The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-08-18
From The N. O. Reayune.
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENCE
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30. 1910.


visit to the southern Understanding those
OF stanislaus.v TawaIamia, MercedesIand Maria
POsas rivers and their tributaries. After all
you have heHrd Of the richness Of the p%lacers,
!, GU would be astOnished 10 look over the coun-
try containing in its bosom so vast an amount of
precious ireOsure-for miles and miles, between
the Stanislaus and the Mercedes, the bowels
fthe earth had been upturned and ferreted, to
the depth Of six or eight feet, and still the
gold appears as inexhaustible us when the
miner first struck a spade into It. II would
really appear, as il the main body Of the gIit-
tering metal had not been approached, Up to
the Pre>ent time the only search'h has been made
IN the dry diggings,' every one 10 anticipating a
rich harvest as soon as the rivers fall sufficiently
to enatle them to work the beds. But indie
pendent Of the gold in the rivers, and the pres
emf dry digging,' the deposit would seem 10
be inexhauslible. From the StanislauS to the
Mariaposas. a distance Of eighty to ninety
miles, the gold region is Of purely volcanic
formation, and looks as If volcanoes after vol.
canoes had burst out from the earth, pouring
forth over the face Of the country layer after
layer OF pure gold. Many Of the CRITTERS
still exist as nature originally formed them;
although little gold is found in the immediate
vicinity Of the eruptions, but in the draines
and little creeks, leading from them into the
rivers it has been found in the greatest album
dance. However, the depOSitis not confined to
any particular place or locality. Wherever
a hole is made in the ground, gold is to be
found, but in some places in greater quantities
than others. There is a vein Of white quartz
took, from ten to fifty feet wide, extending
from Stanislaus as far South as a small creek,
between the MariaPosas and Kings. river. /
trled i at a great many places and found il
richly imPregnated with gold at all points-the
gold being locked up in the mulrix, so as to
require machinery to extract it,. s
There are now about 10000 people at work
in the South, including all ages, sexes, condi-
tons and colors. Il may be safely estimated
that they are taking out a thousand pounds Of
gold per day-whenover one Of the miners
gets less than an ounce q day, he thinks he is
not paid for his labor, and ~seeksysome better
place. This Unsuitable thirst for gold keeps
one-fourth OF the population continually going
from one place to another, seeking more profit
able diggings,'
Four fifths Of the people arriving in the
country shape their course to the Sacramento
river and it's tributaries, l. made my trip up
San joaquin. From here, to its mouth or its
junction wit the Sacramento, at the head Of
Suison Bay, the navigation is as difficult and
affords as many obstacles as the Gulf Of Mexico,
and AM fully convinced that the boats which
navigate the river will not be able to come TO
Wis point, SO that a depot must be made in that
vicinity for the interior trade,
The San Joaquin river for four or five miles
above the mouth, for 200 miles or more into
the interior, is bordered by an immense swamp
about twenty miles wide, which is at present
covered by a verdant growth Of PUSHES. The
river is navigable for good sized vessels at
oG the year as high as Stockton, for eight
months in tho year as high as the mouth
of the Mercedes, and the three feet water
as high as the mouth Of the Tawalamin.
At the present time, large sea-going ves-
sells are literally taken out into the country,
and tied up in the woods.
On my arrival at Stockholm found q popu.
lation of several hundred living in tents, there
being bat one franc building. For some time
this must inevitably he a place Of immense
Importance. 1t is and will continue for ROme
time to be the depot for all the mines from Ma
calemia river South. There is on an average
$4,000 OF goods disembarked there per day.
The merchants have and are continuing to
make a great deal Of money. What has been
Of great advantage to the place is, the proprietOrD
have refused to sell to spectators, and retained
the best position for real settlers. From Stock
ton to the mine, seVonty.fve miles south, there
is a tri-weekly stage line running; the trip is
made in a day, and tho fare charged is two
Of gold ($32.) The first OF the min
ing region is on Woods Creek, south Of. the
Stanislaus-at present there are few working
them, on account Of the water flowing in on
them from under ground. The people from
tho State Of Sonora, Mexico and those from
South America, settled at this point; but
owing to some difficulties likely 20 occur be-
tween them and the Americans, they moved
out and established camp about four miles
distant. The Mexicans and South Americans
about eight thousand; they keep M
all the customs and habits Of their country
bull fights, chicken fights, dancing. gambling,
&C., on Sunday and Feast Days. In all the
other g d~iggings" Sundays are respected,
though have not heard Of any preaching ia
Of them. 9a" ea' " ei aH
Independently Of the mlass, I look upon tho
valley Of The San Joaqulu ua valueloaa-aad
after what ! had tsad in the writings Of DIT
faEaht iraveIlapk ,hynnah EatifoYnia. muat