The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-03-23
Authentic Accounts from the CO Id Re-
giOn!

gion!
The Captain D WilAam Phelps. who reach
ed Charleston lately, in the ship Hannis, from
Chagres, having com from California via the
IsthmusO has reached his home in Boston, and
the consequence is. we have in the mole stnid
and discreet temper Of that region, the infor-
nation which he authenticity communicates
10 the Boston papers. The Traveller says:
captain P. brings n quantity Of the gold, in
grains, in scales aud in lumps-the largest of
the latter weighing about an ounce and a halt
The amount of gold brought by him has been
much overrated in the published accounts,
though ne brings a considerable quantity
much less, however, than the lowest amount
stated $685. 00)
AS Captain P. worked personally at the
mines, which we believe was not the case " ilh
Mr., Anterior, his experience of the minutl@,
Of his gold digging there is considerable. In
the irstplace, as to the pieces OF gold that have
been reported to be found, he says the larger
tlNCb lNdt iG llho SENH III INV pOS9CoSAOH VI WI
Mr.. Mellus, and weighs but six ounces. He
had heard numerous stories at the mines of
large pieces being found; but IN every instance
wherc they acre Investigated, they turned out to be
false or greatly exaggerated. One man was re-
ported TO have found a piece weighing several
pounds ;he went to see him, and found that its
weight was only two ounces, and that it was
the proceeds Of an entire days work.
AS to the stories that the diggers were many
ofthem averaging $3.50 per day, he thinks that
those that have done the besthaye not obtained
more than $4,000 during the entire digging
season. The hours of work were from FIVE Ia
ten hours per day. Formerly, the Indians were
willing to work for triae, but they have since
become better acquainted with the value oil
their soil. They are principally the remnants
of tribes, and not formidable.
But one case Of disorder occurred before
Captain P. left. 1t was that Of a negro who
insulted a Mormon woman. The people turned
out, caught the negro, tied him to a tree, gave
him a good lashing and then turned him loose.
with the threat Of a rifle ball, if he misbehaved
again.
The inhabitants of California, Captain P.
says, are anxious to maintain order; but they
can hardly do it in any other way than by
lynch law, until some regular government is
e established.
When several companies of Col. Mason'i
regiment deserted to the mines, a file OF sold
iers were sent after them, who in their turn de-
serted. Col. Mason then started with a file Of
dragons, called the miners together, and told
them that if they expected the countenauce OF
the government, they must help him TO arrest
deserters. To this they replied that if there
were any refugees from justice among them
they were willing to turn out ana help arrest
them, but their time was too precious to
be coupled IN ranQog ater desorters'
After this, Col. Mason was glad to get back
Win halt OF his dlagoons.
Agriculture has been 50 totally neglected
that a mal who had a field containing 1900
bushels Of wheat, could not ge, it harvested
though he offered half the products, ana wa
oblig d 10 let his cattle eat It. Women and chill
dren. as well as their husbands and fat era
, had become gold diggers. Captain Phelp'