CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH.] JENKS, Daniel A. (1827-1869). Manuscript diary 1 January 1849 - July 1851. 330 pages. 8vo, bound in diced calf stamped in gilt (spine detached), closely written. Some 40,000 words . This journal is a transcription by Jenks from his contemporary notebooks, for presentation to his sister (the creation of this fair copy is described in the third diary). -- JENKS, Daniel A. Manuscript diary, January 1852 - 25 September 1856. 278pp., closely written. Over 34,000 words. 8vo, diced morocco boards (spine split, boards rubbed). 5 ink and crayon drawings, and over 10 pencil and ink sketches embedded in the text . -- JENKS. Manuscript diary, 1 January 1857 - 20 February 1859. 154 pages. 8vo, diced brown calf boards, stamped in gilt (spine cracked and chipped). Some 18,000 words, closely written. Three ink and crayon drawings .
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH.] JENKS, Daniel A. (1827-1869). Manuscript diary 1 January 1849 - July 1851. 330 pages. 8vo, bound in diced calf stamped in gilt (spine detached), closely written. Some 40,000 words . This journal is a transcription by Jenks from his contemporary notebooks, for presentation to his sister (the creation of this fair copy is described in the third diary). -- JENKS, Daniel A. Manuscript diary, January 1852 - 25 September 1856. 278pp., closely written. Over 34,000 words. 8vo, diced morocco boards (spine split, boards rubbed). 5 ink and crayon drawings, and over 10 pencil and ink sketches embedded in the text . -- JENKS. Manuscript diary, 1 January 1857 - 20 February 1859. 154 pages. 8vo, diced brown calf boards, stamped in gilt (spine cracked and chipped). Some 18,000 words, closely written. Three ink and crayon drawings . "THIS IS TRULY A PERFECT SODOM." A SUPERB 49'ERS DIARY OF GOLD RUSH SAN FRANCISCO AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. Jenks's diary--one of the most vivid and best written gold rush journals we have ever handled--chronicles his eight month journey from Pawtucket to San Francisco by sea, and then a year-and-a-half of adventures in the lawless, violent mining camps, saloons and gambling halls of San Francisco. Two additional diaries recount his attempt to make a living in Yreka, California, and his ill-fated return home to Pawtucket. "I am bound for California and the gold regions" the 21-year old Jenks declares on the first day of 1849. After nine miserable months sailing round Cape Horn to San Francisco with stops at the Azores and Chile. 7 October 1849: "San Francisco Bay, California...At last--at last." The 23,000 mile, 234 day journey ended inauspiciously as the ship listed through fog. "We finally drifted by a ship at anchor, who in reply to the Captain's hail as to where he was replied 'In Francisco Harbour you damned fool where did you suppose you was!'" They went stern first into North Beach. "I will bet that of all the craft that ever came into this port we are the only one that backed in." Within a week he was seeing the seamy and deadly side of this rough community. 13 October: "Murders, robberies and thefts are every day affairs. Dead men are picked up in the streets nearly every morning. Bowie knives, revolvers and pistols of all kinds are part of a man's daily apparel. Men die in their tents unknown and uncared for, friendless and alone...This is truly a perfect Sodom." 17 October: "Gambler's Paradise ought to be the name of this sink of iniquity, for they rule supreme here. Hells of gambling are on every corner..." 5 November: He finds Stockton "a miniature San Francisco," a tent city, "the inhabitants and business about the same." 2 December: He is finally at the gold mines, at Chinese Camp, but he experiences more setbacks. He is robbed of $250 in his tent and "grubbed along" for the next month. 1 February 1850 finds him "as poor as ever. My efforts do not seem to be crowned with that degree of success that in my opinion they deserve." 1 March 1850: "Have had but poor success as yet in gold digging, 'taint thar,' when I dig for it." On 1 June at Savages Camp. On 1 July he is at Garotte, and comes upon a battle ground just after a skirmish between miners and Indians. The sight of blood oozing out of the corpse sickens him. 31 January 1851. He returns to the subject of the daily murders and lynchings. "I haven't time nor space to chronicle one tenth part of them." As a sample he recounts two recent episodes, one of which saw the murder and lynching transpire in just 15 minutes, before the breakfast bell could ring in the camp! The other saw two card players jump up to fire their guns at each other at the same time--both missing, killing innocent bystanders at adjoining tables. The murderers were acquitted on a verdict of "Accidental Death." "Hurrah for California laws says the gamblers." "Murderers fill all the offices. The judges, sheriffs and other officers of the law are all the mo
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH.] JENKS, Daniel A. (1827-1869). Manuscript diary 1 January 1849 - July 1851. 330 pages. 8vo, bound in diced calf stamped in gilt (spine detached), closely written. Some 40,000 words . This journal is a transcription by Jenks from his contemporary notebooks, for presentation to his sister (the creation of this fair copy is described in the third diary). -- JENKS, Daniel A. Manuscript diary, January 1852 - 25 September 1856. 278pp., closely written. Over 34,000 words. 8vo, diced morocco boards (spine split, boards rubbed). 5 ink and crayon drawings, and over 10 pencil and ink sketches embedded in the text . -- JENKS. Manuscript diary, 1 January 1857 - 20 February 1859. 154 pages. 8vo, diced brown calf boards, stamped in gilt (spine cracked and chipped). Some 18,000 words, closely written. Three ink and crayon drawings .
