Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-10-10
From the Boston Transcript.
FROM CALIFORNIA.
CARsoN's CREEK, CALIFORNIA, }
Aug. 9Th. 1850.


CARsoN's CREEK, CALIroRNIA, }
Aug. 5ih, 1850. {
To the Editor ofthe Transcript: You of
course have read every thing that can be
written true or the reverse of the mines.
| hardly dare write you any thing relative
10 gold-digglng, lest it should prove sold,
stale and Improbable" That the gold
region is crowded, tha, the gold is mex
haustible, that with an occasional excep-
tion, it is only TO be obtained by risk of
health and life, and by constant and pain
iul labor, you have heard repeated often
enough. think the principal cause of
the many failures you read Of and proba-
bly, see, is owing to the numerous persons
in the mines who are utterly incapable of
performing week after week, the hard
work necessary for success. These re-
gions, once trod only by wild beasts and
very rarely by Indians, have now been
Araversed in all directions by eager gold
hunters.
The most inaccessible crags, the widest
ravlnes, the most remote glens and gullies,
have all passed inspection. The days of
among the rocks, as believe, was related
by COL Mason in his famous letter, have
passed away. Every turn, bend or eddy
in every creek or mountain stream for
hundreds of miles have been turned topsy
tnrvy, and the hidden riches, ii there were
any, taken away. There are mule paths
and trails leading in every imaginable di-
renftnp and ,uhc npo ,.,.pfjoes bo
will find the marks of some previous ex-
plorer.
Still, as you must conjecture, there is
an immense tract of country, which has
not yet been subjected 10 the p'ck-axe ard
the spade, and probably will not be for
many years; and though these grounds do
not present as fair prospect as those
which have been dug over, yet as the ia
ciliies for getting gold diminish, these will
iii turn be resor,ed to and will be found
aurilerous. As the chances become less
every day of striking pockets, the amount
of digging must increase in proportion to
render success at all likely.
| Great numbers of men-I am safe in
saying third of those who come 10 the
mines, deceived by the representations of
people in the lower country, are sadly
disappointed, and although furnished with
arms, clothes. working-tools and provis.
ions, and nerved with the an.ici2ations Of
hard labor good appetites and rich returns,
are soon di>heartened and leave the gold
region perhaps on the very verge Of for
tune; return to the town already overflow
Ing with unemployed people, write home
discouraging accounts of the couttry. and
call the whole thing "humbug." Still
say |, that young man, who can bring his
New England morals with him, seventeen
thousand miles withna. ras.iRg and keep
them untarnished year or two, may, with
industry and economy, ard of course
health, which common prudence will in
sure, make more money i'll given time
than in any other county.
The geolog,sis as class appear to be
the most nonplussed in this country
They come in squadrons, mounted OF
mules, armed with science ,nd divining
rods. and exert their entire wisdom il
>peculating where the gold ought to be
F. while stout Pat who exhausts his literary
attainntnts when he makes his mark
sticks TO his congenial element and seldom
finds bis labor unrewarded. Every geol.
ogist believe, has bis own theory, anC
here each hugs his darling one. ltis ANU
sing TO see gentlemen with gold spectacle:
and high foreheads, looking the very quint
, essence Of wisdom, first gazing up at th'
crags and mountains, then at the ground
or scramblng to some peak where goa
o would get his life insured before he ven
5 tured, and specializing on the course o
rivers, land slides, diluvial scratches ant
suhterranean convulsions. 1t seems niue!
like searching after the philosophers stone
They will hardly accomplish their object
= but will possess peculiar advantages fo
] map making.
Science is OF little avail. Ihave neve
known gold to be found in vs'ns as in 9th
!, er mines. Strength and industry alone
:. are requisite. In almost all instances
where experienced miners from Peru lav
q operated here, they have found thei
knowledge Of little Use to them. The top
Of mountains, the beds of rivers, the dark
:, e>! recesseS of caverns and glens, the side
h OF hills and extensive fats OF gra>, or clay
- all contain more or less gold, and no knowl
edge of geology can give any clue to it
o whereabouts. WV.
~