The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-01
New Books on the Gold Regions

We find two works upon table, relating to the
gold regions.
l. A scientific work Oregon and California by
Captain Charles Wilkes, of the Navy Lea a. Blanchard
publishers This book embraces the results of the ex-
plorng expedition surveys the surveys of Fremont and
others, in three elegant maps with learned geogra-
phical dissertation upon the countries described in
minerals &c. and is standard work of great value
COMPRISING inoa compact volume all that is officially
proper knowledge of California and Oregon
2. The Gold Mines of the ella, by Charles w Web.
interesting romances of the day, blending vast
amount Of facts traditions and csnje lures in tho
most convincing style Of argument to support the
Briefly, that the Puerco Peos tributary of the Rio
Grande, is golden river; that the mountains of New
Mexico gold mountains; that the ella and its tr-
butaries flow golden sands-gold in all these
gions having been known to exist from the earliest
capaton by the Spaniards and the remotest
Of the xdian tribes. But main object of the book is
to prove as far as possible the existence of fertile
country Overlooking with gold and inhabited by a
civilized people in the unexpored regions of the Great
Basin south Of the great Salt Lake. and on the Colorado
river north of the ella
Another object of the book is to make out an argu-
ment in support of volunteer expedition through New
Mexico and across through the Colorado country and
the southern uncxpored section of the Great Basin in
search OF this civilized people, supposed to exist but un
discovered, and in search of these supposed mineral
treasures with which these plored districts are
presumed to abound.
Colonel Fremont, had he not been overwhelmed in
the Of the great mountainous barriers between
New Mexico and the Colorado would have cleared up
the whole mystery Of these unknown regions lying be-
tween the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado, and be-
that river and the great California range the
West, altogether embracing q district of mountains,
valleys deserts and lakes about eight hundred miles
long east and west by four hundred broad north
and SOUTH (takng the length from the Rocky to the
California mountains, Sierra Nevada) a region I'M
explored and unknown, save by Indian tales, or old
traditions mysterious narratives Of deceased
aggcrative trappcrs.
Fremont has promised to finish up the work. We
believe that the unknown will prove better than the
regions explored; that there civilized semi
civilized people in those unknown districts that they
desert in their general character like the rest OF
country between the Rocky and California mountains
that the most profitable mines along the Sacra-
mento valleys and that the greatest probable adva-
tage of the expedition of MIR Weber, is the probable
discovery of shorter and feasible overland route
to California than any now travelled
The volumes of Mr.. Weber, however full of in
teresting matter, and present most plausible argu-
mcnt in support of his theories Gold has been found
from New Mexico to the Pacfc but the Sierra Nevada
is the highest range Volcanic action has there been
the most intense and there the internal treasures of
the earth have been heaved to the highest altitude
The descent from that range to the Sacramento valley
is 10000 feet twice the descent Of any of the
tans of the interior to the plains and the exposure
and washings of the minerals must correspond to the
volcanic uphcaving admitting the geological structure
of the whole Of the regions in question to be the
The expedition Of Mr.. Weber, at all events pro-
misses much in the way Of discovery, great deal of
novelty and romance and direct route to San Fran
cisco overland-in the course of which the most in
teresting disclosures to science and history may be
made