The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-12

getber With the cattle on the tbousaa nd hills" pre-
tented beautiful picture. All that was wanting In
my mind 10 heighten the effect, ana indeed without
which thought u incomplete was q number OF snug
New England farm houses scattered along the valley
and embosomed In the the road the vllsge
church, should pierce the clouds wi It's giste nj g
spr instead of which short time in the road brought
sight of Of the dngy tile covered mission Of Saint
Clara The road leads from this to San joaquin,
which forded and passed on to Suffers Fort
through country OF great richness and apparently,
capable OF supporting an immense population. But
not a human being was to be seen; raucheros and
all had been deserted, and Americans, Cslifornians
and II dams had all gone to the gold disgings "
On arriving at Suffers however found the Fort
young Manchester. The black smith the turner the
carpenter and indeed mechanics of every 10,
actively engaged ut their various oalings aud all aim
ing at one grand object, viz the means of washing
the gold at the mines, which some forty miles above
the fort
After leaving the fort passed along the banks of
the American Fork this branch OF the Sacramento
Is called, and soon mmenced asce nding the hills
which stretch out from the base OF the great Sierra
Nevada About noon we stopped to prepare q cup a
|. cefee and partake Of lunch, and while the fire
being kindled one of our party dipped up tin cup
full of the sand from the bed OF the little brook which
surging past washed it, and At the bottom found
some four tive pieces Of gold This first at
tempt st gold digging. About sunset arrived at
the mills Of Capt Suffer- where the gold wa, first
discov. red, while digging the mill We had rid
de gold, silver, pstna, and iron mines p
or 80 miles, and over o road, too where city CAB
could travel with and perfeo. safety and through
springs.
should relate to you all that have been told in
regard the mines since arrived (but few hours)
AN fearful you would think the SAVIOR hshy AS
Is certain, there about one Thousand white
men engaged in gold digging thus far The term
white men" Is used in contradistinction 10 Nor
mon These last named fanatics, with the sig Bran.
at their head, are quite numerous, having laid
claim large proportion of the gold region demand
ing so per cent Of the ore from all persons digging
thereon. This fact will undoubtedly lead to trouble
and perhaps bloedshed Those of the white men"
wi no have last q
their deermir alton not to pay any per ceoage aud
swear that whatever has already been paid shall be
choked out'' of Brannan. This disinterested man.
when last at San Francisco arranged all his affairs and
passed receipts with every one with whom he had bust
stating with very gthened phiz, that perhaps
he should not survive to return as the miners had
thresteued to shoot him, but that duty urged him
onward.
Thus far the gold has been obtained in the most
primitive manner by washing the earth in tin pans,
| wooden bowls Indian baskets Sc. Tbs average, am
told has been Slo per day for each man engaged and
the per the soil Is dug the richer 1t becomes One
| man obtained $50 in enc washing-saJ Is mi
| Butes WAS told by old miner that not more
half Of the gold Is secured in the present rude
| careless way of working. With proper machine and
the use of quicksilver, dosbe the amount coald be
taken from the soil. The largest amount taken
| by person in one day was $500 The pieces
OF binary size the largest Weighing half
ounce. The mountains have been ex olored on every
side and gold found on every creek lt Is toe opinion
Of ALL that 80 or 40 600 persons could be probably en-
| only mineral discovered here. Platins has been
found in one place in come considerable quantity,
| and very eAten sixe mines of silver have
| Gently been discovered within Ave miles Of the
| mill, and said to be very rich Iron is
also abundant, and will pay about SIS per cent.
The richness of the soil in the immediate neigh
hood Of the mines is most astonishing. Farms be
Hade In every direction that will feed all the miners
very healthy, and free from the chilly winds that howl
around the sea coast The granite of the mountains
is said to be equal to the celebrated Quincy, and
beautiful quarry OF marble he's been discovered the
Copsummy river, specimens OF which will before any
years adorn the fronts Of public buildings in your
touIishing city.
"The cry is still they come" While writing this,
two men have just arrived from valley some fiye
FIFTY dollars worth of gold obtained in five DAYS.
The San Francisco Star, alluding to the excitement
produced by the gold fever, says
Every seaport AZ far South as San Diego, and every
interior town and nearly every rancho from the base
Of the mountains in which the gold has been found TO
the mission Of San Luis South, has become suddenly
drained Of human beings-Americans, Califor ans,
Indians, and Sandwich Islanders; men, women, and
children, indicriminately should there be
which repaid those employ ed for
the last MONTH during the present aud next, many
are sanguine in their expectations and We confess to
unhesitstingy believe probable, only win it Wit
nets the depopuaoH OF every town. the desertion of
crops Of the country but it will also largely upon
adjacent territories awake Sonora and call down
upon us, despite her Indian battles, great many of
the good people Of Oregon.
We have, by every launch from the embsrca dero of
New HelveSa returns of enthusiastic gold seekers
heads of fsmies to effect the transportation Of their
households to the Of their successful sbors,
Others merely returned to fully EQUIP them
1or protracted or perhaps, permanent stay Spaues,
shoves picks, wooden bowls Indian baskets for wash
ing &C. find ready purchasers and very frequently
disposed OF at extortionate prices.
The gold region called thus far explored is about
one hundred niles in length. and twenty in width.
There imperfect explorations contribute TO establish
the certainty Of the plscers extending much further
South, probably three four hundred miles, as
have befsle stated where it is believed to terminate
about league north of the point ut which it first
discovered.
There Is en- area explored within which boly of
so 0C0 men advantageously labor without mali
co uKIv int rferip nit acb thpY
In another place it Is raid
The Mormops have lAld claim to a large portion Of
taken IL u kpress has been sent to the
Salt be- Where about 1000 Mornons
ioc xumor that equally rich mines
has |o1h that region. and that the Nor
me PedTpt are engsged In mining opera
" This be NOT true, the whole Mormsn force
kbly muster and come to the Sacramento for
ose of dggi a q
sThentric&4 and Musical.
X THEArRE. - The 1Fsgsdy Of Orchard the
~ was performed hsl n1tayenins, before a