The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-11-15
California Correspondence,

0dAA4UA41d VUAAC5pUklUc1CGs
The Crescent has been iamentably deficient
10 this modern department. We hope soon to
De able to furnish our readers with the letters
Of Mr.. j. G. Duncan In the meantime, we
have been furnished with the fblo@ing-which,
we are assured, is the original oe all the Cali:
fornia letters If we are not greatly mistaken,
we heard this letter read at Malone Raymond S
benefit last Spring, and the roars of laughter
It then called forth from a full audance Of Irish
critics, is the best guarantee Of its authenticity.
FROM THE GOLD DIGGINcs.
April 18th, 1850.
Dear Teddy-These luvin lines is to inform
you that I'm alive and klckin, barrin an ager
cake that's settled on my chist, and which has
affected my voice so much, that I'm afraid you'll
not be able to read this letter, which I'm writing
on the top of my old hat, Chad luck to the crown
there's it) for the want of betther table.
When | wrote you last, spades was trumps-
now it's diamonds, and have made high, low,
Jack and the game. Sure, Teddy. this is the
splendidest country on this side of heaven for
the root of ali evil. God is as plenty here as
the turf in the bogs Of ould Ireland, and dia-
monds as plentiful as backberries in the fence
corners. The goold is five feet four inches thick
IN some places, with lois of small Jumps of silver
here and there-mighty convenient for small
change. Diamonds, rubies, and immeraIds,
may be had for the asking; but theirs mighty
few would be troubled with them. when the
precious metals are found so asy in galore
Rite fornenst me, where | sit composin this let
ther, there's fortin to be had for the mere siftn
the sands being all goold powther, and the
mountains, Teddy, has veins-and every vein
is full Of the crculatin madium. How would
you like to blade them ould boy7 And why
shouldn't you be doin that same, when there's
so many Mexicans, French and other hayihens,
walking off with the matther Of hogsheadS of
The rale dust livery day, to say nothing OF the
most beaniifullest pearls and amazons, which
precious stones abound in great pienty, imme-
diately after shower OF rain. In the oud
country it rains frogs and fishes; but here Ted
dy, my darlin, it rains precious stones and jew
els, some of them set in rings and breastpins,
already for the wearing. The Indians here
puts big rings Of goold in their noses, which
must be mighty inconvanient when they have
bad coulds. There is considerable rasca!ity
here, notwithstanding the delicate manner in
which Mr. Lynch "a countryInan of ours, who
makes the laws for this coun,ry,) deals with
the such like. Sure they jerk fellow up.
own head shake every morning, when get
my peppers open, TO see that alrs right above
me-for its a trait of our Judge to show no par
tiality. But I've got my finger in bis eye, boy
Every week or two, there's big whiskered chap
that comes along (ihe Judges Secretary and
collects little dust for the support Of his honor,
and always gives him thrifle more than the
balance of my companions on the Sam Jokin.
We're all rale Democrats out here, Teddy, and
while set composn this letther, can see one
of the Captains OF the New York Melishy,
washing the good, with hardly rag on him,
saving your presence. Even the missionaries
dig like bog-throtters all the week, and deliver
mighty improvin dseourses to the haythens, on
the unriglteousness of mamtnon, on Sunday.
The lniuns is incensed in this way with the
sinsullness Of riches, and sells it chape to save
their souls.
Forty and Fives is great game here: in
troduced 1t to my acqnaintances tor the small
sum of an ounce a rubber-good luck to you
my darling, for tachiug me the same. Many
an honest penny has it brought to my pile of
dust But i shall soon give up taching and
working, as am now trniy worth my weight
in goold. having more than ton in store at
San Francisco-a0d after this season, if have
luck, shall retire from business and build me
fine house on the Sacrymento the bed of
which river is pure goold How would you
like to sleep in that bed, my Boy, isn't it Elegant.
I'll live like Turk, my jewell, and never dis
own a poor relation; come out and see me, and
yon shall have diamonds and goold in galore;
but fax you must bring your own 6uds, foF divil
a stich you'll get here. Provisions is scarce
and little of it. Salt pork is twelve dollars a
pound; flour eight dollars, and coffee, sugar and
tea in proportion; vegetables are not 20 be had
and pitaties are worth their weight in good
Bring some wild you, Teddy. Only think how
yonr luvin friend Cornalus O'Flaherty has trav-
elled. Sure Julium Caesar, Napolinm Bone
parte, nor Ginnera Washington; has ever been
this far, and here | am, having visited the
four quarters OF the globe, and if any one
will tell me where its hind quarters are, III &c
there too, Literature is scarce, there being
none in the market, barrin what is stuck Dip on
the street corners at San Francisco. Good
luck to the chap that gave me knowledge ol
the beautiful art of composin leithers-it kinder
aeses my conscience for the task OF christian
instruction and the joys Of civilization.
When Won go to the Post~oflice to inquire
for this letther, tell The Postmaster have direc.
ted it to the care of your grandmother, for feal
you should not be at home when it arrives. Sc
without more ado, go Immediately, and ak the
onld woman for 1t, and before you open the same
call in my friends, and then you may break the
seal and read them every word barrin my love
to Biddy, the darlin. Tell her if she'll put on
the jacket and trowsers she can make hapes 81
money here for she knows how to handle The
spade, and its asier dggin goold than cutting
turf in Kilkenny. But she'd better not be af-
ther coming in her natural duds. for the sigh
of petticoat might breed a 'ruc,ion in the SET
tlement. 1t would be agood speculation to send
out cargo Of women. Teddy and its not nee.
essary to be choice in the quality, for even dam
aged goods are in demand when there's none
other in the market | would like 10 marry
and have little O'Flaherty's fiyirg, eating and
sleeping on the goold I've got laid up. but fax
if Biddy, masourneen don't come out, | shall
resign myself 20 my fate, and live and die an
ould maid
Your affeetionate cousin
CoREALIUs O'FLAHERTY.
A WELL KNOWN PIANIsT recently played
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