The Press. — London, England, 1855-02-10 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 10, 1855. gat back to his " hunting-box" again, he found, much to his chagrin, his quiet quarters invaded upon all sides by speculative Yankees, who were buying up plots of land for cultiva tion. As he possessed no preemptive rights he was compelled to turn out, and, after some further dallying ou the way, he at length fairly started for the diggings and set to work; but a month or two tired him, and, for a change, ho plunged into quartz-vein speculations, bought a steam engine to crush the quartz, and broke it down upon the first trial; repaired it after endless trouble and expense, and at last found that the quartz crushed the machine, instead, of the machine crushing the quartz. After tll:s he entered into several other speculations, built iron hotels in embryo- cities that never got beyond a few tents and a Fumbling booth, sold them again, and lost his money, but in the end gained experience, which he gives to us in this volume of " Recol lections." Taken as a whole, the book is as good a sketch of Californian life, and gives us as fair au idea of the country and the people, as we remember to have met with. Moreover, there is such an air of truthfulness over every thing' he relates that the reader enters into all Mr. Marryat's adventures and enjoys them with a gusto which a. conviction of their reality could alone convey. Few people take up a book upon California without associating Australia and its gold fields with the subject; but, beyond certain similar geological strata, there is little simi larity between the countries and their pro ductions, and infinitely less between their respective populations. Australia, excepting the settled districts, is one vast unimproved extent of gum-tree and granite, shepherds and sheep; but California is one of the finest countries, on the surface of the globe—a healthy climate, a magnificently-picturesque scenery, splendid rivers, productive soil, and a population the most energetic and progres sive that the world has ever seen; and never was this energy more remarkably displayed than in building their city of San Francisco. Several times destroyed more or less by fire, it has risen after each destruction greater and more magnificent than ever, and now, after but, six years' growth, a City stands, with every comfort and convenience, bridges, roads, aqueducts, churches, schools, theatres, clubs, and, last not least, a dense population and an enormous trade. In another point, also, is Australia in the back ground. In science, in simple mechanical talent, and, above all, in system, the Californian are far beyond the Australian gold-diggers. In California every foot of soil is worked by large bodies of miners combining together and working up an immense space of ground, and this system of combination is the real secret why California, a poorer gold-field than Aus tralia, is yet able to extract twenty millions sterling a year, employing some hundred and forty thousand diggers at a higher average than our colony can show for its hundred thousand. This system of combination is carried into every branch connected with gold digging in California. If, for instance, water fails at any digging, a company form in stantly among the miners to bring water from the nearest source to supply the body of the diggers at so much a day to each ; races are cut, sluices made, and turned into aqueducts over the valleys, and water is brought in this way for miles across hill and dale to supply the digging. But in Australia every man digs fbr himself in a hole twelve feet square, and if such a want as the above is ex perienced John Bull piles up his washing-stuff, squats upon his hams, smokes his pipe, and waits upon Providence and the rainy season ; for combination has never yet succeeded among the English diggers. No ten Englishmen will work together for a week without a fight and a fall out, while fifty Americans will work for months, all independent, yet all paying strict submission to the rules for the attainment of the common end ; and this is the reason why in California mountains are tunnelled, rivers are turned, aqueducts built, roads made, quartz veins worked, and saw-mills and steam-foundries erected on the spot, and the want of this principle why such things have not been done in Australia. We have THE PRESS. had plenty of gold from Australia, it is true, but we shall have much more as soon as some system of combination supersedes the system of individual digging. Upon entering San Francisco the thing which struck Mr. Marryat most was the state of excitement which appeared to pervade all classes, and the drinking that was carried on to an almost incredible extent : From the time the habitual drinker in San Francisco takes his morning gin-cocktail to stimulate an appetite fur breakfast, he supplies himself at intervals throughout the day with an indefinite number of racy little spirituous compounds that have the effect of keeping him always more or less primed. Aud where saloons line the streets, and you cannot meet a friend, or make anew