"Humboldt! Humboldt!" was the new cry, and straightway Humboldt, the newest of the new, the richest of the rich, the most marvellous of the marvellous discoveries in silver-land was occupying two columns of the public prints to "Esmeralda's" one.

I was just on the point of starting to Esmeralda, but turned with the tide and got ready for Humboldt.

That the reader may see what moved me, and what would as surely have moved him had he been there, I insert here one of the newspaper letters of the day.

It and several other letters from the same calm hand were the main means of converting me.

I shall not garble the extract, but put it in just as it appeared in the Daily Territorial Enterprise: But what about our mines?
I shall be candid with you.