January 1 Sunday – In Vallecito, Sam and Jim Gillis inspected a 480-foot tunnel. That night they saw a lunar rainbow. Sam jotted it in his notebook. He also noted that he dreamed that night about James W.E. Townsend (1838-1900), a California and Nevada journalist and editor known as “Lying Jim” because of his imagination and total disregard for the truth in what he wrote or spoke [Sanborn 258]. Telling tall tales by the campfire was a popular activity. One of Jim’s stories about a cat named Tom Quartz that was only interested in mining, found a place in Roughing It, five years later. Another of Jim Gillis’ tales about a blue jay was put into “Baker’s Bluejay Yarn,” part of A Tramp Abroad. One of the pastimes was a skit performed by Gillis and Jacob Richard (Dick) Stoker (1820-1898), the “grayer than a rat” miner who lived out his life in the region. The skit was adapted for the king and duke production in Huckleberry Finn. “I had to modify it considerably to make it fit for print and this was a great damage” [Sanborn 258-260]. From Sam’s notebook:
“New Years 1865, at Vallecito, Calaveras Co. Tunnel under Vallecito Flat is 400 feet long—80 feet yet to run…..magnificent lunar rainbow, first appearing at 8PM—moon at first quarter—very light drizzling rain….—dream of Jim Townsend.” Note: James W.E. Townsend affectionately known as “Lying Jim,” was a journalist on the Enterprise and the Golden Era [MTNJ 1: 69]. Townsend is reputed to be the source for several of Sam and Bret Harte’s stories.