In his good humour there was something Jovian.

When angry, everybody around him trembled.

But he had not the genius for detail, was not patient.

The certain grandiose lavishness of his disposition occupied itself more with results than with means.

He was always ready to take chances, to hazard everything on the hopes of colossal returns.
In the mining days at Placerville there was no more redoubtable poker player in the county.