles east of Sacramento.”

REFERENCES: Odiorne, Pat. Charles Henry Cummings at camcca.wordpress.com.

CONDITION: Very good, a few small splits along mailing folds, partial losses to a few words.