The North-Carolina standard., 1849-06-27
,ITEREsTrkG FRoMaCAEIFoRNIA.

4 /. gentleman in this City, says the Nv ashingtou
rnon, has received private letter by the last
nor. dated at San Francisco, California, from the
0allant and meritorious Major General PersifoF +.
Smith, commanding the 3d. or Pacific division OF the
limited States army; which, although not intended to
meet the public eye, we deem it so highly interest
ing that we have extracted several paragraphs 1of
pubcation--the gentleman yielding TO our Wtsnes ts
in that respect: s.s 41. ,...s@
8. Won onlv think of California in connection with
olA. anS ;Ddeed. a most wonderful connection it
= .Asro the extent of country holding the precious
roa.I .nd the comparative facility with which It Is
roc,,red there has been no exaggeratlon. The whole
ope of the Sierra Nevada, on the western side, for
length of more than 400 miles, and in belt of at
least 40, contains it in greater or smaller quaHutes
and may extend still further, further research is
made. Il is found simply by digging and washing
the earth; and no expensive machinery and no lntrl-
ate chemical process are necessary to develop the
maCic hoard. A pickaxe, shovel, or even a butch
IS knife to loosen the earth and stones, and the
most simple basin for washing, have been as richly
rewarded as the most approved machines from other
oonntres. Good luck in the laborer choosing his
Iocaon has than compensated for want ofskill.
The real difficulties lie in the hardshps to be encoun-
red in the remote uninhabited spots where the gold
i found. Want of food, overworking excited by
success, bad water, exposure and dissipation, all
combine to exact heavy tribute for the wealth when
sound All are not successful, but every one works
m hoping that the next blow of his pick will dis
close that will surpass all that he has hith-
erto heard of Many die unheeded, many come of
sick; but there ten arriving from each quarter of
,be globe to replace every one who goes. Chinese,
Sandwich Islanders, Chitians PeruVians, Prussians,
Nexicans, French, English, Irish, outnHmber as yet
The Americans, but the latter will soon have their
share. Provisions, wooen clothing, liquors, kitch-
en- and mining utensils, sell at enormous profits In
the mines other articles scarcely sell at all. Wo-
mans gear is altogether drug.
THE amount of gold hitherto found is hard to de-
emine. 1t is said about 81, ,OO0 900 have been ex-
ported. l shall be able, in few weeks, from facts
am collecting, to make some approximation to it.
"In the mean time, all this is disastrous for us.
No servants are to be had $3.50 month has been
refused in my presence by cook. All my servants
have quit and yesterday engaged one at 500 a
month, because he is too sick to 60 to the mines, but
shall certainly lose him if he gets his health.
THE quartermaster pays $4,000 year for the house
live in, and it would make poor toll house for a
country bridge. The climate is cold all the year round,
and foggy in the summer. The hills are bare, and
the country is all h4ls-(forgive the bull) The beet
is execrable, and the vegetables-none; and nobody
has time catch fish, if there any, UOiG Ia carte.
''Any who will come here to dig gold, or bring
goods with him to sell to the diggers, will make
money. No other business will succeed. Whoev-
ever comes must bring house with him; there are
but few here, and lumber is $500 per thousand"