The age of gold: the California Gold Rush and the new American dream

Prologue: The Baron and the carpenter (Coloma: January 1848) --

PART ONE: The gathering of the peoples (From the world to California 1848-1849) --

In the footsteps of Father Serra --

Across the Pacific --

The Peaks of Darien --

To the bottom of the world and back --

To see the elephant --

Where rivers die --

PART TWO: From Vulcan's Forge (The goldfields: 1848-1850s) --

With a washbowl on my knee --

A Millenium in a day --

PART THREE American Athena (California: 1849-1856) --

The Miracle of St. Francis --

Sutter's last stand --

Shaking the temple --

Children of the mother lode --

Reflections in an all-seeing eye --

PART FOUR: The Gordian knot and the Pacific connection (California and the Union: 1856-1869) --

The Pathfinder's return --

South by west --

From sea to shining sea --

PART FIVE: The New El Dorado (America in the age of gold) --

Prometheus unbound --

American dreamers --

Sources, Bibliography, Index, Acknowledgements.