The Arkansas banner., 1849-04-17
fFrsm tbs Bosioa Eveniag Traveller. The H.al.ana G..n..a l.alaCnsnka.

The Latest fFsu, California. We stated tn Friday Traveilef ihaiw had seen private letter from San Francisco daied Jsnassy 20sh. which contained ststementn in resprci 10 te gold mines. sxeeeding. if asythine, fke srvsllous ness ot lormer aecsnnis. IL having been very cautiously suggesied by one ofonF ccniempoFarist that the whole thing was . deception. we now pobish the letter eHtire--with single exception and with the nalue of fhe writer attached IL was written ioa relative in this city and there is no room 10 doutt is authenticity:
 sAs FRAxcssco, Jan. 20, Is49 Dear Uneie-I set myself down 10 write few lines. 10 let you know that in ihe land of the living, and that sm now enjoying toiersbly good health. While l was in the gold dsggings. ny health bad for a month or so: for there pe had no honses and for the most part had to sleep the groand or under rocks, where could get place. Talk of the srny--I never saw half ibt hardship whiie was in ihe service that hare seen ia tie gold diggings. Could have houses, or good feT,ss however We could be comfortable, even a; the dig gings.
 As for gold, have FoTd. Asps ref pieafy. I have got about 793 pounds f sells here for ifcsa l2 to l6 dollsTs the ounce. was in ihe diggiRgs three months and half, and 1T had something 10 wash out the dirt clean. should have gol as much again for we can get nothing near all oi il oul. have number of pretty large pteces-oae piece scelghiHg fire pounds.
 want yoa to come out bere; ycn can get just as much geld as you want know where there is a ledge that IS al@0st solid gold; but shall ,, tell
 anybody, nor work al it. till 'ny friends cut. found # cut by one Of the lndlsn chiefs, whose l life saved, when he was about 10 be murdered A great many killed, and nothing is said about ii. The excitement is 90 great that everybody has been digging gold. and every one here has got a plenty of gold. Living here is now two dollars q day. IL has been ten dollars.
 1 The gold country is immense. have been i've hundred miles up the country; and the further we go, the thicker the gold Is. think the river where
 was, the fountain bead is in the mountains, bal II l IS awful travelling 10 get up 10 my ledge. know ] where there is plenty of silver in the moantains | We iound that when was with the Indians. They took me prisoner, and was siih them nine months.
 At last discovered that of the chiefs was a Free Mason and he al once set ne free. ind that
 great many Of the Indian Chiefs are Ffee Masons.
 l was made mason by the recommendation of an ! aged friend, before left Michigan. l Jeff there i when the war first began, aud went and joined i. Colonel FremoBi's regiment. We crossed inc i mountains, and go. taken by the Indians. was 1 released m consequence of being maSoni and
 would advise all that intend 10 come out 10 this
 wild country 10 be Inasons for they wiH ind true
 friends among the Indians. The Indians hold
 masonry to be sacred--which its.
 lfyou was here, you could make money at your
 trade jus as fast as you casc; tor mechanics here
 will not work at their trades, because they get Iich so much faster al the gold diggings.
 1 You never such set as theTeis in this place.
 There people of all nations and of all co;ors. II Congress does uot make some iaws al.d strict ones i foo. do not know what shall do. II will he
 !" the hardest fend-oH." The rcpuaiion here are
 getting to be awful bad; and il is caused by that
 of the earth, Rum IT that had been kepi out,
 there would have been trouble here. l. is warm
 weather hefe now. No snow. There Was some
 snow st the diggIngs, but not much.
 II you come out, come with number. The more that together, inc better they do. under
 stood yesterday that news lad come from Monterey hat shaN- had F4EaAa about sixty miles from there. and also silver mines; but take no notice of the silver mines,
 which can be got at half the trouble of inc gold
 Quicksiiver is here in abundance, m alt ihe hills Don't delay 10 coming, and hfieg good company with you II you csn get here in Juil og August,
 you can get npthe countfy before inc rainy season commences. and then you get fixed, so thai you can work at the mines all winter fl you please
 There pienly of moose and deer m the mountains
 and cattle and all kinds of game and fowls. Wild turkeys are plenty as pIairie hens in Wisconsin
 Wild horses are as thick they can be- and on the
 branch of fhe riv.r where have been, they have never been euiled out.
 }, sbAIl leave for the diggngs again some fine in March, and stop until August, when hope 10 sec
 ysn and ali ihe rest Of my relations. There IS gold
 enough for all the yenng men of ibe whole New
 England States; and l wish they were all heTs Bal
 II IS time enough yet, and there is gold and siive' enough. hope We shaii have mint here, ths we car gel The worth of our gold.
 btlHg our some good o9ats, mat VIII draw iwo o' three feet ofwaier. Take with you thick clothing
 and flannel shirts. Bring some good gArien seeds
 and all sorts of vegetable seeds. l have been Co
 portion Of The country, about which there IS no
 much known, and where gold IS plenty. Grape.
 and other fruits grow wild ibete in abundance
 There was settlement theIe, but uow nei
 person living. There ruins there of an oi, ehutcb, and that very old. You can make cut 'ha il was church, and that is all.
 can get along with the Iadisus first rate. Opl, be kind 10 them, and you do anything with them could ieii you ten times much more. but hay- filled my sheet You eau foin opinion for your
 self have onIy 10 say-Come come and all shall look for you in August.
 II Yours, GEORGE w. MoKnLL.