acquaintance, or strike a bargaia, without au invitation to drink, which amounts to a command ; and when the days are hot and you see men issuing from the saloons licking their lips after their iced mint juleps ; and where Brown, who has a party with him, meets you as he enters the saloon, and says, "Join us !" and where it is the fashion to accept such in- vitations, and rude to refuse them ;—what can a thirsty man do? The better description of drinking•bars are fitted up with great taste, and at enormous cipeuse. Order and quiet are preserved within them during the day ; they are generally supplied with periodicals and newspapers, and business assignations are made and held in them at all hours. Everybody in the place is generous and lavish of money ; and perhaps one reason for so many drinks being consumed is in the fact that there is ever some liberal soul who is not content until be has ranged some twenty of his acquaintances at the bar, and when each one is sup plied with a " drink," he says, " My respects gentlemen !" and the twenty heads being simultaneously thrown back, down go " straight brandies," " Queen Charlottes," " stone fences," Champagne-cocktails," and " sulky sangareea," whilst the liberal entertainer discharges the score, and each one hurries off to his business. There is no one in Such a hurry as a Californian, but he has always time to take a drink. The numerous gambling- houses of San Francisco are forcibly described. Surrounded apparently by all the advantages of high civilisation, the stranger is often startled by a shriek and a pistol-shot, and reminded by some act of violence, mildly termed "taking " the lkw into one's own hands," that he is in the midst of a partially lawless population. We remember being told a story by an old Californian, showing the way in which this " law" is sometimes carried out. Steaming up the bay, close to the mouth of the harbour, they passed the body of a man with a huge placard pinned to his breast floating down the stream. Curiosity was excited, for it, was in the early days of 1848, when Lynch law was in its infancy, and a dead man was un common. The steamer was stopped, a boat lowered, and the body picked up and brought on board. It was that of a fine athletic man, a digger evidently, shot right through the head, and but very lately killed. Upon the placard was painted in large letters, " I shot " this d— rascal because I caught him steal ing my mules." Every one looked, read, and approved the punishment. " Pitch him over," said the captain, and the body once more floated away down the bay, while the steamer ran in and anchored, and her passengers went ashore, satisfied that Lynch law was a capital protection to a man's property, and quite justi fiably executed in the present instance. Necessity may be pleaded in excuse of this sort of savage justice, but "the million " are nevertheless, with all their instinctive sense of " right," rather disagreeable people to have anything to do with. Mr. Marryat gives us au amusing reminiscence in support of this view, though it was anything but amusing to him. He had gone to a ball at the house of one of these Lynch-law judges, And rashly amused himself with cracking jokes upon the dancers. The result of such jokes iu the land of Lynch law, and in the house of a judge, was nearly becoming fatal to the joker:— At the ball everything appeared to be conducted with greet propriety ; but the company was composed of honest mechanics, who, with the best intentions, danced quadrilles on a peculiar principle, inasmuch as they cut capers to such an extent as obliged the spectator, however disinclined, to smile. In no uncomplimentary spirit I made a remark in French to Ramsey on the subject, and this, being over. heard and but half understood, was retaliated in the follow ing manner. • During a pause in toe dances, a small gentleman who had overheard my remark, and who was one of the most active of the chasers cruises dancers, and was a blacksmith, though apparently small for his profession, informed me audibly, with fire in his eyes, " that if I did not like the company, I might leave it, and that d—d soon.•• To this I could only bow my assent, and shortly afterwards, being unable to find Ramsey, I left the room, intending to wait for him at our hotel which is close hy. I had not proceeded very far, when 1 was suddenly attacked by the small blacksmith and three other gentlemen—blacksmiths too, I presume ; 141 if so, they evidently mittook my head for an anvil, for they so belaboured it with bludgeons and other weapons that they almost killed me, and left me for dead, before I had time to strikes blow in defence. On his journey to the diggings our author meets with numerous adventures, which we have not space to notice; but the following sketch of a roadside inn and the company Is thoroughly characteristic of a gold country : There seems to be a certain hour of the day for every traveller in California to breakfast, dine, or sup ; and should he not arrive at a roadside bowie at our of these • specified hours he will get 110 meal; and could the traveller by any possibility be