The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

WIIAT I SAW IN CALIFORNIA. By E.
Bryant, late Alcalde of St. Francisco.
Seldom has a book appeared at a more opportune
moment. Mr. Bryant's very interesting travels
would have been welcome at any time, but appearing
just now, when the El Dorado of California promises
to realise the golden visions of Sir Walter Raleigh,
their value is immeasurably enhanced. " What I saw
in California" appears in Numbers VI. and VII. of
Bentley's Standard Library, a monthly series, which
has already presented us with the chefs d'ceuvres of
the inimitable Sam Slick, with the marvellous legends
of the Porcelain Tower, with Maxwell's very inte-
resting revelations concerning the Czar and his Court
and people. The former numbers of the " Library"
are, however, eclipsed by this last addition. " What
I saw in California in 1846 and 1847" gives a very
interesting picture of that now celebrated
region, enlivened by anecdotes and sketches
of men and manners innumerable. To the
account of what was seen in California in
1846 and 1847, is appended an account of what is to
be seen there in 1849—and this part of the work will,
we suspect, be found not the least attractive. The
following passage details the manner in which the
gold is obtained :
" The hill sides were thickly strewn with canvass tents
and bush arbours; a store was erected, and several
boarding shanties in operation. The day was intensely
hot, yet about two hundred men were at work in the full
glare of the sun, washing for gold—some with tin pans,
some with close woven Indian baskets, but the greater
part had a rude machine known as the cradle. This is
on rockers, six or eight feet long, open at the foot, and
at its head has a coarse grate or sieve; the bottom is
rounded, with small cleets nailed across. Four men are
required to work this machine; one digs the ground in
the bank close to the stream; another carries it to the
cradle, and empties it on the grate; a third gives a vio-
lent rocking motion to the machine; whilst a fourth
dashes on water from the stream itself. The sieve keeps
the coarse stones from entering the cradle, the current
of water washes off the earthy matter, and the gravel is
gradually carried out at the foot of the machine, leaving
the gold, mixed with a heavy fine black sand, above the
first elects. The sand and gold mixed together are then
drawn off through augur holes into a pan below, are
dried in the sun, and afterwards separated by blowing off
the sand. A party of four men, thus employed at the
lower mines, averaged 100 dollars a day. The Indians,
and those who have nothing but pans or willow baskets,
gradually wash out the earth and separate the gravel by
hand, leaving nothing but the gold mixed with sand,
which is separated in the manner before described. The
gold in the lower mines is in fine bright scales, of which
I send several specimens.
" As we ascended the South branch of the American
fork, the country became more broken and mountainous,
and at the saw-mill, twenty-five miles above the lower
washings, or fity miles from Sutter's, the hills rise to
about a thousand feet above the level of the Sacramento
plain. Here a species of pine occurs, which led to the
discovery of the gold. Captain Sutter feeling the great
want of lumber, contracted in September last, with a Mr.
Marshall, to build a saw-mill at that place. It was
erected in the course of the past winter and spring, a
dam and race constructed; but when the water was let
on the wheel, the tail-race was found to be too narrow
to permit the water to escape with sufficient rapidity.
Mr. Marshall, to save labour, let the water directly into
the race with a strong current, so as to wash it wider
and deeper. He effected his purpose, and a large bed
of mud and gravel was carried to the foot of the race.
One day Mr. Marshall, as be was walking down the race
to this deposit of mud, observed some glittering particles
at is upper edge; he gathered a few, examined them, and
became satisfied of their value. He then went to the
fort, told Captain Sutter of his discovery, and they
agreed to keep it secret until a certain grist-mill of
Sutter's was finished. It, however, got out and spread
like magic. Remarkable success attended the labours of
the first explorers, and in a few weeks hundreds of men
were drawn thither. At the time of my visit, but little
more than three months after its discovery, it was esti
mated that upwards of four thousand people were em
ployed."

Even without the all•attractive appendix, " What I
saw in California," written as it is in a most animated
style, and abounding as it does with information,
constitutes one of the most agreeable books of travels
that have recently appeared.

TREYETHLAN ; a Cornish Story. By W. Davy
Watson, Barrister-at-Law. 3 Vols.
If " Trevethlan" be Mr. Davy Watson's first
literary attempt, it augurs well for his future career.
This " Cornish Story," notwithstanding its modest
appellation, is more interesting and more worthy of
perusal than the majority of the more pre-
tentious fictions which are almost daily issuing
from the press. " Trevethlan's" great charm is
the straightforward honesty of purpose and dig-
nified simplicity by which it is characterised.
There is no striving after effect apparent either in the
style or the arrangement of the incidents. The story
is founded upon a favourite theme of novelists. Be-
tween the elders of the families of Trevethlan and
Pendarrel a deathful animosity had long subsisted,
which animosity is far from being shared
in by the younger branches. Lady Eleanor
Pendarrel is another Lady Ashton, but
with this essential difference—a woman's heart
throbs in her bosom notwithstanding her ambition,
her imperious tyranny, and her other unwomanly cha-
racteristics. The denouement of the love story of
Trevethlan and the gentle daughter of the imperious
Lady Eleanor is not calculated to please the
tastes of the sentimental. The author of this
" Cornish Story " seems to consider the romantic
attractions of a trip to Gretna Green quite insufficient
to counterbalance the sin and sorrow of filial dis-
obedience. For his forcible enunciation of this un-
palatable truth, if he meet with little sympathy from\
those for whose benefit it is intended, he will at
least be rewarded by the approbation of all
whose approbation is worth having. This brief
allusion to its closing scenes does but little
justice to the interesting nature of the tale. The real
heroine is Lady Eleanor, and most admirably is her
character, with its good and evil peculiarities, deli-
neated. Some of the minor personages, more espe-
cially a country minister and a quiet middle-aged
brother and sister, living in happy retirement in the
suburbs of London, with whom Trevethlan becomes
acquainted in his wanderings, are most attractive
characters, naturally and beautifully portrayed.

