In March of 1849, Isaac R. Atwood (1818-1893) left Plymouth, MA, and set sail from Boston on the American Brig the Atilla. One-hundred and seventy days later he arrived in California, eager to seek his fortune.

The present six-page letter, composed by Atwood to his wife in September of 1850, describes the perilous life of a prospector in the early days of the Gold Rush. It recounts one of the many “horrid murders and of the most outrageous kind committed in the mines of California,” and details the culture shock the New Englander experienced in the rugged places where there was “no distinction made between the Sabbath & a weekday,” where “the largest buildings in town had their doors thrown open for gambling” and where the residents were prone to uttering “a volley of oaths continually and of the most disgusting kind even to a moderate swearer.”

The letter begins with Atwood explaining that he came down from the mines to Stockton “to settle with those that are indebted to [him]” and to receive some goods shipped from the east. He bemoans the difficulty of securing payment from those who owe it, writing:

“The money I find very difficult in collecting and the encouragement is very small if I get it at all. And what makes it still worse a good part of it belongs to other People of which I am responsible for. And the goods have not arrived as yet so that I cannot be disposing of them. And here I am doining (sic) nothing with all Bill of expense of which I assure you makes me very unpleasant.”

He goes on to reiterate that he sent a pair of gold specimens back East (mentioned in a previous letter), describes their specifics, and mentions that the “boys from Plymouth” boarded a sailing vessel in San Francisco and are headed homeward “ by the way of Realejo the Nicaragua or new route.”

He then recounts a lurid murder which recently took place.

“Some time last May two men left the Mersay (Merced?) diggins for the lower part of the Country to purchase cattle with large amounts of money and with them two Spaniards or Mexicans accompanied them as fellow travelers who were going to the same place or near there. The time overran for they're being back which caused the control pardiner (sic) of one of them (a Mr. Savage), to entertain fears that all was not right. He immediately left in pursuit of them on the Road they found their Saddle Bags and Pistol which convinced him there had been foul play-- He went to the lower Country and had the Spaniards arrested and brought back and tried. Suspicion was strong enough to put them under a heavy Bond of which one could not give being only a servant to the other. In course of time the one that was committed to prison became States evidence and acknowledged the murder And how it was done and where the Bodys (sic) were concealed. The other was arrested, put in irons and committed to prison. But the same night he was taken out of Prison under pretense that it was necessary He should apply his signature to certain documents before taken away and that was the last of him being seen.Now there is no doubt but what the judge and Sheriff was bribed by a large sum and no doubt by the money of him who fell a victim by his Knife."

He muses that the only effective rule of law in Gold country is “the linch (lynch),” a notion he never would have harbored back home. He justifies this sentiment explaining:

“We have no well organized Police no Fortifications no Brick walls and Barred Doors to protect us and if the midnight assassin can penetrate the Brick walls and Barred Doors at the states without being detected which he sometimes does, how much easier he can accomplish his designs when he has nothing but the thickness of a Tent Cloth to contend with, which is all the protection they have in the night when asleep."

Atwood then ruminates on the moral differences between California and “old New England,” wondering “what would the good people of Massachusetts and Maine say or conclude” if they saw the things he has seen. He then gives a lengthy and fascinating description of the gambling halls of the area, and the games of chance played within.

“The Gambling is carried on by the wholesale and in the most public manner. The Buildings are made large on the lower floor and contain many Tables from 6 to 8 feet long with Benches around to accomidate (sic) the loafing bettors upon the center of the Table is a pile of Silver and Gold varying from $500 to $3000. upon one side set the Banker and opposite the Dealer of Cards at the game they call Monte (which is the most common game) the Dealer shuffels (sic) his Cards and draws two from the Top of the pack & two from the Bottom and put them opposite of each other for the bettor to bet on, which they please after the money is staked they turn the Cards face up and begin to draw the cards one at a time till (sic) one comes that is like either of the ones that are thrown on the Table and that is the winning Card. If the most of the bets are made upon that one the Bank looses (sic), if on the other visa versa. It is a daily occurrence for the banks to be broke daily and loose (sic) their whole amount and often win that amount. And there other games in operation of different kinds to entice and win the poor miner's money. I have observed that most of the Gamblers by profession are quite young and many of them Gray Headed caused I have no doubt by the continual excitement that is up. All of them has a large pistol at their side, what they call a five shooter and they are frequently drawn upon one and another, and sometimes to the death to one or the other.”

The letter concludes with Atwood mentioning he recently “ had the pleasure of examining a beutifull (sic) piece of sollid (sic) gold in the hands of a lucky miner weighing 12 lbs took out a few days since. He was one of the lucky umbra's (hombres).”

Some toning and slight loss to the pages. All text legible.

From the collection of Ron Lerch.