Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-16
FURTHER OF THE GOLD MINES.

readers the name OF the author oil the following
Letter containing further information Of the Gold
Region of California, we need have no difficulty in
stating that our Letter on that subject in last Satur-
days paper was from the same hand:
FROM THE JOURNAL OF comaERcK OF DEcEaBER9.
1t may not be improper, under the circumstances,
to say that the very interesting letter annexed is
from Rev. WALTER CoLToN, Alcalde of Monterey.
This is sufficient voucher for the statements con-
tanned in it:
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, AUsUsr 20, ls4S.
The gold discoveries still continueevey day brings some
new depose to light 1t has been found in large quantities
the Sacramento, Feather river Yerba river the American
Fok-norh and south brancheshe Cosamer and in many
dry avnes and indeed the tops Of high hills The extent
Of country which il ascerained to exist extends some
hundred miles north and south and sixty east and
west and these limits every day enargng by disco
veres On the streams where the gold has been subjected
the action of water and sand, il exists in fine grains on
the hills and among the ces Of the rocksi is found in rough
jagged pieces, of quarter half in weight, and
sometimes two or three ounces
At present the people running the country and
picking Of the earth here and there, just thousand
hogs let loose in forest would up goundnus Some
get eight day, and the least active or two
They make the who employ the wild Indians to hunt
employ-his profits dollar minute. The wild Indians
know nothing Of its value, and wonder what the pale faces
do with it they will give Of for the same
weight Of coined silver or thmble full Of glass beads
glass of gog And white themselves often give ounce
Of it, which worth mint eighteen dollars more for
bottle Of brandy, box Of soda powders plug Of to-
bacco.
As To the quantity which the dggers get take few facts
evidence. know men who worked seven weeks
and days. Sundays excepted Feather river they
poyed average fifty Indians and got in these
weeks and days hundred and seventy pounds
pure gold. know the and have the gold, and
know what they to be fact-so stick pin there
know ten other who worked ten days in company,
poyed Indians and averaged in these ten days fifteen hum
dred dollars each stick another pin there know another
who got Of basin in fock not larger than wash
bowl two pounds and half of gold in fifteen minutes, SO
stick another pin there Not of these statements would
believe, did not know the personally, and know them
to be plain of fact who open vein of gold
just as coolly you would potato hill.
The gold is obtained in variety Of ways wash
out of the sand with bowls with machine made like
CRADLE only longer and open at the foot, while at the other
end, instead Of squsllng infant there is grating upon
which the earth is thrown, and then water both pass through
the grating the cradle rocked, and being inclined
plain the carries off the EARTH and the gold is deposit
ted in the bottom Of the CRADLE So the things most
priced in this world gold and infant beauty both rocked
of their primitive sae to pamper pride, and the other
to pamper the Some forego cradles and bowls too
occupation and mounted horses half wild, dash
up the mountain gorges and the steep hills picking the
gold from the ces of the rocks with their bowie knivesa
much better make Of these instruments than picking
the life out Of mems bodies for what man with that art
Gle picked out of him
nm channel
ofhe Sacramento discover where this god found banks
comes FROM and imagine that the rivers foun they will
find the great yellow mass ITSELF But they might well
hunt the fleeing rainbow. The gold thrown up from
the bed of the with the rocks and sands in which it is
found and still bears where it has escaped the action Of the
elements vivid traces Of volcanic fire. often encases crys
tai Of quartz in which the pebble lies had slumbered
there from eternity its beautiful epose sets human arfce at
defiance How strange that this should have lain here
scattered about in all directions peepng every where Of
the EARTH and sparkling in the sun, and been rod upon for
ages by white and savages and by the emsses Of
~ scientific association in the world, and till have
been discovered What is, with al! his learn
ing He stupidity stumbles bills Of gold to reach rare
pepper-pod rife birds nest
The whole country is now moving the mines. Monte
rev. San Francisco Sonoma San Jose, and Santa Cruz
empied of their male population stranger coming here
would suppose he had arrived among race Of women, who
by some anomalous provision Of Nature multiplied their
images without the presence OF the other But few
Of the have gone too especially those who had out
OF tea for what without her teapot apyhoness
without her shaking tripod angel that has lost his Tyre.
Every bowl tray, warningpan, and piggn have gone TO the
mines; every thing in Short that has scoop in that will
hold sand and All the iron has been worked up into
crowbar pickaxes and spades And all these roll back up
on US in the shape Of gold. We have therefore plenty Of
gold but little to eat and sl less Our supplies
must come from Oregon, Chill and the United States. Our
grain god exchange for COIN sells for nine and dollars
the ounce though is well known to be worth at the mint in
Philadelphia eighteen dollars the least Such the
scarcity Of coin here
We want a mint Let Congress send at once over
the Ishmus else this grain gold goes to Mazaan, to Chill,
and Peru where il is lost national currency. Over
million Of gold the lowest computation, taken from these
mines every month and this quantity will be than
doubled when the emigration from the States, from Oregon,
the Sandwich Islands, and the Southern republics arrives
Send a mint could give you forty Illustrations Of
the extent and produceness Of these mne but win
believe what hare said without my name and perhaps but
few with il.
THE JACKSON STATUE.
friend OF having recently paid visit to the studio Of
A. q, .;ty h..f al