Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-03-28
by REQUEST.
NEWS FROM THE DIGGlNS.

we find the following piece OF fun IN Noah
Sunday Messenger
Several months ago we engaged, at an enorrn0u
salary--two ounces Of "dust'' and seiditz pow
der per diem--a ''scer" i'm California. His frs
specimen Of carving in gold has just come to hand
and will be found below. Our slicer does not be-
long to the litcrati, like the gentlemen who have
recently been hacking at New York and Phi ladel-
phia with their edgeless and pointess weapons
On the contrary he is of the illiterati-writes q
bad hand-spells worse than Webster, and neither
makes futile attempts to initiate the polished extrav
agance of Willis nor endeavors to rival the ef1lores-
ence of Miss Fuller In these respects, at least,
he differs from some slIcers that wot Of More
over, he does not write fine Italian hand nor do
his communications smell atchuly-hs chrog-
raphy being rugged as the outline of the Sierra
Nevada. and the cartridge paper upon which he
has discharged his impressions having very deci-
ded aroma of tobacco and onions.
| Finally, slicer is disbanded volunteer, Of
the rough and ready school, and knows no more
about rounding sentence than he does about squar-
Ing the circle But here is his first slice verbatim
e. ,Wterdtia
CALlFoRNY, Dec. 18th, lS4S
Ito ;le Sunday Times:
MISTER EDIruR-nIarridpeabl females is re-
markable scarce the Sarah Nevady, but the fell
lers bein' continually at work with their cradles
has no time TO think of the pretty cots. Gold is
very plenty and is the ocashun of much gilt-the
major part Of the lortynt miners bein' shot and ri
fled. am digging, myself, in the bed of Feather
river which is as full of gold quilt Of coiton.-.
Society is mixed. The Sandwiches has mustard
strong, and So has The Polly Neshuns. Also the
Chinese is beginning to como in !; but the boys don't
like their long tails, the way their eyes is sot
in their heads. They're proud, lazy sheepish
looking set and unless they mind their peas and
queues they'll get lamming. Why can't they use
tobacco and work for their betters and worshup
God like christians, instead of chawng their infar-
nj onIlp ahp,,t
There's quite number here. too from the Society
Islands. Nice society they have there, guess
There isn't pretty cot pair o'breeches in the
hull crowd, and they're allied up as if they was
frad o. rusng. Soap fat and stall, goose grease is
parlume to the sniff gels on the leeward side
o. one on 'em. Then there's Irish and Scotch and
John Bull and niggers and yaller bellies--so as
stated aforesaid, the society is mixture and nc
mistake
The material featers of the sile is sand and rocks.
In the Sand the Gold is generally sought for near
the current and in the rocks we look for it in vcin
There is one kind of deposit they call pocket
The pockets is generally found in these material
breeches of tie mountain; and can only be dug into
with pick. The miners who work these deposit
are known the pick pocket gang. In the sand
the preshus mette is found in grains and gobs.--
Some say that the gobs is not the rail stuff, that
nobody can tell what's what until the essayer has
cruced it others say that proosc acid will tell the
story. Not being kmmist essayist, can
not decide. Our lieutenant says that it's necessa-
ry to have tiuX in order TO test what is dug from
the earths bowels. If that's all, there's hundreds
at the diggings is competent, for daree is very
| prevalunt.
| The principal quadrupeds is prairie dogs, turkey
bnzzards ana centipedes. The climate is pretty
! healthy in the mountains, but we suffer with ague
! in the wilderness Gold is procured in various
ways. Some Specy lators has done well by hiring
gangs of Indians to dig, and shooting EN- soon as
they'd got enough TO make it worth while. Pve
got pruty smart chance that way and intend 10
boat it down the Sacrymento San Francisco, where
you can always find sale for your oar
Priggng and murder is punished with death when
nysof the boys IS the sufferers, but don't take
no complaints from furrners, MeXicans and injuns
"A grapevine haltar, and pie limb is the usual
method of eXekushun. The turkey buZzard, which
is of wonderful instnk and is parshul TO cold Wit
tails, sits The adjoining trees until the vital spark
has fled when they come in body round the corpse,
and carry off the carrion with their great talents
| Funerals is done up quite rough here. When a
digger dies his mate takes his close, (Which is gem
orally SLED y his pick and shovel and his gold and
then holes him. few Of the deceased leave wills
behind 'em but they mostly die detested.
We have several coal poriers out here with tracks
about everlasting fires, which is tantazing as fuel
is scarce and nights cold. Some missionaries has
also been out here distributing Bibles and many OF
the boys are so sharply exercised about the Golden
Calf that it's thought We'll have great revival
SuoluS' L He ttdctS Is pTlHcipally uSeu Tor Wao-
ding. A minister arrived here last Sunday, and
told US in his sermon, with tears in his eyes, that
we could not serve God aud mammon but we found
him next day OUT III the placer, with a shovel in
his hand, praying for luck before he commences
: digging.
for several days past the hull country has been
ore sheet of SNOW, and as blankets is scarce, and
there is getting the valley of tester from the
beds of gold at present, shall leave tomorrow for
t San francisco. Whole stacks ofready made houses
have out there from the states, understand.
At EXlempoTaneous Hall, in the grand plaza board
is only ounce week, and brandy and other ne
t cessares Of life in proportion.
shall probably send this by government express
which is TO start on Christmas day.
! Il VIII soon be brong weather again, when
shall return to the digg!ngs. My next slice Will
be from the American Fork Yours,
A DISgAHDED VOLUNTEER.
late English paper contains account Of 4
f large party of Welsh Mormans, who are about en-
-