Washington telegraph., 1849-03-21

to fifteen tons. 1t takes about week or
ten days to go from San Francisco to
Sutter's and back in one of these launches,
and when left the freight on barrel of
flour was $14. A common steamboat
could make the trip in two days. When
left California, launch which but a
short time before could have been bought
for $500, could not be hired for one trip
TO Suffers for that sum. The price of
passage was S1O-each passenger to car
ry his food and bed with him, if he had
any 70 carry. Nothing is found for the
passengefs, except passage. Every man
had to do as the Irishman did, 'Aeat him
self, on the passage. 1t is quite unne-
cessary for me to allude to the political
regulations Of California. You are well
aware that, as yet, we have no govern
ment there. Congress neglects to pro-
vide Territorial Government for the
country, and although the Alcaldes are
obeyed, the people are not obligated to
obey them.
L now approach that portion fmy lee
ture which will probably be of the great
est interest to you, to wit the mines,
manner of procuring the gold. average
quantity per man, probably supply, wet
and dry dggings, and some instances of
success within my own personal observa-
ton. may very safely tell you that the
accounts you have in the papers, from
California are not exaggerated, however
well they may be calculated to stagger
belief in them. Gold is found in great
abundance over an extent of country 800
miles by 1000. | have explored only a
small portion of this vast area, and new
discoveries are constantly being made
The first gold was discovered in February,
1S4S, about one year ago; but although
it was reported in San Francisco that
gold was FUND, yet it did not at first seem
to make any impression on the people at
that city. They did not believe the re-
ports, or rather they did not realize the
fact that gold was found in such abun.
dance SO near them. 1t was not till April
and May that the whole population be.
came fully awakened to the subject
when all the men, and many of the wo.
men and children, went to the gold dig.
gings. 1t was not till people came down
with the gold dust andreported So to S1C
per day, that the people of San Francisco
credited the reports. In the first slx weeks
after the rush commenced, 100000
were collected. The quantity collected
by each person varied from one ounce
to $1,000 per day. 1t is now ascer
tanned that gold exists on both sides O
the Sierra Nevada from latitude Al north
to as far south as the San Joaquin, and
although the country has not been fully
explored, there is no doubt that the goc
region extends 1000 miles along the val
ley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin
and still farther to the south The sup
ply of gold is absolutely ineXhaustible.-
In my opinion, one hundred Thousand
people could not exhaust the supply IL
ten or twenty years. The ore is i'll it:
virgin state, and is found among the SAND
and gravel beds, in slate and granite, also
in good tillable soil. Some machines Were
used when l left, but tin pans were gen
orally preferred. Some Indian baskets
were also nsed and were considered good
being very light and handy. The guam
tity of gold now extracted is estimated
al. four millions of dollars. The labor o.
washing the gold is very severe. People
wash gold as long as they can stand up,
often pay no attention whatever to the
demands of their health, living without
adequate food and sleep, or when they do
sleep it is in the open air. and thus nature
gives way, and the individual sickens and
perhaps dies.
Il person. has sufficient strength OF
mind to build his house before commenc-
ing to procure gold, and can be contented
to work only reasonable time every day,
devoting proper time to cook suitable
food and a proper time to- sleep, he may
be sure of retaiaing his health and amass-
inc a fortune. The difficulty is that eve-
rybody is crazy, frantic with the excite
ment for gold. Each fears that his neigh
Dor will get more than himself The
Captain of the vessel in which | came
from San Francisco to San Bias (Capt.
Blsnchard) gathered in three weeks gold
dust of the value Of $4,000, and of this
sum $4,000 were gathered by him in the
last three days he was at the mines.-
This amount he had on board the vessel
(the brig Laura Amy He Informed me
that in washing ous the last, he must
have thrown away two or three ounces
from each -pan-full of earth, as it would
pay better. not to wash it carefully. The
largest lump of pure gold l ever saw
weighed seven pounds. 1t was obtained
by some Indians in the employ of man
by the name Of Weaver. saw 1t weigh
ed, and it was pronounced 19 1.2 carats
fine A statement was published in the
California Star, few days before L left,
that one man obtained $12, 900 in six days,
and thar three others obtained SO pounds
in one day. Of the truth of this | have