managers, after the Chinese custom, and did not use the regular Express
Company, there was no way of ascertaining the amount. Again, neither
See Yup nor his fellow countrymen ever appeared to have any money about
them. In ruder times and more reckless camps, raids were often made by
ruffians on their cabins or their traveling gangs, but never with any
pecuniary result. This condition, however, it seemed was destined to
change.
One Saturday See Yup walked into Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express office
with a package of gold-dust, which, when duly weighed, was valued at
five hundred dollars. It was consigned to a Chinese company in San
Francisco. When the clerk handed See Yup a receipt, he remarked
casually:--
"Washing seems to pay, See Yup."
"Washee velly good pay. You wantee washee, John?" said See Yup eagerly.
"No, no," said the clerk, with a laugh. "I was only thinking five
hundred dollars would represent the washing of a good many shirts."
"No leplesent washee shirts at all! Catchee gold-dust when washee
tailings. Shabbee?"
The clerk DID "shabbee," and lifted his eyebrows. The next Saturday See
Yup appeared with another package, worth about four hundred dollars,
directed to the same consignee.
"Didn't pan out quite so rich this week, eh?" said the clerk engagingly.
"No," returned See Yup impassively; "next time he payee more."
When the third Saturday came, with the appearance of See Yup and four
hundred and fifty dollars' worth of gold-dust, the clerk felt he was no
longer bound to keep the secret. He communicated it to others, and
in twenty-four hours the whole settlement knew that See Yup's coolie
company were taking out an average of four hundred dollars per week from
the refuse and tailings of the old abandoned Palmetto claim!
The astonishment of the settlement was profound. In earlier days
jealousy and indignation at the success of these degraded heathens might
have taken a more active and aggressive shape, and it would have fared
ill with See Yup and his companions. But the settlement had become more
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