Three Years in California

Borthwick's account of his time spent seeking his fortune in California includes his own illustrations. Borthwick's journey began when he set sail for Panama from New York and crossed the Isthmus. He paints a picture of the hustle and bustle of San Francisco and the diversity of immigrant communities. Borthwick goes on to tell of his experiences mining, describing the camps, the amount of money flowing, the lawlessness and vigilante groups and the great fire in Sonora.