The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-16

about lat 81 deg and from the commencement of
the bills 30 miles from the river, to the big or main
range of the Snowy Mountain, about eight miles
further east Gold has been found abundant
enough TO attract the LATEST sceptic in large part
OF this district, and without any enthusiasm,
which, by the way. has not formed part OF my
system since came round Cape Horn to gain
glory fighting Mexlcans, think the Califomlas-
for gold is found in both-under the enterprislng,
gold. loving Yankees, will export from SIX to ten
millions of gold annually, in less than ten years.
II was estimated by the most intelligent, that
over two hnndre d thousand dollars had been taken
out when was there, three months after it was
made public. and by the small vagrant and vaga-
bond population of California Three-fourths of
the men saw working in the dry dIegings were
either runaway sailors or soldiers, or men who
had LETT hsme suddenly, and might be called
drinking, fighting, but not working population.
will not repeat any of the hundred stories heard
OF men who had found many pounds in day. and
others getting into rich spots and killing their
horses, rather than risk being followed back, and
bringing out arObas of gold, &c but on my
cond Tip up the mines, | was riding down the
main dry digging, and teamster, who had stop
ped his team, and stood looking with whip In
hand, at a chap busy picking at niche or pocket
In the rock, called out to me, "Just come here,
Captain, and COX at this man picking out the gold'
turned my horse to the spot, and, sure enough,
he was picking out of the crevice in the slate
across which the water had pitched in winter to
bed some few teet below, the gold and earth IN
humps, and had his lett hand full, when saw him.
an ne was picking II OUT OF an open hole In the
rock, as fast as you can pick the kernel out of
lot OF well cracked shell barks, have since seen
the teamster In town; he is back here after his
family, and for supplies, and he tells me that IN
less than half an hour the man got between five
and SIX ounces of pure gold; they told me also
that this was no very extraordinary picking.
am cut short In my description by fair wind
and the unexpected departure of Lieut.. Leeser, an
old, well-tned chum OF mine, with dispatches. l
have not time to copy these has!y sketches. in-
tended to complete an account of our trip, which,
towards the last, give me an idea OF the wild and
rich plains OF the SacramentO-when l saw the
grisly bears within few miles OF well travelled
road, and hundreds of elk and antelopes, which,
wild as they are, have not had time to get out Of
the way OF the tide of goldhunters rolling over the
plains.
expect to have strange time of it here. Forts
without soldiers ordnance without men enough
out government, laws or leglslators-and, what's
sort Of colonial territory Of the United States
without even a communication with the home
government for nearly two years, or with the navy
for many months. The officers of the army here
could have seized the large amount OF funds IN
their hands, Viewed heavily on the country, and
been living comfortably in New York for the last
year, and not soul at Washington be the wiser or
worse tor it. Indeed, such is the ease with which
power can 60 unchecked and unpublished In this
region, that it will be hard tor the officers of
government to resist temptation; for salary here
is certain poverty and debt, unless one makes up
by the big haus-thc merest negro can make more
than our present Governor, Colonel Mason, receives
toto.