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harbor. Captain Newell (not the mountain man) immedi- ately set about gathering all the picks, crowbars and hard- ware obtainable, and as much clothing and provisions as local storekeepers had on hand-presumably for the use of California coal miners employed in getting out coal for the steam vessels that were now beginning to appear in western waters. Only when an ample cargo had been secured did he announce that gold had been discovered on the Sacramento River. As evidence, he paid for his purchases in gold dust.

Portland and the scattered riverside hamlets went wild. In the excitement that followed, nearly two-thirds of Ore- gon's able-bodied men left by water and by land for the heralded Eldorado.

The Rev. George H. Atkinson, tending his small Congre- gational flock at Oregon City, in September, 1848, wrote in his diary: "8, Friday. It has been a week of excitement in town. Most of our men, mechanics, loafers, farmers, mer- chants, &c. have been preparing to leave for California to make their fortunes digging gold this winter. It is astonish- ing. Men from the sanctifying influences of the camp meet- ing, from the communion table, from the comforts of home, from the bosom of their families are leaving every comfort to camp in the woods, or on the plains in snow and rain for months with no provisions but flour to obtain the gold. They go in thousands and leave good business, sacrifice property, pay high for goods, venture health, all for gold. Boys go. Morals will suffer with industry, habits, minds, bodies, friends. The last company & last probably this fall will leave tomorrow. The elder of our chh. goes, also all our physicians 4 in no., 3 or 4 ministers go, 2 merchants. At one store $500. in goods has been sold for successive days."

Those who resisted the great exodus and remained at home hastened to increase agricultural production to supply as much of the miners' needs as possible, not neglecting to charge them all the market would stand.

As early as the spring of 1849, the raw gold of the south was flowing into Oregon in a steady stream. Sawmills and flour mills ran full blast; wages rose and prices advanced. Old debts were paid and new obligations were optimistically incurred. The medium of exchange became gold, where