The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-01
Late and Interesting from California.
Ftom the Mobile Register May %
Lieutenant Edward r.. BeaIi

e,
who on his return as bearer OF dispatches from Cali
fotna TO Washington city This gallant and energetic
young officer is well known for the distinguished ser
vices he rendeed in Upper California in the campaign OF
General kearny, and the expeditions of Colonel Fremont
Though attached to the navy he is of those adven-
turous spirits whose talents and energies the necessities
OF our frontier difficulties with Mexico and the expora-
tons OF the have developed and who have been of
incacuable benefit TO our country. His indomitable
resolution fertile in all conceivable expedsnts, displayed
IN the DISASTROUS engagements of San Pasqua and San
Bernardo have entered into the permanent history of our
country and were narrated in most graphic style by Col
Benlon in his celebrated ten days speech in the United
States Senate The services of Lieut. Beall have been of
such peculiar and invaluable character that the gov
eminent, detachlng him from his position the navy,
have given him species of ampibsous employment
the wds of the west amidst the Hottest snow. clad
mountains almost impossible rivers, and boundess ster
lie deserts This has been his situation for the last four
years, in the midst of the rugged hardships during
which period, as he himself remarked, at would not be
difficult for any to deay his bills with the tailor"
Lieutenant Bea was sent, early in November last,
bearer of dispatches from our government to the United
States officers in California and upon the Pacific, He
was intrusted with communications to Col Washington
at Santa Fe Col. Mason in California and General Lane
IN Oregon, and was required to pass through the extern
slve regions beyond the mississippi TO reach his destna
tons. He left Fort Leavenworth, ON the Missouri the
goth OF November with command of seventeen mount
ed men, all raw recruits, and few adventures After
tedious and fatgllng journey, they reached Bents Fort
and learned that Col Fremont and his party had passed
about ten days before. In crossing the Taos Raons
mountains they encountered all the seventies of winter
in those difficult and gigantic passes. covered with the
SHOWS OF unusually cold and nceItent season Many
OF their mules persisted from the rgors of the weather
and march, and number of the frost bitten
and disabled from further service Upon arriving al
Santa Fe which he reached on the 25th of December,
Lieutenant Beall gave permission to such of his
We're unwilling to proceed to return and seven did so.
tie was unwilling TO be accompanied in the dangers and
with implicit condeaes D F. supply the he dscsns S COZ
Mason allowed hun TO enlist eight additional mounted
men. who were deslrous OF engaging in the expedition
Win fnrna I,n ID L..
the nth of January, and destined to encounter
the most trying difficulties. The Sierra de los Membres,
vast range OF lofty mountains were enveloped in snow
storms and the route most hazardous and Oppres
sivs. So intense the cold, that several mules
frozen to death at night, even under tents, and covered
with bank ets The forht,lde OF number of the men
aled and sergeant and six privates deserted Oh these
as well as OF the seven tho had previously left sub
sequent information has been received They doubt
persisted under the violence of the weather,
sassinated by the Indians who infes those regions
Lieutenant Beall now pressed on with indomitabe
resolution, through ndescrbabe difficulties, to the head
waters Of the river of ella. Passing to the southern
manner along the precipitous sides of the lofty noun
tains that prevail in this region This section of coun-
try has been falsely said to furnish opportunities for
good road or roads to California. From Lieutenant
BeaPs description, it is continuance of the most
rugged and inaccessible mountains, with vast gorges,
peaks and declivities covered perpetualy with snow,
and presenting barriers, TO be passed only by incredible
exerlons: No track for wagon any wheel vehicle
can ever be made along this route The could only
press along the by the aid of their hands well
as feet, and even the tenacious mountain mules were
often precpated from the declives, and, rolling down
the extensive slopes crushed to pieces with every
bone broken and their saddles destroyed that
they could not be further used This the
headwaters of the ella frequently to avoid the
Barriers which constantly ut upon and overhang the
stream That river in this portion of its extent is not
susceptible of even canoe navigation Its is of
anowy swness shooting rocky and irregular falls
with short serpenne wndngs through narrow and dan
gerous that produce whrpoos and cascades
which would ngulf any water-cait nusted to lis con-
troll
After descending the ella to its confluence with the
Colorado, and the latter stream to within fifty miles OF
the Gulf OF California Lieut. Bea and his little party
San Francisco This desert very extensive, and
barren than that of Zahara The weather here was in
tensely hot, and greatly afflicted the men, who had been
suffering amid the frosty rsors Of the mountains, but
now found themselves in arid sandy region deprived
of water except such as they bore with them. travel
of one hundred and twenty miles brought them however
on the LIST of April in sight of the welcome dwellings of
San Francisco and in the vicinity of those gold regions
that supass in prolific wealth the Hesperan gardens OF
antiquity.
Gen Persfor F. Smith, the governor, greeted the new
corners with hearty welcome-receved the dispatches
intended for himself, and forwarded the communications
tor Gen. Lane in Oregon BY speedy c9nveyasse
CISCO but took time to look around him at the condition
OF the country The rage for gold like the rod of Aaron
had swallowed up all other passions. The inhabitants
would not take time to erect for themselves the
cessary edces but were residing tents and shanties
hastily erected The extent of the gold region be
defined 1t has already been found to territory
than hundred and fifty miles in length and from
fifty to sixty in breadth The precious metal is discover
ed in perfectly pure state in the beds OF the streams
and in the hills and plains adjacent II is found in small
particles fakes in the WATER mingled with sand which
has only to be washed away to leave a residue of fine
gold; and in the dry dggns it exists in solid Jumps.
some weighing eight or ten pounds, which are dug up
with pick axes ana spades The laborers generally pre-
fer working in the streams as the other method is the
most laborious. Every laborer can certainly secdre,
each day, at least twenty dollars worth OF the metal,
while those who are fortunate frequently make from one
to two hundred dollars.
Lieut.. Beall showed specimens of gold he had pro-
cured in the country, of both varieties in PARTICLES and
the lump. One specimen well calculated to make
the eyes stare and .the lips water" twas solid lump,
weighing eight pounds, and worth $4,000 of the pure,
rosy gold!
Ii IS impossible to compute the number of persons now
in California "No could be taken," for they
scattered everywhere through its extensive forests pros
good order prevails the couny they have no regular
laws but the large infusion of intelligent and upright in
habants preserves peace and quiet by species OF mod
fled Lynch jurisdiction which necessity has created.
They do not complain, has been said, of want of
government, for they have not time, in their
crossing avocaion, to think of such things
Lieut. Beall informs that the of mutiny on
the Ohio without foundation, everything
most perfect state of subodinaon that vessel, the
night before he left Governor Smith having intrusted
him with dispatches for government he took passage
from San Francisco, the 18th OF April, board the
steamer Oregon, for Panama The steamer touching at
San Bias and remaining three days for fuel he received
information from party of Mexicans who had been