The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-24
From the New York Tribune Of the 18Th. /
Important from California.

| Robert Atherton, Esq, merchant Of San Fran.
cisco, arrived in this city yesterday. Mr.. Ather
| ton has resided for ten years on the Pacific and
two at San Francisco. He left San Francisco on
| the 10Th of December, and came 10 the U. States
| by way of MazAtlan, Guadalaxara, Mexico and We.
ra Cruz The passage from San Francisco TO Ma.
zatlan occupied 10 days, the vessel touching al
only one port From MaZstlan 10 Mexico the
journey was made on horseback in six days. Mr..
Atherton has accomplished the whole of this long
and arduous trip with remarkable despatch, having
been only OIL days upon the route; the cost Of the
| whole, from San Francisco TO New York, has been
about 500 He brings intelligence from the Gold
Region, now the object of universal thought and
expectation, thlryfouT days later than the latest
received before. The interesting and important
facts which he reports are as follows:
| The gold region is now understood TO embrace
| a territory thousand miles in length and three
hundred in width. The gold is distributed over
this vast extent, though by no means equally, some
parts being of surprising richness, while Others
are comparatively barren Of the precious metal
But as we learn from Atherton, the business OF
mining has nothing that is agreeable, except the
gold that il sometimes-not alwsys-produces. In
short, il requires the hardest kind of labor such
as only strong constitutions and muscles indurated
by toll cen undertake with prospect of success
Young men delicately brought up, and more fsmil-
iaE with the drawing-room, counting-roo or law
yer's office, than with the plow or sledge ham,
mer, had better keep their imaginations free from
all visions of placsTs, rivers floating with gold
DUST and big Jumps OF the real stuff TO be had for
the picking up.
This informant also confirms the report that Gin.
uabar, the from which quicksilver is distilled,
had been discovered in great abundance in Cali
fonnia.
There was nothing doing at the mines when Mr..
Anterior leir owing to the rains, II being the rainy
season; Ilhere was not much sickness in the dig.
gings, no robberies and no disturbances.
The cost Of living at San Francisco has been the
subject Of statements quite exaggerated as some
of those relating 10 the gold mines. Mr.. Atherton
says that good board can be obtained there at SO
per week, and provisions plenty at fair prices
The population of the place is about lOUO Mr.. A.
himself came 10 New York 10 purchase goods, but
finding that immense qualities have already gone
forward, will probably not make very extensive
purchases.
The number of persons who had been to the
mines when he left is estimated at 10000, but
there had not been more than 500 digging at any
one time. One man Of his acquaintance, black
smith, had got ten thousand dollars worth in three
weeks. A good many Indians had been employed
as laborers by the miners but they are poor assist
tants. They do not work steadily, and never can
be kept at il above month at a time, when they
leave for San Francisco TO spend their earnings in
dissipation.
Mr. Anterior brings with him the bills of lsding
of gold TO the value of 500, 900 shipped on Eng
lish account. He also fully confirms the account
of the gold on board the U. S. ship Lexington Mr..
Atherton states, that the Lexington has on board
500, COO worth of the genuine metal. She was
about to sail when Mr.. Atheron left for the United
States.
American vessels touching at MeXian ports will
have 10 paw tonnage duty, ranging, Of course, ac-
cording 10 the size Of the ship, from $500 TO $500
The Mexican Government had not yet given orders
for the admission Of the American mail steamers
free OF this duty.
There was a great lack of warehouses al San
Francisco, aud ships would find difficulty in dis
charging.
The Ohio was al San Francisco when Mr.. Ath-
erton left.
Ships drawing feet can sail $50 miles up the
Sacramento.