We understand that the Rev. William Corbett Le
Breton, curate of St. Olave, Southwark. intends offering
himself as a candidate for the Golden Lectureship, when
it is declared vacant by the Court of the Haberdashers'
Company, in whose gift the appointment is vested. We
heartily wish the Rev. Gentleman success, as we are in-
formed that he is only curate of St. Olave, the living
being under sequestration, that, in the absence of the
rector, he is only in receipt of one quarter of the annual
income, although doing the entire duty of the living.
PRICE OF BREAD IN EDINBURGH.—The price of
the 41b. loaf was yesterday reduced a halfpenny. It is
now sold at sixpence halfpenny, ready money, or if paid
within a month ; and sevenpence credit. Flour, 2s. 4d
per stone.
MARRIED.—Dec. 25, at Blairgourie, Scotland, a
jovial basket-maker, to a fair maid from Glasgow. The
happy bridegroom is nearly fifty years of age, has a
wooden leg, and is the recipient of 2s. 6d. weekly from
a neighbouring parish. The youthful bride is about
twenty -tvt o years of age.
FLUCTUATIONS OE THE FRENCH FUNDS.—La Presse
says:—" In the year of Grace 1805, before the battle of
Austerlitz, the public funds stood at 61 francs; on the
arrival of the news of that great victory they fell to 59
francs, 80 centimes. A glorious peace raised them to 60
francs 60 centimes. Before the birth of the King of
Rome (in 1811) the price was 81 francs 50 centimes.
The day following that event the price fell to 78 francs
75 centimes. In 1814, before the fall of the Emperor
Napoleon, the funds stood at 45 francs 25 centimes.
After the entrance of the allied armies into Paris they
rose to 49 francs 50 centimes. A Provisional Govern-
ment was appointed, and they rose to 52 francs, The
deposition of the Emperor was decreed, and they rose to
55 francs 75 centimes. His abdication raised them to 63
francs 50 centimes. In 1815, Wore the landing of the
ex-Emperor at Cannes, they stood at 84 francs 61 cen-
times. On the news of his arrival in France they fell to
77 francs 60 centimes. After his re-entry into Paris
they stood at 73 francs. He set out for the army, en-
couraged by a fall to 54 francs 75 centimes. He gained
the battle of Ligny, and they declined to 53 francs 50
centimes. Yet, after the disaster of Waterloo, they rose
to 59 francs 75 centimes. On the second abdication of
the Emperor, and the re-entrance of the allied armies,
the funds rose td 61 francs. So that, in point of fact,
the price of stocks was lower by 1 franc 20 centimes,
after the battle of Austerlitz, than after the re-entrance
of the allied armies into Paris!"
WHITTINGTON CLUE.—A festival was given at
this institution last night, in commemoration of its
first anniversery, at which about 1,500 visitors were
present. We need hardly observe that the Whittington
Club is established at the old Crown and Anchor Ta-
vern, the rooms of which are devoted to the ordinary
objects of a literary institution, combined with the prac-
tical advantages of a household, whereat the cost of
living is confined within the most economical limits.
The building is most admirably adapted for these pur-
poses; and there was excellent accommodation for the
festival of last night. The entertainments were of a
varied character. A prefatory speech was delivered
by Mr. Sheen, the president, in the long room,
which was prettily decorated with evergreens; and
then came songs, duets, and pianoforte fan-
tasias by a few expert amateurs. An adaptation of the
farce Box and Cox followed, wherein a brisk little gen-
tleman in spectacles gave a capital imitation of Buck-
stone and other actors of obscurer individuality ; and
by-and•bye there were optical illusions and divers tricks
of legerdemain. The programme concluded with a ball
and supper, " roast beef and plum-pudding," so pro-
mised the bill, " forming prominent features of the
latter." The scheme thus provided by the committee
seemed to be highly relished by the company, and the
utmost cheerfulness prevailed during the time we were
present. The reunion was politely conducted, and the
social intercourse which it was the object of its pro-
moters to encourage fully secured. Other meetings of
a like friendly nature have already taken place, the ten-
dency of which, no doubt, has been to multiply the sub-
scriptions and strengthen the existence of the club.
Letters from Haraburgh report a firm market for
stock and railway shares. At Amsterdam public secu-
rities were generally better.