The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1848-12-19
LETTER FROM A GOLD DIGGER TO HIS
UNCLE.
TRANSLATED ACCURATELY.
CALIFoRNEY, II Aug, 1S4S.


Dear Uncle-l write this TO go hum to you by
a vessel that sails when the folks on board are
willin to go; but at present they are all gone
gold dggen, and if they amt no better of than
be in the way OF keepin gold after it Is dug OUT
| don't know when she will SAIL
Every body quits work now and goes for gold
The whaeman drops the harpoon-the soldier
drops the gun and bayonet, and the missionary
drops the Bible, aud as Tor tracts-the only tracks
he makes or uses is right of to the gold region. I
| worked there myself about month, and got as
much gold as | thought would last me all the
days of my life, but it is nigh upon all gone al
ready. / wore out my shoes and trousers and
Jacket and when / come to buy new Ones
found they were worth more than their weight
in cold | wish Col Benton was here; | reck.
on he'd larn something new about gold; and 9TH
er folks too, who say there is nothin valuable but
gold, say what now know is an everastin and
etarnal humbug. There amt lao prices now in
all these dIggins the question is when you ask
the price OF any thing, elbow much gold have
you got?" And then the measure is a handful.
do rally believe, if things go on as they have
begun and Caliiorny gifts to be state of the Un-
ion and issues state bonds, no body will take any
of them unless is stipulated in the bond that it
never shall be paid off in gold no how and no
way in the world. Tell aunt Nancy and cousin
Betsey to sell off at once their gold beads and
| gold rings they set so much store by, for they
amt OF no more valy than so much pewter. My
notion is now that there is great chance for
| trade by agreeing to buy any thing in creation
| Except gold,) and to pay in gold at so much per
ounce at its present legal vay, which | believe
! is about sixteen dollars per ounce, and the tel
low who sells property for SIGH pay will be about
as bad off as il he lent ice in August and agreed
TO take much ice in January for pay.
have heard much said about "a golden age"
well, think we have got it now. and will
find after all 1t amt half so good as good corn
wildered by this state of things, for find that
the more gold one digs the more gold he has got
| TO pay for what he wants, and he amt bit bet
ter off in the eend. always thought we sot too
much store by gold, and if man had not gold he
was nobody, no matter how much else he had !;
now a change is coming, and the gold has got to
! go down hill jest as it has made other things go
down hill. | begin to think we have found here
the head source OF gold, and all the other gold
| diggins are but small streams and washlngs from
this. There amt no stock jebbing here, and nc
companies chartered-e man does his own
| digging. There are some speckeaters here who
try to make some folks think that the gold is what
they call ss.Mikey'' but though you once told
| me not to believe that all was gold because it
gttered, guess | know the difference twixt
! gold and Mickey, as well as know the difference
twixt broad day light and moonshine-so no more
| atpresent
Your oven nephew, EZEKIEL BARNES,
late Corporal, Company B., NJ Y. Volunteers for
Californy. ". Y. Com. ADD.
|