By Bret Harte
ReadOasis Step 2
(Part 3)

The winter of 1851 brought heavy snows in the mountains. When the snow melted that spring, every stream became an angry river that raced down the mountains. The river tore up trees and brought destruction. One of those terrible streams was the North Fork River.

Late one night, it flooded over its banks and raced into the valley of Roaring Camp. In the darkness, the sleeping men had no chance to escape the rushing water or the crashing trees. When morning...