Rock Creek Near Kelsys Cal. 52
Dout Scold
Dear Caroline
Since I Last Wrote You I Have recevd 2 Letters from You. One Dated March 30 & April 25th. Likewise one from Addeline About the Same Time. Now I am Going to Give You a Little History of Myself for the Last four weeks, which will Excuse Me for not writing You by Last mail. Four weeks ago I went down to Sacramento to Get My Trunk up in the Mines as I had Made up My Mind to Spend the Summer. Just before I Got to the City I felt a Little Sore place upon my Elbow. I thought nothing of it at the time. Slept at Mrs. Merrills Got my Dinner and Started down to the post office where I found your Letters one of them a scolding one which I did not Blame for. Although I Have Not been in a verry Good plight since to receive a scolding. After reading My Letters & on my way up to Mrs Merrills I saw a Jentlemen verry Politely Selling Apples to Some Ladys, at 25 cts apiece. His Countenance Lookd Familar to me after He Got through Trading I stept up to him & found Him to [be] Henry Burr. Just Come out & Brought Me a Letter from Addeline & a 1/2 doz Pair of socks. He was verry Glad to see Me and askd ten thousand questions about the mines & How I Likd &c. I then went Home to Mrs Merrills & Got Supper Had a Long Talk with Mr. & Mrs. Merrill Capt. Woodburn G Kelsy & Pelt Crook went to bed. Mrs Merrills put me in a Feather bed which was such a Contrast to what I had been accustomd to. I Soon fell asleep & Slept Sound. In the Morning I found Something the Matter with my arm that felt sore the day before. Just imagine the size of your thigh & You Can form some Idea of My Arm from My Elbow to the End of my fingers was swollen to that Size & you Know thats a pretty Good Size. The Doctor at Sac City Pronounced it Irisyplus [?]. Mrs Merrill Commenced Polticing. Tryd several Remedies all to No Purpose. Mrs Merrill insisted upon my Staying there. I stayed 3 days the weather being verry warm. I was anxious to Get back to the Mountains where I Could Breathe the Pure Air as Aunt Aphia would say. I Jumpd in the Stage with My Arm in a sling & Rode up to Coloma 50 miles. I was verry weak after physicing & dieting. Then I Had five Miles to Travel foot over Hills to Get to My Old Cabin where I Laid 3 weeks before I got any Ease from My Arm or the Swelling reduced. After Keeping in that State for 3 weeks it Broke & Such quantity of Matter it run of a Stream for Several days. I Should Judge one quart Discharged from it. However it has Got Pretty Much well although its weak. Four of us has bought a Claim upon Rock Creek where I Am Now writing for the first Time. How we shall Make out with the Claim I am unable to inform You at Present as we only Movd over here Yesterday. As you wanted a Change in my Letters You will perceive you Have one. The Next day after Getting Back to the Mountains a Man Came up to the Cabin & inquired if a Person by the name of Burr Live here & and who should it be but Old Laylon. I was in Great Pain at the Time but I was So Glad to see Him. It relieved me much. He Spent the day with Me & we Had a Good Talk. Now Carrie perhaps this Has Saved me from a fit of Sickness & perhaps is all for the Best & as I Have not Made any Money. Yet I thought I would stay till next Spring, as it is dangerous Coming Coming Home in Cold weather. But yet if I Should be Lucky enough to Make a Pile I shall Hasten to You Cold or warm for I want to See You & the Children so bad. Oh How I did wish to Have you and Mrs Pollack to doctor Me although my partners were very Kind to Me & done all they Could for Me but it was not Like Having a womans Soft Hand to fumble around one. But thank God I am Getting Pretty well again & shall be able to work in a few days & still Live in Hopes of My Luck Turning. The Place I am now is Called Rock Creek. Its a verry romantic Looking place. Hear nothing but the Roar of the water & see Nothing but the High Mountains several thousand feet High the sides quite [...?]. I am in Company with 3 others one from Main[e] one from Conne[c]ticut & one from old Massachusetts. You must Excuse this bad writing as My Arm is a Little Tender Yet & you Must Not Scold me to Hard for I am doing the best I Can & you rely upon it. The first Gold I Get You Shall Have. I will send it to you. I am Glad you Have rented the Farm that it may not be so Hard upon You. Continue to write Me by Every Mail & Direct Your Letters to Sac City Care of Isac Merrill: Kiss all the Little Girls for Me & I wish I Could Kiss You but Keep a Stiff upper Lip. I will be along there one of these days. Give My Best Respects to all My Como Friends. I would send a Piece of Gold in this but you Have never told wether you Have recevd what I Have sent.
JMBurr
[Next letter, August 15th, 1852]