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Collection: Books and Periodicals
Three Years in California by John D. Borthwick (1857)(LoC) (423 pages)
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Page: of 423
216 DOWNIEVILLE.
to wind down the steep face of the mountain to
Downieville. There was a ranch and a spring of
deliciously cold water, which was very acceptable, as
the last ten miles of my journey had been up hill
nearly all the way, and the heat was intense, but not
a drop of water was to be found on the road.
I overtook two or three miners on their way to
Downieville, and went on in company with them.
As we descended, we got an occasional view between the pine-trees of the little town far down
below us, so completely surrounded by mountains
that it seemed to be at the bottom of an immense
hole in the ground.
I had heard so much of Downieville, that on
reaching the foot of the mountain I was rather disappointed at first to find it apparently so small a
place, but I very soon discovered that there was a
great deal compressed into a small compass. There
was only one street in the town, which was three or
four hundred yards long; indeed, the mountain at
whose base it stood was so steep that there was not
room for more than, one street between it and the
river.
This was the depot, however, for the supplies of a
very large mining population. All the miners within
eight or ten miles depended on Downieville for their
provisions, and the street was consequently always a
scene of bustle and activity, being crowded with trains
of pack-mules and their Mexican drivers.
The houses were nearly all of wood, many of them