The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-16


cradle IN the water, which he dips up and dashes
on the gravel or dirt it is lett the gratethe
earth, by this party. was taken from within foot
OF the surface-while third rocks the cradle, and
thus Keeping stream OF water passing through it
In continual rolling from side to side, and very
muddy, with the clayey and earthly matter washed
out. The heavy sand and heavier gold, all catch
es or lodges above the brackets: After the party
| has washed its mornings work of three or four
hours, several pounds OF this black iron or msgne-
| tic sand, mingled with gold, are scraped from
above the two or three upper brackets. most of the
sand is then washed out by the hand in a tin pan,
by holding the pan inclined Just below the surface
OF the water, stirring the whole up and stirring
the water es il mlneles with the sand, out at the
the stream all the while to let in clean water and
take out more sand. The weight of the gold
keeps it all the while at the lowest point of the
basin, and 1t seems hard to wash or shake it out.
We looked on In wonder and astonlshment for
an hour, to see by what simple process men were
all around us getting rich Why, we learned it on
sight. The men told us they had been working
since early that morning-lt was about 9o'clock-
they then scraped the results of their wash IN sand
and gold, from the bottom OF their cradle, in few
minutes washed the balance of the sand out, and
one OF them held up the pan and guessed there
were seven or eight ounces in il, or nearly two
ounces tor each man. They told us they gave two
ounces for their machine, to a man, who, like
many others, was not satisfied with the lower
giDgs, or prospecting We then passed down
stream to some other parties, and watched them
rock their cradles awhile. They worke all alike,
with about the same luck, occasionally finding
the gold and sand are dug out in handsul, about
equal proportions but these they said were scarce.
We next went up over the stony surface of the
island, to see how the golden deposit law Here
and there a few were picking in the gravel, say
few feet below the surface, throwing out by hand
the big stones and shoveling the lesser gravel into
buckets, which were carried off to the cradle.
The bed OF gravel had been made by spread or
widening IN the river bottom and some large rocks
and boulders had caught the sand and gravel
brought down to this queter water by the winter
torrents from above. 1t was from four to ten feet
before the dlegers struck the granite rock that
formed the rivers bed, and on this was found the
| richest EARTH.
In the middle or highest part of the bank, they
would have to dig 10 or IL feet to reach the bottom
and two or three, or may be more feet, would be
surface gravel with little or nothing IN 1t, after
which the gold strata would be poor till they had
got deep, and not yield more than two ounces per
day per man and then, thew said, man might
count on hundred dollars day at the bottom of
his pit or hole.
This is larger deposit than common, and has
been dug full Of pits and banks but at the time of
our visit not more than three hundred persons were
left at this island. Every had left for the up
per mines. We had satisfied our curiosity here,
and wanted to reach the MILL or first discovery,
that day. The road led us through hllly coun-
try-hlls getting higher, oaks scarcer, more slate
and soapstone, with dry ravines and occasional
pine groves. We found, as heretofore, every few
camp fires and wagons, families Of Mormons, or Of
the rowing race that have wended westward for
the last generation, at length turned east again,
and perfe city contented with thel luck at last
ting oyer their gains, prospects, etc, in the newly
establshed city on the shores of the Salt Lake,
winch vii, afford them quiet root and rest from
their wandering there met, on several occasions
tits called, quite settlement-some eight stores,
IN log, board, or bush shanties, and several hun
dred persons digging and washing along the banks.
piece Of ten acres, or SO, has been psnned off
this wilderness led to the discovery. He was
having race opened for saw mill among the hills,
and his workmen found the gold, washed and sent
1t down to him. 1t vast too peculiar not to be soon
recognized.
They tried to keep the matter secret, but too
many knew 1t, and In three months from that time
that wilderness OF hills-among which none but
Suffers men and Indians ever ventured alone for
fear OF the wild lndlans-was now fast being set
tied and the grisly BEARS wolves and jackas, lis
tened In astonlshment to the frying pans Kissing,
babies crying, cowsbells tnklng. and boys kicking
up shindy among the wagons-and there was no
place left then for them to 90 to. The climate high
up the hills, though exceedingly warm in summer,
is tolerably healthy, and on the river banks and
are locating, logcablns already building, and I'm
Gle Sans land sales anticipated before we have
even right by treaty to territory acknowledged to
belong to smother government.
that the hill above it YVES pretty high one, and
following the wlndlngs OF the road round the hills
which were fast rising into mountains, we rode
about noon into ravine betv cen two pretty high
hills, which in winter holds quite a torrent. Par
ties OF men were scattered along this canada like
ants. 1t beng late and very hot, but few were
working. We passed on to mother canada beyond,
where the Californians had principally congregat-
ed, and it being Sunday, were lounglng or gam
bling and the Indians, their laborers, dtt0-dressed
a la Adom-and a miserable, british race they are,
hardly know the use OF fire to prepare their food,
many OF them living upon grass, seeds, and acorns
in the slightest little brush dens which it could
be supposed would shelter piece of mortality, and
clothing themselves against the winters SHOWS and
summers heat, which are here severe, with no.
thing. The water in this gully was dried up, with
the exception OF a few pools and holes. | asked
of the Calfornians TO let us satisfy our curiosity
by washing little of his earth, which lay, at the
brought from the gully little higher up, where It
was found quite rch. He, of course, assented,
and led us the way TO his cradle. He brought the
earth in an India basket, holding little less than
daehcd on the water, and Capt s. rocked the
cradle: We worked away with spirit, attracting
several spectators, who laughed at our undignlfed
twas our rst essay IN making money
end great interest at the result After about fifteen
minutes dashing water, during which got good
soaking below, and spashed all IN my vicinity,
got tired, and cried hold of. Our friend, the CALI
himself scraped out the black sand and gold, and
seve raj gathered around HIM to see how much there
was. He was kind enough to show us the gold when
he had cleaned IT, and the guesses to Its quantity
varied from hall to two ounces. There was proba-
bly, more than an ounce of pure gold taken from the
earth, had been hauled from the hi side, in less
than half an hour; and In second visit which had
occasion to make, and IN which learned more OF
the difficulties and profits Of gold hunting, was
tsfed that in many, perhaps hundreds of canadas
like this, several miles long, the earth Is rich
to excess, and will give many years work to
from twenty to fifty thousand hands, who can
each reckon upon two ounces of pure gold per day
while washing. To fasten this conviction upon
any any this country is not difficult now
it was some months sInce-but gold has fallen
several at the mines selling, from necessity,
for six dollars the ounce.
rode from one end to the other of the main
valley, in the, dry deglngs, and questioned almost
excenfinn Xere then maxi ING from two OUNCES To