The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-22
CALIFORNIA NEWS.

Our exchange papers, both from the North and
the South, are flied with news from California.
Some interesting details are given by our New
York correspondent, and in the article from the
Picayune which we publish to-day. In addition to
those, we select the following from the correspond
ence of the New York Courier and Enquirer,
which sets forth some portions of the dark side of
the picture:
"Now, let me say a few words TO those at home
who have only the premonitory symptoms Of the
gold feper. To such as may contemplate coming
out here in companies, and employing persons to
dig for them, will relate short anecdote: Ten
men belonging to a company established for this
purpose arrived one day upon the banks Of Feather
river, in the very midst of the gold region, where
they met ten Indians, who were lolling listessly
about under the shade Of large tree. These are
the very for u.s. thought and said the whites,
and an offer Immediately made the Indians of
two dollars day for every man who would dig.
This being the amount that the said people worked
for per month in the settlement, was, at the time,
thought a sufficient inducement certainly; but the
Indians shook their heads. Five dollars were then
offered; again the Indians shook their heads. Ten
dollars was the next Offer when one Of the Indians
rose and said: Here are ten of you and ten Of u.s.
we make you the same offer. You white men dig
dayp So you will observe that none but hale,
hearty, stout, well-knit and healthy men, need come
out here for gold And two-thirds of these (let me
warn them IN time) will lay their bones where they
go with the hope Of accommodating fortunes. MY
reasons for thinking thus must be obvious enough
TO persons at all acquainted with the country.
When the unhealthy season sets in at the placer
the temptation for augmenting ones heap is too
strong to be resisted As each individual fmagines
that he will escape, or at any rate, that the chances
are somewhat IN his favor none leave until a raging
fever has taken a strong hold, when in most cases
IT is too late 10 depart. But this is useless. No
warning from me, or any one else, will turn a tide;
and fancy that every person coming to California
intends to take this at the food feeling confident
| that it must lead on to fortune. But | know
from actual observation, that the tide runs both
ways out here. There is an ebb, as well as food
IF any suppose that gold can be procured with
out labor, and that Of the severest kind they are
| assure you, very much mistaken. Why, laying
water or gas pipes in the streets of New York is
not half as tolsome work. No man should come
to this country with the expectation Of making his
fortune at the mines, by getting out gold, but such
one as feels fully able to dig about half dozen
graves day, taking cold bath every fifteen or
| twenty minutes during his work, and whilst in
profuse perspiraton, and that without injury to the
| constitution. II would not be bad plan to prac-
tise this, for month or two, on the banks of some
river, before leaving the United States"
ETmorIAs MELopIEs.--Mr. Kendall writes from
Paris.
whether we should take it as a compliment or
not is more than feel called upon to decide, but
| the most popular airs one now hears at all the mr.
nor theatres, as well in the streets, are neither
more nor less than some Of our Ethiopian melodies
The favorte Of all-one that is danced and hummed,
and whistled by every person-goes by the title of
'Drin, drn here in Paris and is an adaptation Of
appears to be rapidly growing into favor, is taken
from Dance, the boatman, dance | shall he
ready to 60 when Mary Blame and Lucy Neal
get upon the Partisan stage and on the Boulevards,
and they'll soon be along"