The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-01-13

which has been worked for some months II DC
longs, believe, to an EngIi sh gentIemah' oy IN
name of Forbes, residing at Teric or MazalIar
Mexico. Some of the ore yields seventy 'pe
cent. Of quicksilver. saw sIXty.seven pound
of quicksilver extracted from one hundred am
fifty pounds of ore. Thirty per cent is about tn
average yield. Silver, lead, and coal have als
been discovered Iron is common, Altogether
it is probably the richest mineral country in th'
world
But ore does not constitute all the wealth .
California. This northern section of the country
many parts of it, is capable of being made gooc
agricultural country The whole OF II ls admI
rably adapted for grazing In my travels, have
seen as fine wheat and felds, potato patches
vegetables, fruits, (such as apples pears, peach
es, and quinces,) and vineyards, as ! ever saw IN
any country In the race after gold, the iaIms,
gardens, SC, are now almost entirely neglected.
! Still, they show what the country can produce,
| il properly cultivated Within range Of fifty or
seventy.fve miles from here, there are four very
good grst mills, and three or four saw mills, do
Ing fine business.
To the SOUTH at Los Angeles and that vicinity,
fruits and vineyards are cultivated quite exlen.
sively. Very good brandy and excellent wine is
made there. All the towns in California have
been, for two or three months, and still are, pret.
~ much deserted by the male population, who
are digging for gold The whole country with
the exception of the valleys OF the Sacramento
and its principal tributaries, and that vicinity,
during the months of July, August, and Septem.
berl is remarkably healthy Disease [except le.
vers, and fever and ague, during the months and
in the vicinity above stated is almost a stranger
fact all the towns along the coast is as heal'hluI,
perhaps, as any part of the world.
But now let me reverse this picture. The dis.
coyery of this gold has brought, and is daily
bringing, into the country most motley and, to
say the least, most suspicious population. The
prohgato, the idle, the gambler, the runaway
sailor aud soldier, the bankrupt in fortune aud
character, and the de sperate adventurer, from al
most every nation under heaven, (saying nothing
ofthe now dsband.d regiment of New York vol.
unIeers,) constitute, at present perhaps a ma
jorty OF the population Of California, or, more
correctly, of the gold region. In the race after
gold, religion andLmoraliry are secuted at: ed u.
! n,J ,,I. ,,a,l,,t,I
and crops are deserted aud left to rot in and upon
the ground destination and prolanirvare almost
universal there are no laws for the goycrnance
of the country; and if there were, there is no
power in the country that could enforce them
robbcrps and murders are committed, aud their
perpetrators 20 unpunished. Every man puga.
ped in hunting cold, and every one who visits
the gold region, goes armed To the teeth. Scenes
or violence occur: there !, no spcuriy for l,l, or
rronerty. and Tins thing, must remain until a
rprnIariy. .orp,n,2rd territorial government Is or.
v,nizad at WASHINGTON oy.r California. and a
srrony military lcayuy, nv farce sent out 70 sns.
t,ir i,
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and orbigh mo,ai cou,age, should be selected