enter email:
E-commerce by Yahoo!
Home > Gold Prospecting Stories - Reports > Old Timers - Gold Rush Days > Seeing the Elephant - Gold Rush

Home > Gold Prospecting - FREE TIPS > Panning For Gold > Gold Panning Tools > Gold Panning Equipment > Gold Panning Supplies > Gold Prospecting Stories - Reports > Old Timers - Gold Rush Days > Seeing the Elephant - Gold Rush


Click to enlargeSeeing the Elephant - Gold Rush

I Have Seen the Elephant

In the middle of the 19th century, the popular phrase "I have seen the elephant" referred to overcoming the adversities and hardships in one's life. A fable revolved around a farmer who heard that the circus was coming to town. He had never seen an elephant, and headed to town with his produce to see the elephant. One the road, he encountered the elephant. Unfortunately, the farmer's horse had never seen an elephant, either. The horse spooked, upset the cart, and ran off, destroying the farmer's produce. Even so, the farmer declared "I don't care, for I have seen the elephant."

Most immigrants rushing to California by land or by sea had seen the elephant, "from the tip of his trunk to the end of his tail" by the time they arrived in California. For any who hadn't, two or three weeks in California were certain to bring on the vision.

Image: Seeing the Elephant, Collection of California Historical Society


-elephant-


Search Gold Fever Prospecting for:


Sign up for The "Gold-Fever-Prospecting Newsletter"
and we'll enter you
for FREE into our monthly GOLD GIVE AWAY!

Join the Gold Fever Prospecting mailing list
Email:

Gold Prospecting Questions? EMAIL US

Copyright 2022 Motherlode Outfitters
dba: Gold Fever Prospecting
Henderson, NV 89074
Toll Free: 888-985-6463

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK


READ THE GOLD FEVER BLOG

Gold Prospecting Equipment / Buy Gold Nuggets
Gold Panning Paydirt / Mining T-Shirts
Drywashers / Metal Detectors
Suction Dredging for Gold
Browse Site Map