present at each and every hostel at the time moment, he would find a stereotyped bill of fare, consisting, with little variation, of a tough beefsteak, boiled potatoes, stewed beaus, a nasty compound of dried apples, and Ring of umbisiwd. lie would then sit down at the sum- MOllll of a bell in company with all the Lewitt; and bobtail of the road who might have congregated for the repast in question ; and, if inclined to follow the custom of the country, he would, with the point of his knife, (made blunt for this purpose) taste of the various condiments, butter in• eluded, that were ranged before hint, and, selecting as many of these as were suited to his taste, he would pile them uu his plate, demolish them with relish, and depart on his way iu peace. Travel where you will in California, you may rest assured that of the foregoing will your meal be composed, and in nearly such a manner must you eat it. Of the gold-diggings of California Mr. Mar ryat speaks highly, and his opinion is, w•e think, borne out by facts : It is impossible (he reinarks) to ascertain the amount of gold•bearing soil that exists ; for not only are fresh diggings still brought to light in tho vicinity of the original discoveries, but we have ample proof that plenty lies beyond in the direction ut the Sierra Nevada, which now, from the presence of hostile Indians, cannot be dis• turbed, and, indeed, fur the present, is not wanted. • • • • • In respect to gold-fields, even if our argument leads to 'no definite conclusion, it is something gained if we eau determine that no sign of diminution of yield is u yet apparent,—as regards the future, the wisest can onli record an opinion. 1 believe for my part that the gold. ells of California will certainly yield in an equivalent proportion to their present produce for many years, even if the diggers are left to their own resources ;—what may be done with the soil eventually, when capital shall increase In the mines and from the mines, is a question is impossible to solve as that of the advance of science iu other respects within the nest halt' century. • • • • • And so long as we see that the gold from the soil is turned against the soil in the all-powerful form of capital, aided by science; and so long as we know that what is separated to-day by the " long tow " may to-inoirow be de voted to the erection of steam-engines and the sinking of vast tunnels ; we know that a great system of improvement is being carried out independent of all external aid : and in the facts that on every side attest the strong faith the miners hold themselves in respect of the inexhaustible nature of the soil, and in the evidences of success that meet us at all points where fresh inventions are applied, we have the best guarantee that the " placers " of California are in a state of progressive improvement. These words are equally applicable to the diggings in Australia. It is a singular coincidence that neither in California nor in Australia do the aboriginal inhabitants care about digging for gold. Occasionally , Mr. Marryat tells us, will an Indian or two dig for a short time, and obtain some gold dust, which he knows will purchase fine clothes and rum, but he soon tires over dies labour, and never by any chance continues at it after once finding enough dust to buy himself half-a dozen shirts, which he puts on all at once with a Mexican hat, and a pair of jack-boots' In Australia, we believe, there is not a case upon record of the aboriginals working at the diggings. Mr. Marryat was not successful in any of his speculations, but he bears his losses cheerfully, and concludes his book with some advice to emigrants, which is admirable for its good sense and truthfulness : The emigrant, of whatever class, should have sometbing definite in view ; fur, like a ship of discovery, ho has before him, as it were, an nnnavigated sea, and unknown rocks and shoals will cause him often to deviate from his track, but it should be only to return by a circuitous route to the prosecution of his journey. But ►f be leiiver home on the broad priuciple of " tryiug his luck," be will nut only be the easier cast down by adverse circumstances, hut he will stand the least chance of any of becoming eventually successful. • • • • • It is a great drawback to the labouring emigrant to a gold country that he generally lauds without capital and is obliged at once to work, where and how he may. This, however, may be said to him—that Californian experience shows that, in the long run, the man does best who, having prudently amassed some money at the diggings' turns his capital and abilities to the channel int o which they were originally directed at home : thus, if he has been an agri• cultural labourer, let bim farm so solo as be has saved something; if a tailor, let him turn back to the mining city, with his nuggets in his pockets and there set up in trade : for the diggings will be replenuilied by new cowers, and high prices, whether for potatoes sr trouaers, will still why California, a poorer gold-field than Aus ran in and anchored, and her passengers went gold dust, which he knows will purchase fine