Hopkins Creek July Wensday 16th 1851 California gold reigons nothern mines Thomas I will rite you afew lines in anser to some that you have sent to me and for which I thank you for verey kindley letters from my Children or any of my friends are always recived with joy. I take grate pleasure in reading them over and over again and again and yet thay always seem new and interesting but you cant expect me to rite you much at this time for it is with dificulty that I can rite at all as I have ben riteing for 2 or 3 days as much as I could stand to rite. I am Seated on the ground with a small peice of board on my lap which I am riteing on and I cant sit long at a time with out geting verey tyred. I hardley no what to rite to you. I have riten all to Laura and Emily but I will try and scratch up something that may interest you a little per haps I will commence at Gold Hill whare whare I winterd last winter. I rote five or six letters whilest I was there all for my Children. The last I rote was the first of Febuary sent it by one Mr Jones that was going home from California. Paid him five dollars to stop and leave it with Laura which he a gread to do and I sepose you have got it long before this time if you havent you never will. I sent one at the same time for your uncle mC Intire ____________________________________________________ 2 I have first had to stop riteing to make some gruel for a sick man I worked on gold hill all winter with Mr Eaton and Capt barker from vermont all tho Barker was Sick most all winter not able to work Mr Eaton and my Self threw up dirt thinking every day to have wather to work with but wee ware saddly disepointed for wee had no wather to work with-onley four days the 6 or 7 of febuary wee left gold hill and all our dust which would or paid us ten dollars per day each and Started for Nelsons Creek had a pity hard time giting there landed on Nelsons Creek the 17th of febuary Cold wether came on Son after wee got there and Snow fel 3 or 4 feet deap So wee dident earn much more then anough to pay our board for a long time Provisons of all kinds was verey high it cost us 4 dollars each to live but wee have got throw it now but mis fortune and bad luck seames to folow me whare ever I go in consequence of brakeing my leg which I did on the 24th of April it has cost me Some 2 hundred dollars and I shall loose three or four months the best of the Season for mineing in the nothern mines which will make it reather hard for me this Season I have bot a clame on hopkins Creek for which I paid one hundred and _____________________________________________ 3 twenty five dollars down Mr Eaton Mr Gouch Mr Stevens bot with me and paid the same that I did wee are to work to gether Stop a moment Mr. Gouch wanted I should pay him twenty dollars for wateing on me when I couldent waite on my Self and he has had to leave our companey he Sold his Clame for 75 dollars I hire a man to work my part and pay him 6 dollars per day I hope I Shall Soon be able to work my Self then I Shall Save what I now have to pay out it costs me about a dollar a day to live my leg gaines some and my Sperits are verey good most of the time it is quite Sickley here now a young man by the name of gipson from Manchester died this after noon had ben sick a long time There was a Grisley bare enterd a Shantey afew days a goe took down a peice of beef that hung up there was but one man in the Shantey he sprung Got hold of the beef the Grisley took puled the man puled but the bare was to Stout for him draged the man Some fifteen rods the man was glad to give up beat and retreat there was aman Stold ninety dollars yesturday had his trial before judge linch was found gilty recived thirty nine lashes on his bare back and leave the Creek in fifteen minutes ______________________________________________________ 4 (top) or be Shot That is the way rages have to take it here Thomas you must help Emily Some let her have some money when I cume home I will pay you be a good boy and dont worey about me I will git along well enough _______________________________________ (middle across) Mr Thomas C Cheney Manchester New Hampshire _______________________________________ 4 (bottom) rite often I should like to rite you a much longer letter if I felt able but you will excuse me this time this from your father Lyman Cheney