Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-10-11
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UrrER CALlronS1A, 4th July, 1850.

mountain ana Ndiiey--Wltn the exception OF the
great Sacramento Plain. Beginning at the Sierra
Nevada, the mountains form a gradual slope to
the plain; hence, at Sacramento Civ perhaps
hundred and fifty miles of. you can see very dis
tInctly the principal range covered with perpetu-
al snow. The water here is very good, and, so
far as have seen yet, abundant; but as the dry
season advances, the small streams and those
nearest the Plain fail, as is to be expected. The
nearer the mountains the higher the stream, ex-
cept as it Is fed below. Mining operations, high
up, are very much obstructed BY water, and on
some streams the digging season Is quite short,
unless the water can be turned As a farming
country. have not very good opinion of Cali
fornia. For grazing: it Is good, where animals
can have the range. Even near the hi highest noun
tains, there some rich valleys the grass of
which is peculiarly good. l have no doubt but
there viii be some valuable farms in places; but,
as a general remark, l think the country Will not
be cultivated-the dry season viii be the great
obstacle. You must not, however. infer that this
IS a barren land-it is not. may have seen its
best appearance; probably Of some parts I have;
but with few exceptions. all vegetation IS green
and hourishing. Flowers (of great variety and
beauty are very plentiful and almost every rywhere
seen. As wild flowers, suppose they unequal
ed. At our present camping place we have al
most perfect flower garden In valley near
Us there are some splendid specimens of the tiger
lily.
That, however, for which the country IS inter
esting, and now celebrated, is gold That has
more than magic charms in the opinion of some
and though California were a thousand times
worse than it is as country to live in, suppose
numbers would find their way to it, 1t IS true
that gold is here found and in great abundance
But on this subject want to write correctly, and
therefore must be on my guard to prevent the mis-
Interpretation OF terms for. 10 speak OF it as
existing in abundance you might perhaps infer
that have much OF it, or that all who dig for it
get much. or that it Is easily obtained neither OF
which Is the case. \ number Of names Of per-
sons have heard who are said to be or their way
here from Mineral Point. Now that l am here l
am ready 10 ondcr what could induce some of
them 10 start. l have always been of the op,n-
ION this Of course j. general rule D that man
ougat not to leave his family behind: il he viii
come, let him bring his family along; and I al
Ways thought that If man was III business and
making a comfortable living, he ought not 10
break up his establishment for the uncertain re-
wards Of this country. \ residence here has con-
6rmed me in the belief that these views are pretty
correct L I have not heard the language OF
regret. have seen palpabIe evidence Of it in the
countcnance. the department, and the pursuit
There have been periods of suffering experienced
-. u n
compensate tor Afer the dangers of the jour
ney are er. and they are not few nor trif.ng. a
rr4H5srs- life has TO be commenced. A man can
hardly tell one day where he viii be the next
The most familiar sight Is dggers moving -
some wolking, others riding: some packing;
others with an animal to pack for them. And
some Of Tie most painful experience we have i,
that we have no certain dwelling place, 4 nIau s
diggngs give out, and he Is of. He hears of a
nore likely place. and he Is of. Here, 10 keep
pace with the world man has almost to turn
round daily
In travelling about and exploring the country,
and even while digging, there IS neces sarly much
expense have endeavored 10 be as stationary as
possible, and have been as careful as I could be 10
preserve nay health; but I assure you. I have
seen the elephant
I arrived during the rainy season. and there IS
no mistake about there being such season.
The first hotsse lived in was tent; the second. a
ca5jn without floor, though notwholy destitute
Of sides, but they were open. In journeying. il
is desirable TO take as little baggage as possible,
as every thing extra is a burden and therefore it
IS difficult 10 provide :or the contingencies OF
weather. have slept IL turns on the plain, the
mountain and close to the stream in the deep val
lev By day l have walked through falling snow
and rain, with nothing waterproof on. except my
boots. Health is here placed in great jeopardy
from the want of suitable food. 1t IS my opinion
that there has always. or nearly so, been enough
il the country bur person may very easily be in
part where the supply is limited. and there may
be indifference about extra effort to procure it
a disease, called the land scurvy, prevails from
this caUse-an unpleasant and frequently fatal
disease it IS I have hitherto been entirely free
from II, ard hope to continue 50. At whatever
cost vegetables ought TO be used frequently if not
constantly here The last potatoes we bought
cost Us 50 cts per Ib, and poor ones YOU would
tauk them IN Wisconsin. Considerable alarm
has been telt in some parts OF the mining region
on account of hostile Indians. There has been
and stiu is danger from this quarter. We heard
much Of their depredauons and murders, and Al
last travelled through the country where their
conduct had been most violent and Injurious At
one place the day before we got there, man had
been shot by them. ana seven oxen stclen. and
one night we were told that several hundred war
rlors were only about three miles of The next
morning party Of Americans passed Us on their
way to chastise them Tor TIE injuries lately done
and some Of our men soon after heard shouting
ard firing Of arms. he same evening heard that
several Indians had been killed. This was near
Bear river, the next large stream north OF the
North Branch Of the American Fork OF the sac