The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-30
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE GOLD REGION.
lErom tho Honolulu Eriand Nov

The NOR: condition Of the country was bad enough
befce gold discoveresit is now in state of per-
the slightest touch Of ssg.cty will
enable TO that the gold mines are destined
attention the population the last six months has
been occupied with gold There are schools, nor
Any prospect Of any for the present The inhabitants
"a wretched place It viii be for quarters at that sea-
son-and it win be long time before anything like
settled state Of society known here. Men viii only
engage in agriculture and the mechanic arts when
they md thsse profitable the whole than gold
gold digging go at the present time yields
chance Of making from 500 to $500 in the time
is not unfrequently done At least 5000 people
Increasing but the extent of the gold region 10 in
creasing equally fast Active operations extend
and varying from ten to forty miles in width lying
midway between the base and the summit Of the range
Of the Sierra Nevada, or Snowy Mountains At q mo-
derste computation 90 10000 dollars are pocketed
daily, and from two to four million dollars have been
probably drawn from this bank since 1t commenced
specie payment six months ago.
My own business of surveying, like al others
knocked in the head last spring. and was left TO SUCK
or 81 'ss
myself small pinch Of the virgin metal send you
IS fample Of my diggins You will see that 1t in
water lumps like pebbles almost every piece Of it
giving evidence that it has lost its original sss and
form from long attrton through the agency Of water
dust snS little .s.. like .Hssa
up to Jumps of the size send and In many parts
of the mines pieces Is large a. pgeons and puiets
EGGS though larger pieces are usually more or less
intermixed With quartz which the original suage
or through which the gold
employment many might dream 1t to be; but matter
offsct, back aching, wearsome work most nearly re-
semblipg for all the world the neavy toll OF multitude
mate Of the gold region from April to October, IL dry
with . ooudless atmosphere and cool nights-tns
diegings nearest the plain. While at the mines,
l was Of course, obliged to turn mountsinser
tent and take care Of my domestic ss best
! could Life In the mountains with plenty to eat,
and good appetite, produced BY hard work for
eauce Is not repulsive thing as ono only accus-
toned to in. door existence might suppose. For va
riety's rake it will do for time but for my part, gold
digging is business do net fancy although 1t pays
pretty WELL and you are sure Of getting your pay In
hand the moment the work Is done Still, would
Of this / have been absent from the mines nov Ave
six weeks, to avoid the more sckiy season though
lett Mr. D. on the ground. He designed to
week to spend month, perhaps for want Of anything
to do here have surveying enough on hand, but
which would make the business Improbable to me-
unls.: charged enormously for the work But
There is much sickness chiefly in the Vicinity Of the
Tulse marshes, s Suffers, and in the vsles Of t,e
Sscrame INTO and San Joaquin rivers, into which the
streams empty, ON the upper waters Of which the geld
From the papers, and the friends who have come
in King little vealm Scores are already
here, and more l am told, are coming. Some who
Gently went up the Sacramento river, came back
week afterwards, well stored with fever and ague,
not with gold. Many who come will make money,
doubtless but some will make Themselves sick and,
perhaps, make themselves poorer than ever If they
do not make . shipwreck Of good MORALS and die,
like already, the fool disth, In revealing and
| drunkenness Ifsny man is doing tolerabls busi
the islands, let him stick to 1t. He will ten
| chances to one be better OF in the end II he
get more gold here, he will have to fork over
gold also for the means Of subsistence At the mines
have sugar coffee butter, hams, potatoes, and
other articles ceiling at one dollar pound Lloasses
90 per gallon -four 80 to 40 cents pound; beef Is
cents eftep twice that common woollen blankets sell
fer $50 to 500, among the Indians higher st other
articles Of clothing three four times their ordinary
prices Goods Of all sorts high. Real estate In
San Frsncitco has risen greatly lot which year
ago cost $500, and year before that Si5 sold
few days ago for $4,000. though only fifty yards
squsre, and entirely unoccupied What this state Of
things coming to, who tell! With such chaotic
materials how snail order rise out of confusion! To
look forward TO the state Of the country few years
hence enough to make tremble unless the Lord
In his wise providence shall through the agency OF his
visible church, the seeds OF rghte aud
of all that Is vey and Of good report to be planted
here before the thorns and brsrs Of evil shall have at
tsined 10 choking strength aud maturity Churches
and schools wanted seamau's chaplain .
home sonary should be located at San Francisco at
once. But must close.