Wild North America 1846

Chapter 8 Captain William Richardson

After the training, this group of people became much more peaceful, neither bluffing nor running around, and honestly lined up to prepare for dinner.

Two potatoes baked in the firepit were distributed to each person, a piece of cake for each person, a large bowl of beef offal soup, and a cup of hot milk at the end. Everyone’s stomachs were round and their bodies were warm.

No matter where the Chinese go, they will maintain their own unique eating habits. There is no offal soup in the recipes of the white people, but this is a delicacy on the Chinese table.

After the big pot of beef offal soup is divided, the washed and chopped beef offal is poured in again, and it is boiled with water. This is for the next batch of guys to eat.

More potatoes were poured out of the sacks, and one by one they were placed in the firepit, covered with plant ash, and slowly roasted by the heat of the firepit.

Li Cha didn't care about these trivial matters. He ate in his own room. The same large bowl of beef offal was placed on the table, sprinkled with some chipotle peppers and pepper, and he ate deliciously with the flatbread.

finished eating
Li Cha arranged more than 20 men with guns on horseback to inspect the gold mining area by the American River.

START TODAY

Datang will formally fulfill its duty to protect Chinese gold diggers, stop white people from oppressing and plundering, and safeguard the interests of Chinese gold diggers.

How can you collect money if you don't do anything?

Prices in San Francisco are extremely high, because of the influx of people, bread, cheese, butter, rice, beer and other things are more than 2 to 3 times more expensive than other places.

The most expensive thing is women. Cowboys can have fun with a white waitress in a bar. Even a fat woman like a beer barrel will cost at least $10.

In the Chinese brothel in the new town, it costs at least $15 to find a girl, and even $25 for a beautiful top girl, which is equivalent to an ounce of gold.

Referring to the current era, the monthly income of ordinary workers in other parts of the United States is between 20 and 25 US dollars, and we know that this is an industry that is more profitable than robbery.

In the Chinatown of the new town, this is basically a dirty business monopolized by the Agreement Hall. They rely on trafficking and plundering women to make huge profits.

In order not to receive guests, some pig flowers choose to swallow opium or throw themselves into the sea, and some even flee to the mountains, freezing their feet and hands in the wind and snow. These poor women only want to die.

Even if Lin Ada and others don't come to the scum of the rivers and lakes who bully the compatriots in the Agreement Hall, Li Cha will not let them go, but this matter is not the top priority.

Some people were arranged to inspect the gold mining area, and the rest of them couldn't be idle, except for a few guys who followed Gaiwangshan to the new town to purchase supplies, and Dai Changfu led the rest of the people to cut logs in the nearby forests. , ready to build houses and camps.

Li Cha randomly picked two gunmen to follow, and he was going to Fangcao Field to collect the bounty in the morning, so as to squeeze out the last vestige of Ferguz's benefits.

Fangcaodi is very close to Grape Valley, and it takes only a few minutes to ride a horse.

in bright sunshine

The grassy land among the hills is like a small town in England. The thick Norman-style buildings exude a strong British style. These houses have tall ridges and chimneys.

in winter

Family members sit by the warm fireplace, chat and drink hot tea, and can fully enjoy the fun of life.

Li Cha and his party rode three times, and were stopped by several white cowboys holding long guns at the entrance of the town;
"Stop buddy, you are not welcome here, if you turn around now, there is still time."

"I'm Richard. You may have heard my name. I want to meet Mr. William Richardson and give him this $350 corpse. By the way, his name was Ferguz when he was alive." Richard sat firmly On the horse, there is no extra movement.

He didn't want the other party to feel hostile. This was just to collect the bounty. Facing the unfriendly gaze of the white cowboy, Li Cha looked calm and composed.

never thought

After Li Cha reported his family, the white cowboys in the town became more nervous, and they couldn't help raising their black muzzles, as if a big enemy was coming.

Apparently, Li Cha's reputation of killing seven people in a row in Xinshi Town has spread, and these people in Fangcaodi know about it.

"Don't be nervous, buddy, watch out for the gun to go off." Li Cha said with a gentle expression, then his face darkened, and he continued in a threatening tone; "I hate when people point their guns at me. You took a shot in the head, now calm down and put the damn gun away."

His threat put a lot of pressure on the white cowboys on the opposite side. The leading middle-aged white man's expression changed, and he took the initiative to put away his musket, and waved his hand to make the others put away their musket as well.

The name Richard is famous in San Francisco, and it is awe-inspiring. It is obviously unwise to offend him hastily.

"I'm sorry, respected Mr. Richard, we are not targeting you." The middle-aged white man put away his gun and walked over, pointed to the corpse on the horse's back, and said in a flattering tone; "It is convenient, I wanted to check to see if it was Ferguz himself."

"Please..."

