But the sleek, fat horse grew poor; the gloves with embroidered gauntlet wrists were cast aside; the trains grew small, and the luxuries vanished, and perhaps the plucky owner made the last few hundred miles on foot, with blistered soles and scanty pack, almost alone.

Many of these gay trains never reached California, and many a pioneer who started with high hopes died upon the way, some rudely buried, some left where they fell upon the sands or rocks.
Those who got through found a splendid climate and promising prospects before them of filling empty stomachs and empty pockets, and were soon searching eagerly for yellow treasure.

When fortunate they recovered rapidly their exhausted bodies to health and strength, and gained new energy as they saw prosperity.
Prospectors wandered through the mountains in search of new and suitable gold diggings, and when they came to a miner's cabin the door was always open, and whether the owner was present or absent they could go in, and if hungry, help themselves to anything they found in shape of food, and go away again without fear of offense, for under such circumstances the unwritten law said that grub was free.
By the same unwritten law, stealing and robbery, as well as murder, were capital offences, and lawless characters were put down.

Favors were freely granted, and written obligations were never asked or given, and business was governed by the rules of strictest honor.

The great majority of these pioneers were the bone and sinew of the nation, and possessed a fair share of the brains.