Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-07-11
From Mc Ne,o Yori: Herald.
ATER FROM CALIFORNIA.


ing very interesting letter from Colonel
Jonathan D. Stevenson, descrpIiye of the
gold mines Of California, the mode of life,
cost of provisions, health Of the diSscrs.
aud other topics of importance. The
Colnncl being so well known here, his
statements canno, fail to he received with
great interest. James Fl. Brady, Esq, oil
This city, son>in law of Colnnel Steven
sou, to whom we are indebted for this lct~
ter, sails.in a few days for The land of
promise: Bet here is the leuer:-
San Francisco, April, $780,
The first mail by s;eamef~from New
York, hrous hi me 50 many inquiries about
lie gold region, the prospects for business,
! and The chances for getting ric, by gold
digging. &C., &C., that find myself
unable 10 answer each separate inquiry,
have. therefore, determined to write you
fully upon all}lhe points Of enquiry.
A, the time the official lelers 'ol Col.
Mason were written aud forwarded to the
United States, / was still. in service. and
stationed at Los Auselos, snme seven
hundred miles from the guild regions, aud
was as ignorant of the truth of the reports,
that reached us On the subject, as you
were in the United States. aud remained
so until my command was disbaaacd, in
September. Ny official duty called. me
to Monterey, where remained until No
vembef when started the gold region,
with party Of the volunteers, from Los
Anselos. We heaclIed the ':gold digginss'
on the Mocalomy, very lale in November.
remained in The gold region some six
weeks before returned here, and fully
satisfied myself from personal obscrva-
tinn that none Of the statements made by
Col. Mason came up 10 The real facts ts
to the extent and richness of the gold re-
gion. New discoveries of gold arc daily
made 10y the miners, and at this time the
region from which gold is daily taken, ex.
tends North aud South distance Of five
hundred miles; along this whole distance
there is not river, stream. valley, or re-
gion, in which eold,is nor found, and. thai.
100, in great abundance, and any sober,
industrious, prudent man, can, in my
Judgment, realize at least an ounce per
day. besides his board and this. | assure
you, sciN not more than pay him for the
loil, and privaiion he is forced 10; endure;
EfqEl he e.laborsppon tho-riycrs and :stTeams,s
hesmust stand with his feet in wafer every
moment he is laboring; il he works at the
dry diggings, picking and sitting, he is con.
slantly in n cloud of dust and dirt, aud no
mau can Distinguish his best friend by the
color of bis skin.
This labor would be more cndurahle, il,
al The close of day, he could enjoy The
comforts Of good food and rest; bul this is
out Of The ques'ion-he mus, cook his own
food, or 90 without it. 'Tis true thai in
some places b6&rding tents are established;
bur they have more than they can accom-
npdate, and the food is rarely such as
will satisfy the appetite of a fatisued and
hungry man. Most Of these boarding
tents are kept by highly respectable peo-
pie, who do all they can 10 make their
boarders comfortable; but'lis out of their
powcr-lhe means are NOT within their
! reach.
Much sickness and suffering arc an'ici-
pa,ed in the mines this season, and my
own opinion is that such will be the case;
for The sun, when | was there in mid
winter, was excessive at midday, and The
nigh, freezing cold; AMI cannot doubt
hut, exposed lis the miners must generally
be, thai mahy who 20 TO them with high
hopes will never return, or if they do, they
will return broken entirely in constitution.
Let no man naller himself that gold is
to be gathered without toll and peril; toll
The most severe must be endured, and peril
10 life, health, good morals ard habits,
hourly surround them and mGny who
leave their homes pure and good, free from
tM terrible vices Of gambling and druuken-
ness, (if indeed they ever do return) acith
gold, bur uithout those possessions Infinite
! lv more valuable than gold or diamonds
10 the mar, his family, or his country.
| No one bur those who have witnessed it,
can Grr,n lle least idea Of the peris aud
temptations that surround all, and more
especially the young and inexperienced.
When llIc day Of toll is over, they have no
home or SOCIAL circle 10 enter. The tav-
ern ,en is The resort of all; here the cards
are the only books that are 10 he found or
look cd into. Al first, they drink and play
lightly; bul' if successful, the thirst in:
creases, aud stakes are doubled, more
liquor is drank, aud manyse seek their bed
(mother earth aud Il blauket-lew have
any o,her) with aching heads aud empty
purses. The latter is regarded as Of little
importance, when from S20 $50 can be
earnedby The mex, days ,uil.-Nlany avoid
gambling al the mines, who fall into the
vice when they cbmc here and in other
towns; they find themselves suddenly pos
sessed with more wealth than they ever
had before; as they have no home bul the
bar room, The gambling table is the resort
for excitement and amusement. and few
days finds them, like the. sailor returned
from a long voyage, and at tho end of hi:
ffolic. "cleaned out" and ready to embark
again for the golden ocean.
An immense numbered cmigran,s, from
all paris, have arrived. and are continual
Iy arriving here; the hills and valleys If
the neiehborhood of This town, are covered
with the tents Of the cmisrants. 'Tis mos
fortunate for those who bring tents, else
they would be without shelter; for SJ(
per month is paid in sllaniy, for par