Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-02-21
Gold is not the only thing worth living

The following letter from Anthony Ten
Eyck, American Commissioner at the
Sandwich Islands, addressed from San
Francisco, to his mother at Watertowu,
N. Y, is published in the Jeffersonian. 1t
is under date August 9th. He is gen.
tleman Of known character for veracity
and integrity. His account confirms the
abundance Of gold, as we'll as the desperate
character Of the population. When he re-
marks that he would not live there for all
the gold in the mines, he but expresses the
opinions OF sound minds, that gold alone
cannot make men happier or NOR comfort
able.
IL have visited the famous gold mines
at the base of the California mountains,
and upon the southern tributaries Of the
Sacramento river, some two hundred miles
from here. crossed from here TO the
north side Of the bay, and went up by land
on horseback. | returned in an open boat
by water, down the Sacramento and the
bay. The journey was long. tedious, fa-
| tigulng, and disagreeable in every respect.
The weather, after getting twenty miles
from here, was very hot, and the farther
advanced into the interior, the more op-
pressive it became. l was absent from
| this place Just three weeks, and during that
time eat scarcely anything that did not
cook myself, or assist in cooking, and made
my bed and slept upon the ground. l
could have slept most of the time in Cali
fornia house, but preferred being out Of
doors to avoid the feas, which infest every
house in the country May, and un-
I til late>in October, it never rains in Cali
fornia; therefore, there Is no danger of be-
ing wet in travelling here in this season Of
the year. The country find pleasant and
Interesting. 1t can never be an agricul-
tural country, and is only valuable for gra-
zing. The vicinity Of the mountains, and
for many miles down the streams, which
take their rise amongst the mountains
abound in gold, which is now being collec-
ted by thousands of people in large guam
titles. The mineral region covers very
large extent of territory, and the gold
seems to be inexhaustible. There are row
probably three thousand persons digging
gold, ard do not exaggerate when | say
they will average from forty to sixty dol
lars day each person. Some men have
made large fortunes already, after three
o: four weeks labor.
81 know two men who collected from the
surface Of the ground and within a very
small space, in two days, $4,000 in value
Within circumference of three hundred
yards, some 100000 dollars wers gathered
in five days; this is calculating the gold
worth Is dollars the ounce, IL ounces to
the pound.
6. 1t is almost astonishing. but neverthe-
less is true. suppose no gold mines have
ever been discovered of equal extent, and
yielding such quantities, with so little labor,
as those of this country; and it will be
years befor it can be exhausted. | have
visited the diggins,' some 40 miles along
what is called the American Fork of the
Sacramento, almost every yard is occu
pied, and all are getting out quantities of
ore. | have about SIS worth Of gold dust,
which washed out myself in the course
of two or three hours shall keep it, of
course, as memento of what have done
myself in gold digging. The effect of
This discovery will be bad for the morals
Of the country, and will ruin all its pros.
poets as farming or agricultural country.
would not again go through what have TO
see the country, and would not settle down
10 live in it, for all the gold in the mines.
The mode OF life is horrible. and more
dissipated and immoral set of people |
never yet saw. People are focking in
here from all parts of the coast, and as
soon as the news reaches foreign parts,
the worst Of their population will emigrate
hither. | pity any decent white man who
may live in this region six months hence.;'
ANEcDoTE OF PATRICK HENRY
When the celebrated Patrick Henry, of
Virginia, was near the close of his life,