The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-07-07
EXPERIENCE OF A GOLD DIGGER.

EAFEhIENCE OF A GUILD u
A letter fom a correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Bulletin, who has been working in the
mines, under date Of April 80, gives the fol-
ing experience;
81 have just arrived in, this city, having
spent my fall and winter at the mineSGthe
famed mines which have turned the heads of
half the Atlantic population, If they but
knew when they were we'll of, they would
stay at home and not come to lay their bones
in the sickly range where the gold is found.
"We were very fortunate although we were
unable to work more than one third Of the
time, TN account Of snow and rain which re-
tarded our labor, butfn the spring CATER Feb
ruary) we have but little rain. The r%avines,
however, in which the gold lies, we're now fill
ed with water, and we were obliged to work
in it, mostly standing up above our knees
This is one of the prime causes Of sickness
here. h 4
"Provisions were scarce; a large portion OF
the winter we had nothing but adodin bread,
Chat is -four and water mixed and bak ed in
the ashes,) and coffee, and not always even Of
these, for there was a scarcity owing to the
bad state of the roads. Flour was selling at
from 2 to So dollars the pound sugar Ss:cOf-
fee So; ierked beef, If to be had at all, from 4
to So, and all other provisions at like rates;
SO you see by taking privations into account,
that a man earns his gold, although the labor
will not be quite so hard asst would be at home
for the same pay.
SO = = y | do not consider a man
is more than paid If he can make 800 per
day here, which is not difficult il he will work
hard. The loss of his health and separation
from everything civilized, weighs largely a
gainsl II. Rather let ME work for competence,
andlive happily and in safety, than separated
from friends and probably to die among
strangers; but | have now left the mines for
good and all. Want can alone dive me back
again.
81 am about to connect myself with a large
commission house in this city, with the pro-
ceeds Of my winters labor, have been offer,
ed places, with salaries as high as $500 per
month"
Another letter from San Francisco, dated
April 9 says:
81 fear that by the next winter there will
be in the city Of San Francisco 100000 per-
sons. Tie place IS not capable of accommo-
dating 5000! What is to become Of them
Heaven only knows. Probably numbers will
perish Of cold and hunger.
As for myself, ! never was in such a fix
Had / ~foreseen what ! now see, California
would not have beheld me quite SO speedily
/ would recommend none 10 come here unit
he shall hear the result Of next winter, and
not to arrive before April at the earliest.
"The climate is cold in winter and hot in
summer. At the mines in July and August
the weather is SO hot that no one can work
except at the risk Of being sun struck.
"Nothing is required here now but common
ready made clothing, provisions and building
materials. Many persons have lost money
who have brought large cOrgOeso of merchandise
here. They have been compelled to send some
to other ports.
"Order prevails in the gold region, and eve
ny thief is punished by lynch-law. Five per-
sons were hung last week.