tralia, is yet able to extract twenty millions ashore, satisfied that Lynch law was a capital clothes and rum, but he soon tires over thoo sterling a year, employing some hundred and protection to a man's property, and quite justi- labour, and never by any chance continues at it ji forty thousand diggers at a higher average tiably executed in the present instance. after once finding enough dust to buy himself than our colony can show for its hundred Necessity may be pleaded in excuse of ” this half-a dozen shirts, which he puts on all at once thousand. This system of combination is sort of savage jus tice, but " the million are with a Mexican hat, and a pair of jack-boots' I carried into every branch connected with gold nevertheless, with all their iustinctive sense of In Australia, we believe, there is not a case digging in California. If, for instance, water ~ right," rather disagreeable people to have upon record of the aboriginals working at the fails at any digging, a company form in - anything t o do with. Mr. t-larryat gives us diggings. Mr. Marryat was not successful in stoutly among the miners to bring water from an amusing reminiscence in support of this any of his speculations, but he bears his losses the nearest source to supply the body of view, though it was anything but amusing to cheerfully, and concludes his book with some the diggers at so much a day to each ; him. He had gone to a ball at the house of advice to emigrants, which is admirable for its races are cut, sluices made, and turned one of these Lynch-law judges, and rashly good sense and truthfulness : into aqueducts over the valleys, and water is amused hims elf with crackin g j okes upon - brought in this way for miles across hill and the dancers. The result of such jokes in the The emigrant, of whatever class, should have something dale to supply the digging. But in Australia land of Lynch law, and in the house of a definite in view ; fur, like a ship of discovery, he has before him, as it were, an unnavigated sea, and unknown every man digs fbr himself in a hole twelve feet judge, was nearly becoming fatal to the joker : rocks and shoals will cause him often to deviate from his square, and if such a want as the above is ex At the ball everything appeared to he conducted with track, but it should be only to return by a circuitous route perienced John Bull piles up his washing-stuff, great propriety ; but the companywas compo—d of honest to the prosecution of his journey.. Rut if b . e . leaves home squats upon his hams, smokes his pipe, and waits mechanies who,.with the . hest intentions, danced quadrilles on the broad principle cif " trytug his luck, he sill nut , .1 on a peculiar principle, inasmuch as they cut capers to only be the easier cast down by &dye circumstancea, but • upon Providence and the rainy season ; for such an extent as obliged the spectator, however disinclined, he will stand the least chance of any of becoming eventually combination has never yet succeeded among the to smile. In no uncomplimentary spirit I made a remark successful. English diggers. No ten Englishmen will work in French to Ramsey on the subject, and this , being over . • • • • • together for a week without a fight and a fall heard and but half understood, was retaliated in the follow It is a great drawback to the labouring emigrant to a out, while fifty Americans will work for ing . manner. • gold country that he generally lauds without capital and is I , During a pause in toe dances, &small gentleman who had obliged at once to work, where and how he may. This, months, all independent, yet all paying strict overheard ray remark, and who was one of t h e , most active however, may be said to WM—that Californian expenence submission to the rules for the attainment of of the chasers cruises dancers, and was a blacksmith, though shows that, in the long run, the man does best who, having the the common end ; and this is the reason why apparently small for his profession, informed me audibly, prudently amassed some money at the digings, t r e ni were his in California mountains are tunnelled, rivers with fire in his eyes, " that if I did not like the company, capital and abilities to the channe l . into w h ich kea any .. are turned, aqueducts built, roads made, I might leave it, and that d—d soon." To this . I could originallyirected a . t hom e : thus, if he his be has saved sgri i only bow my assent, and shortly afterwards, being unable cultural labo urer , let h im farm so sous quartz veins worked, and saw-mills and to find Ramsey, I left the room, intending to wait for him something; if a tailor, let him turn back to the mining steam - f o undries erected on the spot, and at our hotel which is close hy. I had not proceeded very city, with his nuggets in his pockets, and there set up in ) the want of this principle why such things far, when 1 was suddenly attacked by the small blacksmith I trade : for the diggings will be replenished by new meant, have not been done in Australia. We have and three other gentlemen—blacksmiths too, I presume ; and Ugh prices, whether for potatoes sr trousers, will still