Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-01
THE RICHES OF CALIFORNIA.

A friend has allowed US TO plolisn tne iolio"-
ing eyirac,s from an interesting letter, written by
an intelligent young man, native OF Henr'co
county:
L.. PAz Lover California, July 29lh, AS.
NV Dear SIR am al present ordered by the
Commodore on surveying patty, which VIII
leave here in about week for Cape I. Lucas,
The extreme Southern point OF Lower California.
There we will begin our operations, which Will
terminate a, Monterey in Upper California. be
inc Journey OF some sixty or seventy days over
hundreds OF miles OF unknown country, and The
remainder with few inhabitants upon il The whole
distance being something over ,3UU miles. he
object OF the survey is 10 obtain every Kind OF
information respecting the country, its agficu.
lure, mineralogy topography, &c, &c. The lat
ter department is my especial duly and is one, The
difficulties OF which are many and great, on &C
count u want oil proper instruments. The same
Inconvenience is felt in the other branches but
we will make Inc best OF il by substituting such
instruments as we can raise, and hope 10 make
i, credliable work The party is under COM
mand of acting Master J. G.. Strain, an officer Of
The Navy Of fine atainm nts The second in The
expedition is MIR X. H. Sinton, a somewhat er-
ratio genius, Of whose qualifications will tor
bear to speak al present. Thus, sir, You see |
will have chance oi seeag the whole oil The
interior OF Lover, well as large portion Of The
Western Coast OF Upper or American California
Mr.. Forrest has kindly given his consent 10 10Y
leaving him for he time so occupied Tor which
am under MANY obligations 10 him IL is an OPP
portuniy rarely offered 10 a young man and
would not miss il TOR any consideration and il!
We had proper instruments, we would make
scientific Journey that woul do us some credit
even as il is, we hope 10 d. something. The next
thing Of importance IS The gold mania raging in
Upper California, the accounts Of which, reaching
US often al this place, are Of the mos extrayaganl
kind that The mind can conceive. The riches Of
Peru, IL the days Of Pizaro, would be but mite
when compared with Il mine recently opened
near ST F.ancisc0, on The Sacramento river, AT
il. inactiya with The Rio de lbs Amefcanos In.
dlviduals are now getting fry dollars day by
washing he gold oul OF the SANDS. The whole
OF Monterey and 81. Francisco is deserted, whole
families having migrated 10 the god region,
he extent Of mich i as now discovered 10 ex-
zee! so miles in length aud hiny in brealth.-
| Pieces oi pure metal are common, weighing a
| hall ounce Of 9 dollars in value, u being the
purest grain gold MIR. Larkin, the Navy Agent
| in Monterey, srting from there says, that he
timed himself upon recent visi! 10 the gold bed,
and with thirty minutes washing he collected gold
10 the value OF 81 SO; and ne further mentioned
Two brothers who were working together with the
rudes, implements, making from 90 10 500 per
tay. The riches Of The ARABIAN highs" can
mol be compar,d with Californian gold mines,
| and, indeed. the wealth Of the entire world is
mere drop when placed with this golden harvest
ot California. 'Ei Drado" is certainly found al
las; bur all The gold digging might go, il bad
cargo OF a1ur and clothing and hardware here al
| Ills tine, OF even in twelve months from Tins.
could amaSs 4 fortune at one Jump. -Four IS
selling there al 80 per bb; Shoes, worh 81 81
10 the U. States, al 5 and SO per pair, and all
Other clothing high in proportion, rs well as pro
| visions; besides common picks AMI shoveis Tor
| digging up the gold earth, sell Tor ~ and $50
each and not 10 he hal Al iha, price. Upwards
II 900 persons are Al work there at ms TINE
ami N. supply calculated TO las Tor 80 yrafs.-
The 900 earn weekly aggregate Of S)00OU
half million ot dollars The above wish you
not 10 understand me as endorsing Tor believe
The statements u be greatly exaggerated, yet that
| there has been lately discovered mine OF great
and immense wealth, there can De no doubt, and
hat too OF kind that only requires The simple
operation OF washing TO gel the purest gold, with
| out the trouble OF extracting il from the ore by
The usual process. The prices OF The ARTICLES
mentioned can lie relied on, should any Trend IN
| Richmond wish to send a cargo. may settle
there il like hr place. We will visit The gold
he'd in our surveying expedition, and il only re-
oures 10 be shovelled up, we will NIL several
sacks and take them on board for cmiostf,ss only
The surveying expedition would be dangerous
from the Indians, bur we are escorted by SO
mounted men, being a portion Of the California
reeimen, retunif TO Upper California; So, WIN
ordinary luck, We hope 10 reach Monterey abou
The Isl November, whence will write you again