The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-01-17

the water which had leaked into the river
bed during the night. They were standing
in the sun, and had two hours hard work
before they could begin to wash. Again
the prospect looked uninviting, but when
went there two hours ago, one of them was
scraping up the sand from the bed with his
knife, and throwing it into basin, the bot
tom Of which glittered with gold. Every
knfelull brought out quantity Of grains
and scales, some OF which were as large as
the fingcr-nail. AT last two-ounce lump
fell plump into the pan, and the diggers.
now in the best possible humor, went on
with their work with great alacrity. Their
forenoon's digging amounts to nearly 6 lbs.
II is only by such operations as these,
through associated labor, that great profits
are to be made in those districts which
have been visited by the first eager horde
Of gold hunters. The deposits most easily
reae he'd are soon exhausted by the crowd,
and the labor required to carry on further
successfully dcters single individuals from
attempting it. The two persons opposite
to me at present have been digging all day
in the dry guch, without finding anything.
One Of them, whose means are exhausted,
has just engaged to work for company at
81 day, preferring the certainty Of mere
support TO the uncertainty Of sudden wealth.
Those who return home disappointed cay
they have been humbugged about the gold.
The fact is, they have humbngged them
selves about the ,rork. lflhey expect to
make money out Of the earth without Sc
we're labor, they are wofally mistaken. Of
all classes of men, those who pave streets
and quarry limestone are best adapted for
gold diggers.
Dr.. Gillette, to whom am indebted for
many kind attentions, has related to me the
manner ofhis finding the rich gulch which
attracted so many to the Mokalnme dig
gings Abou, six weeks ago, DR.. Martin
and himself came down from the upper bar,
to "prospect'' for gold among the ravines
in this neighborhood. There were no per-
sons here at the time, except some Indians
belonging 10 the tribe of Jose Jesus. One
day at noon, while resting in the shade ola
tree, DR.. G. took a pick and began careless
~ turning up the ground. Almost on The
surface, he struck md threw out lump of
gold Of about , lbs. weight. Inspired by
this unexpected result, they both went 10
work, laboring all that day aud the next,
and even using part Of the night to quarry
OF. the heavy pieces Of rock. At the end
of the second day they went to the village
on the upper bar and weighed their profits,
which amounted to % pounds! They
started again the third morning under pre-
,ence Of hunting. but were suspected and
followed BY the other diggers, who came
upon them just as they commenced work.
They continued, however, TO dig for week
or two, aud took out abont so pounds more.
The news rapidly spread, and there was
soon large number of men on the spot,
i some of whom obtained from l2to Spounds
per day, at the start. The gulch has been
well dug up for the large Jumps, but there
must still be great wealth in the earth and
sand, and several operators only wait for
the wet senson to work it in IA systematic
manner. DR.. Gillette estimates that abou.
1000 pounds (more than $400,000) have
been taken ont within six weeks, Those
who are now there, working in the dry
sand, do not average more than Ii ~ daily
From all can see and hear, there is as
much order and security here as can be at
tanned without civil organization. The
inhabitants have elected one of their own
number AlcaIde, before whom all culprits
are tried by jury selected Tor the purpose.
Several theits have occurred, and the Of
! tending parties severely punished after
fair trial. Some have been whipped and
cropped, or MANNED in some other way. and
one or two of them hung. Two or three,
who had stolen largely, have been shot
down BY the injured party, the genera! feel
ling among the miners justifying such
Isc,urse when no other seems available
I'VE met near Livermore's rancho. on the
way to Stockton, man whose bead bad
been shnvcd and his cars cut off, after re-
ceivng 100 lashes, for stealing 90 lbs. OF
gold have questioned the miners to
some extent regarding their opinion as to
tho punishment Of criminals, and have
found all, with one exception, in favor OF
the plan adopted at Stockton-that ofhang-
ing every person found guilty after fair
trial.
4 It may conflict with popular ideas of
morality, but, nevertheless, this extreme
course appears to have produced good re-
suits In fact, in country without not
only bolts and bars, but any effective sys-
tenn OF law and government, this Spartan
severity ofdiscipline seems the only security
against the most frigh.ful disorder. am
told that there are now few thefis commit
ted, except some petty acts of larceny
Horses and mules are sometimes taken, but
the risk is so great that SUCH plumber can
not be carried on TO any extent. The
camp or tent is held inviolate, and like the
patriarchal times Of old, its cover is pro-
lection to all it incloses. Among all well.