The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-09-25
Lecture ON California.
Mr.. Stephen II Branch, accordHg tn public an

Mr.. stephen II. Branch, according to public
nouncsment, delivered lecture on California and
gold digging, last evening. in the Chinese Assembly
Rooms, to an audience numbering some five hundred
persons or more He graphic description Of his
passage across the lshmus Of Panama aud his trip
from Panama to the city Of San Francisco and his trip
thence to the degings IS well account Of his
dians and Oregonsns those Of the latter being ia his
opinion more formidable In the mountains
than dozen Indians After arriving at San Francisco
In the midst OF gale which was exceedingly danger
ous, he proceeded In company with one hundred and
twenty others In soop OF sixty tons up the bay, to-
afordng anything like comfort to so large a numbers
and In order to make the most Of the little they
had they ranged themselves standing up, in single e,
In series Of circles the deck In order to cook
their victuas each entered tho galley in his turn
and used the fire to roast boil his meat By the time
the last one had finished. the first would commences
cooking his breakfast Thus tho time was passed
during the trip the passengers being obliged to stand
all the time At length the mines were reached and
the first place where Mr. Branch attempted to dig gold
was John Murphy's encam pment situated among five
hundred wild Indians, third at least Of whom
drunk all the time. He did not reach this place with
out mourning great danger and trouble and
Oregonians his horse miripg in the mud and forth
He commenced digging but after going beyond his
depth into the earth with the thermometer 100 he
had nothing but his labor for his pains He then pick
ed up his traps and after being fred at by the wild
ceeded by short towards the Stapaus river camp
ing out at night and sleeping In the fork Of tree with
around him. In due time and after taking short
cuts which proved In the end to be long ones, he
reached the diggings, and there he met society Of
very different character to what he left In New York
While there Jew from New York was tried
by jury for having light weights. He was found
guilty, .. and nn.d Two two hundred dollars whioh
wished horn or two more; SO they dubbed together
finished the spree with so that MIR. Branch, after
making his contribution, paid much he would II
there had been no verdict against the Jew There was
zatan thought he would take Q lot Of goods to the
mines on speculation. The freight Of one load from
San Francisco to the mines, cost $500, aud he
willing to give II for the cost Of transportato This
the teamster would not consent to- Before the jour
ney ended the Mazatlan had to on
all Gods of pickaIes nd other
mining npements the triding fifteen thousand
dollars; This merchant had q man In his employ who
broke the contrast entered into between them; he
called for justice and demanded jury trial. according
to gold mine law His wish was gratihed; the
the man was poor, and had nothing wherevith to pay
So the court took the into consideration and
rived at the conclusion that the plaintiff In the case,
the Mazatlan merchant himself must pay. The
chant having heard Of . number Of shooting cases,
agreed to pay that sum- but the not then end.
ed for the convicted defendant was in addition CON-
PEELED TO work out $50 in cooking the judge and
jury who tried the Mr. Branch's luck in digging
gold was not good With his patent machine and two
negroes whom he engaged to work on shares, they
made only forty dollars between them the day; and
when they went to work the week. they warn
undermining the bank on which they had pitched
their camp. Mr.. Branch immediately packed up his
traps and cleared However, the machine not the
thing exactly so he concluded to sell by auction for
he worked In another place with it, ssd IL ve days
gathered only fourteen dollars worth cf gold while hs
expenses amounted to So per day He concluded,
therefore, upon selling the machine and auctioned 1t
away for $50 This he thought too great a sacrifice,
especially the expense of taking it from San Fran
dependent Of the original price In New York &c He
got back again and afterwards sold at private sale
for slo7 assy or two afterwards 1t offered to him
for SIS, but he declined to purchase it. Mr. Branch
gave several other incidents and anecdotes OF Ca
lfornia; but the most entertaining Of all, was
watch during the night, .~aSss those s Sleeping
In the camp Ialoo there wake up; Its eight O'Clock,
40 ,oa the hear WAKE II you aSn wake up
trssh In washing pan Soon the sleeping campers
are awake, and about; awen stiles, what will you
how much did you dig there yesterday, IAN ounce,
but specific make more to-day" well. I'll give
Inn darned If / stand this here I've diggsd three
ouuces yesterday and you nothng-I can't help that,
but I'm not going to work any longer with you and IL
"t's not my fault II you have bad iuckTll bet that
I've dug more COLE than any other man In the camp,
d during the week mo, you have e, not 81 say !
" Take that (fring pistol at and killing limoges
to work as usual Nov, take that my fine fellow and
Mr., Branch then acted the gold digger "Thats
good looking rock III try 1t Strikes with the pick
alton in New York. of 81 500 year. to come to this
place Well. wish to Coney Island again STRIKES
tgsin) hope to eat some oysters once more. Here
am (strikes AGAIN., lS0c0 miles from home by the
tural route and 600 by the unnatural route
the lsthmus, and amt earned my boardyet STRIKES
harder and the pick-axe bresks) There goes fifteen
dollars worth; well, can't be helped but here's gold
and no mistake.n Mr. Branch then collected lot Of
the earth, and after washing it, in California style
I'll all the earth was removed, leaving only black sand
In the bottom Of the wash takes large telescope
TO discover gold but finds none Well there 10 gold
here know Tries another painful, aud indsa pound
weight which he pockets; and after debating In his
mind whether he fhall go to the GROCERY not at
night he finally goes to sleep the ground but awskes
with snake In his bosom. Another lecture on the
same subject will be delivered soon, by Mr. Branch.