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH.] JENKS, Daniel A. (1827-1869). Manuscript diary 1 January 1849 - July 1851. 330 pages. 8vo, bound in diced calf stamped in gilt (spine detached), closely written. Some 40,000 words . This journal is a transcription by Jenks from his contemporary notebooks, for presentation to his sister (the creation of this fair copy is described in the third diary). -- JENKS, Daniel A. Manuscript diary, January 1852 - 25 September 1856. 278pp., closely written. Over 34,000 words. 8vo, diced morocco boards (spine split, boards rubbed). 5 ink and crayon drawings, and over 10 pencil and ink sketches embedded in the text . -- JENKS. Manuscript diary, 1 January 1857 - 20 February 1859. 154 pages. 8vo, diced brown calf boards, stamped in gilt (spine cracked and chipped). Some 18,000 words, closely written. Three ink and crayon drawings . "THIS IS TRULY A PERFECT SODOM." A SUPERB 49'ERS DIARY OF GOLD RUSH SAN FRANCISCO AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. Jenks's diary--one of the most vivid and best written gold rush journals we have ever handled--chronicles his eight month journey from Pawtucket to San Francisco by sea, and then a year-and-a-half of adventures in the lawless, violent mining camps, saloons and gambling halls of San Francisco. Two additional diaries recount his attempt to make a living in Yreka, California, and his ill-fated return home to Pawtucket. "I am bound for California and the gold regions" the 21-year old Jenks declares on the first day of 1849. After nine miserable months sailing round Cape Horn to San Francisco with stops at the Azores and Chile. 7 October 1849: "San Francisco Bay, California...At last--at last." The 23,000 mile, 234 day journey ended inauspiciously as the ship listed through fog. "We finally drifted by a ship at anchor, who in reply to the Captain's hail as to where he was replied 'In Francisco Harbour you damned fool where did you suppose you was!'" They went stern first into North Beach. "I will bet that of all the craft that ever came into this port we are the only one that backed in." Within a week he was seeing the seamy and deadly side of this rough community. 13 October: "Murders, robberies and thefts are every day affairs. Dead men are picked up in the streets nearly every morning. Bowie knives, revolvers and pistols of all kinds are part of a man's daily apparel. Men die in their tents unknown and uncared for, friendless and alone...This is truly a perfect Sodom." 17 October: "Gambler's Paradise ought to be the name of this sink of iniquity, for they rule supreme here. Hells of gambling are on every corner..." 5 November: He finds Stockton "a miniature San Francisco," a tent city, "the inhabitants and business about the same." 2 December: He is finally at the gold mines, at Chinese Camp, but he experiences more setbacks. He is robbed of $250 in his tent and "grubbed along" for the next month. 1 February 1850 finds him "as poor as ever. My efforts do not seem to be crowned with that degree of success that in my opinion they deserve." 1 March 1850: "Have had but poor success as yet in gold digging, 'taint thar,' when I dig for it." On 1 June at Savages Camp. On 1 July he is at Garotte, and comes upon a battle ground just after a skirmish between miners and Indians. The sight of blood oozing out of the corpse sickens him. 31 January 1851. He returns to the subject of the daily murders and lynchings. "I haven't time nor space to chronicle one tenth part of them." As a sample he recounts two recent episodes, one of which saw the murder and lynching transpire in just 15 minutes, before the breakfast bell could ring in the camp! The other saw two card players jump up to fire their guns at each other at the same time--both missing, killing innocent bystanders at adjoining tables. The murderers were acquitted on a verdict of "Accidental Death." "Hurrah for California laws says the gamblers." "Murderers fill all the offices. The judges, sheriffs and other officers of the law are all the mo
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Create an alert![CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH] JENKS, Daniel A (1827-1869) Manuscrip...](http://www.christies.com/lotfinderimages/D56362/california_gold_rush_jenks_daniel_a_manuscript_diary_1_january_1849_-_d5636270g.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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