Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-03-21

and struck for Sansoms Settlement, ,I6O miles
| further. The first 100 miles of this road
passed through the largest pine timber, ever
saw, | saw trees eight feet thick and sixty
| high, without knot or limb. The last por.
ton of this route was extremely bad, the road
very rough and for sixty miles not a mouth
full Of grass. On this portion Of the route
the cattle died off like flies, one lost, the best
one we had and three others gave out, but
the three we finally got to Sansons, and ira.
ded them for Spanish beef, we reached San.
sons on :he End day of October, and here we
saw the first house for 1900 miles travel.
We were now completely worn down, having
walked every day since early in the Spring.
| did not ride on the wagon one mile during
the whole ofthis distance, nearly twenty-five
hundred miles. My feet and ankles as well
as affthe rest heard Of we've completely
|. worn out. could oftentimes scarcely get
one foot before the other. We drove three
miles below Sansons and there recruited our.
selves and cattle, on the beautiful banks Of
the Sacramento. During the whole of our
journey here We had no trouble with the In.
dians as was anticipated, all that we met be-
haved themselves friendly. 1t is true some
ofthe Emigrants had their cattle killed by
them. | saw several of them myself with
arrows in their sides and few white persons
were killed by them. The Sioux Indians a.
bout Larimie are said to be remarkably friend
ly and hospitable. The Sho-Shonees are a.
like friendly but the Diggers inhablting the
Humbolt are more savage. They go entirely
naked, and are lazy filthy tribe The num-
ber of Immigrants that came through was
probably 10000. They nearly all came
through with OK teams. Some few with
mules and now and then one with horses.
/ Some who had the best Of teams commen.
ced packing their pack horses would give
out and then they would pack on oxen and
after their giving out they would Pack on
their backs We saw no rain for the last
1900 miles travel for it seldom rains west of
the Rocky mountains after March. From
that time till about the middle Of November
or later.
AS | am now writing on my Sd sheet OF
paper will hurry to the mines. From our
recruiting place last mentioned we had sixty
five miles to Longs bar on Feather River
which place we reached on the 18th day of
October. Hence you may know we travel.
led great distance from the 9th Of March,
till the 18th October, every day now and then
one excepted, we travelled. was glad after
we had reached the mines. was always on
my feet from morning till night. done all
the cooking for 1000 miles. | often had TO
carry water two miles and wood nearly as far
Sometimes no wood could be got, would then
gather reeds and dead grass and do the best
could. also drove our loose cattle 1900
miles. The old man Arnsplger was to assist
me but he rode the horse all the way com.
placing Of being unwe, so had to do the
best | could. Immediately after reaching
Feather River, Houser and myseif,went down
into ravine where he soon picked upa
piece of gold worth about dollar, in few
minutes he picked up another piece about the
same size, the sun was shining dreadfuly hot
sweated more that day than any one on the
whule route On this same day Houser was
taken sick with the bloody fux and died in two
weeks afterwards.
Now for the gold.
That there is gold in California is certain
for have myself seen more than s5O,O00 dug
out OF the ravines and banks ofFeaiher River
In any Ravine that empties in the river there
is more or less gold. What the people aver.
age day is impossible to tell. Some make
IN ounce, $16 day. Some half that, others one
fourth, but my opinion is person with good
rocker can average when tn e weather is good
bout Sl2 day, believe the diggings here
ire about as good as any. heard ofa place 25
niles up this River that they are making from l
o OF, day, doubt it very much, but next
III MINER fortunes will be made on the South
md North forks, by turning the water and wor-
Iing the beds Of the streams | venture TO say
hat in Fetaher River is more gold than ali the
rod that was ever handled in the United States
thousand times over.
would not hesitate in saying that could
lick spot within 100 yards of my house 100 n
ouare containing not less than one hundred mil.