"Thanks, I had an exchange of fire with the Fergus gang when they robbed the postal carriage, ok, this is indeed Fergus, I will never forget his ugly face. Thank God, the villain is finally dead .”

After the middle-aged white cowboy confirmed it, he couldn't help but cross himself in the air, and let out a long sigh of relief; "Mr. Li Cha, riding a horse is not allowed in the town, so I can only wrong you to walk with me."

"no problem."

Li Cha got off his horse, led the horse by the rein, and walked over with the middle-aged white cowboy.

The town of Fangcaodi is the only place in San Francisco where the stone road is paved. The two stone roads cross each other. The center of the town is the Christian Church, the town hall and the post office are also here, and there is also a large grocery store. , selling various daily necessities and production tools.

Through the window, Li Cha saw a few shiny muskets hanging in the grocery store, hanging together with the pickaxes used for panning for gold.

There were dozens of white people coming and going on the streets of Fangcaodi, both men and women, all of them couldn't help casting their gazes over, looking at Li Cha and the others curiously.

There were two young and beautiful Caucasian girls standing across the street, with strange expressions in their eyes, staring at Li Cha intently.

Li Cha bowed his head and put his hand on the cowboy hat in a very gentlemanly manner, and walked forward without stopping.

"That's Captain William's daughter, Mr. Richard."

"Both?"

"Captain William has 4 daughters, only the eldest daughter is married. This is the third daughter Selena and the fourth daughter Linda, a pair of lovely sisters in Fangcaodi."

"You're right, it's really beautiful."

When they arrived at the gate of the town hall, two people in suits came out to greet them. The gray-haired old man at the head was Captain William Richardson.

This is a typical Englishman, with a rigid face and a hooked nose that is very conspicuous. Years of life at sea have made his complexion a healthy bronze color.

by contrast
Russell, a Scottish businessman, seemed a little more pleasant, and at least he was able to maintain his superficial gentlemanly demeanor without seeming to be a thousand miles away.

"Oh, the villain Fergus has finally gone to hell, and poor George can finally rest in peace, thank God." Russell walked around the corpse to confirm, with a happy expression on his face, he reached out his hand to Richard shook hands and said gratefully;
"I know you, Richard, the asylum of the Chinese gold diggers, um, a very good cowboy, I heard that your marksmanship is extremely deadly, and the upper California area needs bounty hunters like you."

"Thank you for your compliment, but I am more concerned about getting the bounty."

"That's no problem buddy, you can get a total of...well, let me count two rewards, it's $570."

hear the number
Li Cha whistled happily, which was much more than the original 350 US dollars.

"Mr. Russell, may I know who is so generous?"

"There are two rewards on Ferguz's body, one is from the Sacramento post office, the figure is 350 dollars. This villain has robbed the postal carriage twice, causing three deaths and two injuries. The other was paid by the widow of George Sr. Yes, a total of $220, and the demand is to kill Ferguz."

"rest in peace!"

Li Cha pretended to draw a sign of the cross on his chest, expressing his condolences.

In fact, he neither believes in God nor knows the widow of old George, and the only thing that can make him happy is more dollars than expected.

At this time, William Richardson, who hadn't spoken for a long time, interjected; "Young man, I heard you are looking for me?"

"Yes, Mr. Richardson, my actions have offended Sheriff Old John, and he is John Sutter's man. There may be some troubles, but I will solve it."

"Come on in and talk, lad, I've got nice coffee here, we can have a cup."

"Thank you!"

Although Captain William Richardson and John Sutter are both white, one is British, the other is Swiss, one speaks English, and the other speaks German, so they can't pee in the same jug at all.

The conflict between these two people is very deep. John Sutter came to San Francisco earlier, occupying the prosperous western part of the new town, and is a rich and powerful local snake in the area. .

Captain William Richardson came later. In the autumn of 1832, he arrived here with several three-masted sailing ships full of cargo. After taking a fancy to the superior port conditions and geographical environment in the Bay Area, he made up his mind to end his wandering career and settle ashore. .

He originally planned to establish a residence in the new town, but due to business competition and other reasons, he and John Sutter had a fierce battle, and each had a lot of casualties.

In that firefight, William Richardson's eldest son and only son Brown Richardson was shot and killed, which made him heartbroken and had a blood feud with John Sutter.

Later, in 1835, William Richardson left the new town with his people and came to Fangcaodi, where he established his first residence, and slowly developed into a small town more than ten years later...

Richard has attracted the Chinese as his basic power, but it is impossible to fight against all white people. When the strength is weak, he must find a suitable camp to unite and jointly fight against the evil forces of John Sutter.

Undoubtedly, William Richardson is a very good partner. He has money, guns and power. The most important thing is that John Sutter has a blood feud, which is wonderful.

(End of this chapter)