The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-04-11
CAPT. SUFFER-.

The following graphic sketch OF Capt Suffer,
and Suffers Fort, is from excellent letter
from California in the last number OF the Home
Journal:
| will give, as you have requested the read
ers OF the Home Journal sketch OF Capt. Suffer,
pronounced by himself Sooter,) his means, the
tort bearing his name, and few facts IN reia
lion to the gold re gion. He is about 50 years OF
age, of mddling height, straight form, and pos
sesses that symmetry aud smallness Of hand and
loot which Lord Byron sets down as sure evil
dence OF gentle blood. In manners and CONVEX
salion, Capt Suffer is perfect Chesterfield; be
is well educated, and speaks several different
languages huently; he is native OF Switzerland,
and was one OF the officers of the Swiss Guard In
the Revolution of July, during the reign OF
Charles X After this Revolution, he emgrated
to the United States, became naturalized and re-
sided several years in Missouri: thence, in 1889,
he came TO California, and obtained grant OF
ninety miles square OF land from the Mexican
authoriues-his title is conditional one, and may
hereafter, create trouble for him. In his private
character, Capt. Suffer is kind, hospitable and
generous. In fact, his generosity frequently lays
him open to be preyed upon by the idle and
worthless. When asked why he permitted such
large demands upon his hospitality without re-
compence, he replied "What can DO, Sir
times without even thanking me-but what can
do' | cannot turn them out in the wild forest"
Surrounded as he was, Oh his first settling in this
country, by tribes of wild Indians, he has, by
kindness and just dealing, attached them to his
interest, and he now has from three TO four hun
dred OF these Indians devoted to him and his
They, for their fool and pay from four to six
dollars per month, man his fort, work his farms
and mills, and do all tie labor generally requIr-
ed in new settlements. Capt. Suffer- with all
his landed and other property, is subjected to
many annoyances. When the Russians, through
necessity, abandoned their settlements at Ross
and Bodega, Capt. Suffer purchased their stock,
cannon, furniture, etc. and transported them,
with great labor, to his settlements at New Hell
vetia. This purchase was effected for consider
alton OF $3.50, 0OO TO be paid IN an annual in
stalment OF wheat, deliverable TO one OF the
Russian Fur Company's vessels. The install.
ments, owing TO the unfortunate seasons, have laid
over tor some years, and, should Russian yes.
sci appear at this juncture, his large crop will be
swept away at mere nominal value.
Sutter's Fort, called Fort Sacrament, is
situated short distance from the southern bank
OF the American Fork, on one OF the tributaries
OF the Sacramento, miles from its mouth and
l20 miles from San Francisco. The Fort is in
form OF parallelogram, 500 IN length by $50 in
breadth.
The walls and houses are built of the oft men,
toned mud brick or adobe. Rastions at the an
giles, with cannons mounted, protect all sides,
and numerous guns project from the mud walls
On the inner side, facing the court, are numer-
Gus buildings, occupied store-houses, dwell.
ings, and barracks Tor the garrison. The main
store house was rented, during the fever OF gold
digging, at $4,000 per month. The garrison OF
the tort being more trusy men, and better fed
and clothed than, the farm Indians
The crop oil wheat raised by Capt. Suffer, for
the year l848, was upward Of 80 900 bushels,
which is valued at the round sum of $50, 0O0.-
This is the proceed from the labor OF l25 rude
Indians. He has also erected mills for grinding
wheat and saving timber, and 1t was in the con-
struction OF a dam and race for sawmilI that nne
oil the sOns,in his employ discovered the gold.