The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-23

here animals for transportation Of supplies are
drought up," the country becoming Wild and bro
ken, even to q degree Of grandeur. The route lies
up the stream, (Which derives its name from the
earliest adyenturer on It's waters,) and along It's
margin, overhanging which cliffs OF quartz tower
TO the height Of hundred feet the sides perfectly
precipitous the ehtlre extent o! the toiisomc jour-
ney.
At the head of Nelson's creek lie the famous
"Gold Lake" diggings, so styled from large body
Of water which is found there at this time. These
dggings are at such an altitude above the level of
the plains that the atmosphere is pure and nvigor
ating. Gold is found in great abundance over
large tract OF quartz region The richest deposits
believed 10 be at distance OF ten feet below the
surface Washing is performed from the yield OF
the earth from five to eight feet beneath The gold
is coarse and beautiful.
Capt s. states his conviction that these richer
diggings than any yet discovered in the Northern
Placer. Men were making from one hundred to
five hundred dollars per day with ease Many
thousa nds are congregating there; the captain says
''the mountains are full of EN-" The time of this
discovery appears to have been in February last.
At Marysville, ''packers" are continually start
ing out for "God Lake, as it is persstingly called
Some OF the previous expeditions are returning
worn out with fatigue. Over one hundred pack
animals left Marysvile on Saturday for these new
diggings Oh Feather river
Another number Of the same journal, but whe-
Their OF later date we have no means to determine,
has the following:
We have had farther assurances of the success
of the Gold Lake explorations. Several parties
have gone below To hire men to go up to Nelson's
creek, and large numbers of Indians have been
taken there also. After SO many contradictory ru-
mors and temporary disappolntments, we are glad
that SO good prospect Is before the thousand ad-
venturers who have found their way to the sources
OF Feather river, which seem now to DIVIDE the
prolific palm with the Yuba. large number OF the
immigration are coming in by a new route which
passes in the immediate neighborhood OF the newly
discovered pacers 1t said TO be easy and abound
ing in grass. Preparations made at Marysville
for placing large supplies there 10 meet them.
That town of Marysville seems to be rather -four
ishng about this time.
The following extract from letter OF disap-
pointed seeker for the FL Dorado, copied from
earlier paper, will serve to impart some idea OF
the pcrils of the route:
AS our party had started for particular place,
too fell into the vortex and joined in the chase,
the terminus of which was said to be somewhere
| about the head waters of the north branch of the
North Yuba After leaving Nevada city, the noun
tains became higher and sleeper, the road still
bearing northeast to the south branch of the Yuba
which we reached in twenty five miles from Ne
vada. The descent to the river is down noun
tain three miles in length--the last three quarters
of mile steep that wagons are let down by
ropes At the foot OF hill is little place called
| Washington where there several traders cs-
| tablished. Beyond this place wagons cannot go
| Before the loitier ranges of the Sierra
Nevada with their SHOWS; but this did not deter the
| adventurers, and the rush from this place as
| great as from any we had passed through. We
swan horses and mules across the river, which
| and the bed rocky; climbed steep, craggy noun
ain and descended on the other side to Poor Man s
creek, where we found number of persons dig
| gng, and said TO be doing well.
| From this creek we commenced the ascent OF the
| dividing ridge between the South and Middle Yu
bas From the creek to the top is four miles. Here
we found snow and the atmosphere cold and chilly,
| which was rendered still more dsa grecablc by a
drizzling rain. But from this point we had a fine
view of the back bone of the Sierra Nevada with its
eternal SHOWS. We followed down the ridge fiji
! teen miles, made another descent OF four miles,
! crossed the Middle Yuba, passed over some trc-
! mendous high mountains, and reached the north
fork of the Yuba at Good BAR sixty odd miles
! from Washin gton. Previous to reaching this place
! we had met return parties from the expedition,
who pronounced the Gold Lake vision-'.he base
less fabric Of dream" but we intended to satisfy
ourselves.
We crossed the North Yuba and assembled the
right bank, a trail as nearly impossible one
! possibly be to be travelled at all. During the
| day we passed along the steep and craggy side OF
mountains where single msstep would be rapid
journey to eternity. \ great many mules and
horses were lost here; their carcassee, with some
times the pack, could be hundreds of feet be-
low. We reached the north branch of the North
uba the 18th of June; and here the bubble COM
pletely burst-no one here believing the tale, al
though hundreds passed still farther on, and were
! yet in the mountains.
| The letter says that the diggings, on the
| Gold Run, tributary of Deer Creek, forty miles
from Auburn, supposed to be the richest in Cal
iiornia. Claims of sixty feet square had been sold
at from two thousand to eleven thousand dollars.
Some OF the miners were raising from one To six
ounces each n day. The diggings, however, were
limited and claims could only be obtained by pur-
chase. OF this region the Sacramento Transcript,
Of July IL, remarks
A. friend from Nevada informs us that the streams
| that run through that place, called Gold Run, u
which surprising accounts have been given, have
all been dug over, up 10 the billie in which they com
mence. On coming to the hills, however, the leads
| continued extremely rich and the Ininersare still
/ int ha Ia Ia inst fnrty
feet of earth have been thrown of before reaching
the deposits OF gold, and as the laborers continue
penetrating the amount 10 bo removed will in
| crease. Whenever the gold is reached II is found
in large quantities. One party Of four or five men
took out nine pounds in one day. Others were
constantly striking places were large yields were
obtained, say from three or four ounces to pound
"A day. OF course the larger share not 50 for
sunatc. Quite n serious accident happened in the
side Of one Of these hills last Sunday. While party
OF four men were digging, undermining place,
and following lead into the bank, the earth above
caved IN upon them, and all were crushed TO death
instantly. Our informant did not know their
names, but they were from the State Of Maine.
! The hills and ravincs around Nevada have all tho
! appearance OF being very rich with gold. IL has
l lately been found scattered promiscuously the
bills mixed in with the very top soil, where the
earth is dry and dusty, like ashes. Quite large
number are engaged in gathering up this soil from
the hills, and packing II on mules or carung II TO
Deer Creek, where II is washed
Nevada is becoming a lively little town. Some
four five thousand people said TO be in it, Vi
cinity. The diggings are not now 80 proiably
worked as they have been during the past winter
and spring. Water i scarce, aud only those who
strike rich places hold claims the creek, so
that they can haul the dirt to il for washing,
making their labor profitable. Our informant
states that another winter these dggings will
| doubtless be az successfully worked as ever, and
in the country around there will be room for almos
any number TO work with profit. For ten miles
around Nevada the geological appearance Of the
country is very similar, and gold has been found
in greater or lees quantities in almost every place
| that has been prospectcd.
letter dated Cooma, July !, says: " ] am Of
opinion that this portion of tho South Fork Of the
American river will give more than its average o
gold this season miners at work on the bank o.
the stream average ounce day, within three
miles of this. West, the claims yield from one "a
three Ounces-more than was cxpccted-as the
river is yet high. Mr.. Brown, partner Of Hcufmier
Co., of the Diggers' Hotel, took outin three
days last week ) 100 in gold dust from this fork
within three miles from where am now writing
The Sacramento Transcript notices the discovery
| OF rich ravinc about five miles from Auburn
Three milcs of IL had been taken possession of by
diggcrs; of the claims held at from thrc,
to hive thousand dollars each, though IL will b,
impossible TO take out the gold before another win