The Promise of Gold Mountain
The Promise of Gold Mountain The Promise of Gold Mountain Chapter 1 From China to Gum San My name is Wai Ming, and this is the story of why I came to America. I was born in a small village in China. My parents were poor farmers. They worked hard, but their lives were difficult. Sometimes we didn't have enough to food to eat. One day, exciting news reached our village. "Guess what!" my sister said. "Gold has been discovered in a place called California!" Soon, I began to dream of traveling
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The Promise of Gold Mountain
The Promise of Gold Mountain
Chapter 1 From China to Gum San
My name is Wai Ming, and this is the story of why I came to America.I was born in a small village in China. My parents were poor farmers.They worked hard, but their lives were difficult.Sometimes we didn't have enough to food to eat.
One day, exciting news reached our village."Guess what!" my sister said. "Gold has been discovered in a place called California!"
Soon, I began to dream of traveling to Gum San, or Gold Mountain, to make my fortune.If I struck it rich, all my family's problems would be solved!I could see that my parents were worried. But they did not make me stay in China.
It all happened very quickly. Six weeks later, I was on a ship headed for California.
"How old are you?" a man named Mr. Wu asked me.
"Seventeen," I said, trying to look brave.
"That's too young to be alone," Mr. Wu said. "Stay with me. I'll look after you."
The boat trip across the Pacific Ocean took eight weeks.I was seasick the whole time. The ocean was very rough. The food was bad, too! At last, we arrived at San Francisco. Gold fever had hit the city.All the shops were selling pans and shovels.There were 500 empty ships in the harbor.All their crewmen had gone to look for gold!
Chapter 2 At the Goldfields
When we got to the camp, the miners were very curious about us.Some inspected our chopsticks.Others pointed to the long braids that hung down our backs or stared at us when we spoke.
"Why are they looking at us?" I whispered to Mr. Wu.
"They've never seen Chinese people before," he said.
