The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-01-11

Wo now give tho other side Of the ques-
tion, and admonish our readers to weigh j,
well before they think Of swelling the
crowd who arc Fastening onward to Cali
fornia. Too true will be applied TO many
who leave upon this expedition, tho cpl.
taph, II was well, ! wanted 10 be better,
took medicine, and am hercr'
From the Boston Couricr.l
CALIFORNIA AND ITS GOLD.
five were disposed to believe half the
tales now current respecting tho advcn-
lures Of those Of our conn,rymcn who have
lately visited the territory Of Northern Cal.
Ifornin. we might e,silv come to the pcrsua-
Sion Tint another Peru had been discover
ed. The new region just annexed to tho
American Union, we are assured, sbounds
with gold beyond my other territory now
known to exist. The soil may be coined
into ingois by the acre: you have only to
scratch the dirt under your feet, and you
nre busted with clouds Of the precious met.
nj. Sailors run away from ships on the
coast, and ballast their pockets with pips
ct the genuine yellow stuff, twenty four
carats fine! No body gets less than some
thousands OF dollars in an excursion Of q
week or two TO the though indeed
we nre not told Of mines in particular, but
arc led, by these magnificent accounts,
rather TO the inference that the country is
all gold, and may be chopped up into bars
with broad axe and sent 10 the mint. The
arithmetic Of the story is rising rapidly.
and has already reached respectable fig-
ure. Fifteen millions Of dollars, safely
collected, tagged, and tied up, form q part
Of yesterdays accounts. Tomorrow We
expect something that will rise Ear above
this, and mako Atahualpa's ransom, or the
city Of Manoa. mere eight-penny matter
in the comparison.
We do not wonder that these tales have
begun to turn peoples heads. Adven,u-
rers arc stnr,ing off Tor California by the
dozen. the score, aud the hundred, hardly
allowing Themselves time 10 pull on their
boots. and put bread and cheese il their
pockets. Now, ~ there il something ap-
pronching to possibility that these enter
prsing indviduals nay find themselves ia
fools paradise nj the end Of their journey,
they would do we'll 10 ask one another, be.
fore they set out, what they expect, end
what rcssons they have for expecting il.
We suggest this 10 them % On act Of CON-
mon prudence--if prudence can be expect.
ed ofany body going eold-hun,ing.
That therc may be gold in California il
not at oil improbable, but let prudent PEG.
pie be upon their guard. The "goldcn le.
gend" is - old rs the time Of the Conquis
tndores. There have been stories Of thi.
description current in California and or
the northwestern border of Mexico for two
centuries and more. The Indians, il wa,
said, kept the custody Of the mines with the
most jealous care, and would never allow
the whites 10 approach them. The rcd
men played The part Of tho red dragon in
the fairy tale TINT guarded the enchanted
treasure. The Spaninrds, however, were
not nble 10 light upon the particular tribe
OF Indinns that kept watch over the gold
though they made many expeditions 10
search of them.
BY what magical srt or extraordinary
good luck our countrymon have been able
10 discover, in the course Of month, VIVA,
escaped the avaricious eye ofthc Spaniards
Tor more than two centuries, we are unable
10 conjecture, especially when 10 call "a
mind tho tact that the latter have long
been familiar with gold mining, while the
American adventures are deficient in tina.
knowledge, and apply The name Of gold to
every thing that looks yellow. The bar.
ber's bnsin 10 easily transformed 10 Nam
brino's helmet by eyes in m ecstasy, ii.
wnvs looking out for enchnn,mcnts.
We observe in some newspapers great
exultation at this supposed discovery ol
riches in California, no if the value ol the
territory were immensely enhanced by il
The last thing that re should desire for ths
prosperity and permanent ,rclfare Of a
country rould be the discovery Of gold
mine in il. Hardly any thing can be more
certain 10 repress indasfry, productive a.
Dor, thrifty habits, and social Improvement
in general. The richest mining soils IN.
der tho sun are Peopled BY the poorest com.
1'unities. The owners Of Poiosi aud Real
Tel Monte cannot pay their debts. Spain
and Portugal, after gnrging themselves
with tho gold and silver and diamonds Of
the Western World, became tie most in
poperished, renk. and despised Of all the
European Kingdoms. Tho same spectacle
il exhibited on q small scale 40 on large
one. All travellers inform W that tho 90.
prosch TO mining district 10 South Amer
ice Is mjormly indicated BY marks Of por
erty and 'rretched"ess-raggcd people, ~
inoss drellisgs, nexlected agriculture
slofh, iesoraane, sqssjsr, dirt, and dissips.
ton. Lieut.. Hardy. Who explored a part
Of California and that noriion Of aoeihaeu