[ Autographs ] CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH LETTER A good content California gold miner's letter, 2pp. 4to., [Calaveras Co., Ca.], May 8, 1854 in which William Wellar writes his mother. In part: "...Christopher Williams...is now in the land of the dead...his body was cast into thedeep...I have heard of several that have died of it [smallpox]...I am living in what is called Rich Gulch...the mines around here are about worked out...we have still took out what kept us in grub...working in the mines is something like the lottery...but the time for big strikesare getting scarce...it is too dry for the miners, it requires a good deal of water to work...they bring it for miles over mountains...thereare plenty of men here who would like to be back in the States...thereare a good many Mexicans, they are the most troublesome. They string one of them up every now and then which makes them feel a little timorous..." Additionally, Wellar has affixed a satirical printing which occupies the entire blank last leaf, "The Miner's Ten Commandments" showing various scenes in a miner's life, with "commandments" such as: "Thou shalt have no other claim than one... Thou shalt not remember what thy friends do at home on the Sabbath... Thous shalt not kill thy body by working..." and so on. Moderate soiling with fold splits repaired in places with aged tape, some scattered glue stains.