” ‘While in our most gloomy mood, by chance who should I meet but my friend from the Kern River Diggings, Enoch M. Hidden, of the firm of Childs & Hidden, merchants of Los Angeles. Soon he found an old house for Jack Martin’s family and we felt happy again. It was here I first heard from some old mountaineers of a place about a hundred (100) miles eastward called Bear Valley (named, as he said, on account of the great number of bear seen there), so Jack Martin and I at once determined to go there if we could possibly find the place. So leaving his family, Martin and I mounted our horses and taking a very small supply of flour, bacon and salt, struck out eastward, depending mostly on our guns. On our journey that day we could not hear a word about Bear Valley, but the next day we came to a ranch on Lytle Creek, owned by one George Lord, and camped nearby and got directions how to go to San Bernardino, where we were told an old settler, named Fred Van Leuven, lived near the mouth of Santa Ana Canyon, who could tell us how to reach Bear Valley. Accordingly we made our way as directed and got the information desired from this hospitable old pioneer. Next day we pursued our journey, following the tracks of a few burros, and camped at a place now called the ‘Converse Ranch,’ where the trail leaves the Santa Ana River northward. Next morning we began to climb the great rough, steep and snowy range of mountains. On the summit we encountered deep snow and experienced great difficulty in getting our horses through, and found a party of men camped who were surprised at our crossing the deep snow to where they were, who received us in real pioneer style. They were about out of provisions and so were we. Deer was about the only meat we could get as the bear had not yet come out of their dens. This party had found a little gold in a gulch. Among them were Joe Caldwell, Josiah Jones, Jack Almore, Jim Ware and Madison Chaney. Martin and I located camp near them and began prospecting for gold. Sydney P. Waite and partner were also in the valley (Bear Valley) at the same time, prospecting for quartz and operating arastras not very far away.

Time was fleeting, the old year, 1859, had drawn to a close, and the new year, 1860, had come. Success had not crowned our efforts. Our provisions, except venison, were exhausted and the outlook for us was gloomy, indeed. Jack Martin was now determined on the morrow to abandon Bear Valley and return to his family in Los Angeles for I was determined to stay, at least until the bear should come out of their hiding places. Before separating we concluded to prospect a little more, so we both strolled up to the top of the hill nearby where there was a small quartz ledge. On our way up I said to Martin: ‘We have prospected every likely place we have seen in the valley, now let us try this hillside where the snow is melted away and where we are sure there is no gold to which Martin objected at first, but I insisted and shoveled up a pan of dirt off the naked hill, rock, pine leaves and all, and Martin took it back down to the foot of the hill to pan out, which he did and run up the hill to show me the fine gold dust, about ten cents, he had panned out, repeating the operation we found more gold to our great joy. Our courage and hopes now renewed for by night we were convinced that we had struck paying diggins. Next day we began the work with rocker and found we could make about $5.00 each per day.

In a few days Martin left for Los Angeles to bring up his family and also lot of provisions, taking our gold dust to pay for these articles. I stayed and worked on. Passing through San Bernardino, Martin imprudently exhibited some of the gold dust; this raised a great excitement, but when he arrived in Los Angeles and showed the gold dust there, and paid for a considerable bill of goods with our gold dust, there was quite a stir there. By this time people began to rush into San Bernardino.

By this time the bear began to make their appearance in the valley and having no other meat but venison I determined to get some bear meat for a change. Doctor Whitlock was anxious to go with me, so taking our guns we went down the valley about two miles and there in the midst of the open valley we saw two monster grizzlies. I immediately prepared to slip up on them. The doctor objected as it was too dangerous, but I had been waiting too long for such an opportunity which I could not let pass, so leaving him, I crawled out into the open valley to within thirty-five or forty yards of them, took deliberate aim and brought one down. The other hearing his dying groans and seeing him struggling. at once fell upon him fighting him as if to drive him away: being quick at reloading my muzzle loading rifle, I was ready just as he raised his head to look at me, fired, laying him out along side of his companion. Going up to those monsters I must confess that I felt a little proud of this achievement, for it meant a change of diet for all in camp. I now motioned to the doctor to come up, which he did cautiously and expressed wonder and astonishment at their enormous size. On returning to camp there was great rejoicing, but the doctor reprimanded me in the presence of all, saying I was too venturesome and that I would be killed surely by the bear some day and would never accompany me again on so hazardous an undertaking. Next day those bear were brought to camp, a smoke house built, and they were soon converted into bear bacon free to all. I will say now that this smoke house was never clear of bear bacon while I remained in Bear Valley.

Soon after this I took my gun and strolled out northward to view the country, and ascending to the summit of the ridge that divides the waters of the Santa Ana River from the waters of the Mohave River, and looking down from this eminence in a northerly direction, a distance of about two miles, there I discovered a most beautiful little valley. I gazed with wonder and delight at the beauty and grandeur of the scenery spread out to my view. But it was late in the day and after a few moments more of observation and inspiration I retraced my steps to camp highly pleased with what I believed to be an important discovery. At camp that night I related to my companions what I had discovered, whereupon one of the party. Jim Ware, offered to go with me and see the new valley, the Holcomb’s Valley, as they began to call it. A short time after this, in company with this same Jim Ware, I led the way over to this newly discovered valley and found four bear out in the center of it. At once I began to creep up on them, and when in good range, I shot one. while the rest rushed up past and within twenty steps of me and began fighting each other; this excited me as I thought Ware was right among them. In great haste I had reloaded my muzzle loading rifle, which I threw to my shoulder, my eye caught sight of Ware up a tree. I fired, killing one at the root of the tree Ware was up in, the other two bears got away. I was vexed at the actions of my companion, but he looked so meek and so frightened that I could not upbraid him. …’ ”