The Arkansas banner., 1850-05-21

The writer. Mir. CLARK, Is kindly remembered by many of our ci,iEens He dates
 AScA FRiA, Jan g, 1850.
 FnExD FARIEY arrived at San Jose ca the ls, of November. in mess with K. Brownlee. W. Gar. risy and Brown6eld. and in company with J.. McVicsF, J. Metisnsy end R. Drew. The Little Rock company was scattered aloag the road from the Colorado to Saa Jose al that time. We took in load of provisions at San Jose and left on the Sd for this place it being the nearest aud most soah- ern place where gold abOundsd) where we arrived on the 18th all in good health have since been digging for gold, packing mules with provisions from Stockton, and selling the same here and doing such other business ss would obtain me gold hon. orably.
 have not seen letter CT paper from the States but have several persons who left in September and beat to the Siggipgs If those who are af- fected with the contagious dissase there could be taken through the same course and treatme nt that many of their fellows are forced through here viz tree, rock or log fer shelter or house. as he may please 10 eaIi it, oaen compelled to mount himself and all his goods the top Of 1t 10 be safe from the sweeping torrents from the mountain. 4 nan $ household furnitire, stores. goods, &c., &c, often consist of one nd rock or stone which seryes as chair by day and perhaps pillow by night. one tin cup nife and pan; these articles are very usi- sary both in gatheIing gold and cooking His provisions of 3 !, lbs. hour lbs. venisoa and b. coffee His clothing of pair boots, pair paHts shirt, hat ard blankets. His funds or cash or hand, three dollars. His safe or chest all old rag and strings. 1 think if those affected with this aforesaid fever in the States could be put in birth like this, they would pronounce themselves coava- escent in ons week. You may think this a hard tale on the poor Irish, bet it is not them for they know how tS work and do be,ter) it's the Ameri- citizens, the young lawyer. the clerk the schol- lar, and myself & Cs have experienced the like for the space of TWO weeks, being driven up tree, in the thick darkness of a stormy night in California, by the moustain torrent. The class of persons which speak about. arc mostly those who have just arrived from the States by the land route, they arrive destitute of tools, clothes provisions and must pay at hs rate of $250 or $500 per barrel for flour, and every thing else in proportion. So you will perceive [ss t rains or snows four days in seven) it leaves a poor show for them to get much ahead of the hounds, But there is T better day coming for them 1 believe though. All those who had funds enough to get them back home, have quit the land Of gold in disgust. I say al, should have said great part. For myself. l am in way dissatisfied with the country or disappointed in it. for can make money (which was my prime object in coming herel fast and easy asl ever expected; but could not advise friend to come, because 1 see so many who wish themselves back, or wish they had never left home.
 There are three routes to California from the Stales viz; the lshmus route, which is the best in every respect if in healthy time. The Northern land route, which was travelled by oxen last season in g days, (from Independence to. the diigags) and around the Cape l advise men not to under. take the Southern land route, unless they wish 10 20 through the Catholics third place, which l be- leave for Kings river soon, 10 spend he summer.
 Respectfully, yours, JOHN W. CLARK.
 March ls
 PS.-The man who was 10 put this in tho Post Office, did not go to San Francisco, and has this day returned it to We now have fine weather. have not had rain since the lst of the month. The gold diggers rejoice at the sight of Spring the fall of flour to Sl00 per barrel, Sc. We are now md wing to the head waters of the San Joaquin, where we think to spend the summer J. w. c.
 The Gazette x Democrat publishes a letter which we presume to be from Mir. CELLARS, formerly of this city, telling the whereabouts of many of the company which started from here. IL is dated
 TUoLoNSE RIVER, CAL, March IT, 1850
 Afr Ediiorl send yon this concentration, from the gold diggings, hoping may write you some thing that may amuse if not interest some of your readers,
 IL was one rainy day in last Nov, (the date re- membered noi.) sallied out of Stockton. Cais with about 50 lbs. on my back (dsrnaton heavy.) and started for the gold diggings," and the first struck was the Chinese diggngs, about 50 miles from Stockton. They can only be worked in the rainy seasons, and are very rich dlggngs. arrived with out a cent of money, and destitute of mining tools Bu, was not alone assure you. There were two others in the same bad l" fix "--Lowe aud Murphy 
 would have i,, we stumbled on a friend, Mir Wm Pennington, who had reached the mines some short time before us. and who aided us in getting to wo,k worked at these mines abont month, when the weather permitted, which was only about half the time, and realised over Sl0 per day. But fortune never favored me with one of those rich holes tha you read abont--though have seen men, who were working along side of inc, get out from one Co iwS pounds each Of gold per day. This makes me think mining IS like ganbiing--the lucky ones being tb, only winners 1 vas always unfortunate in gam bling, and fear shsli be in mining. l woaiC much rather be at my case. or even al press.
 About the midate of DeceisbeT leit the Chinese digs siugs, aud came to the place from which this | dated, a distance of some l2 miles, and here ne s0me more of our hhoys oi the Rock,
 Next July we intend 10 drain this river, or DOT ton of II, by means of canal about mile ahd quarter in length We have regular Association with President, Directors, Secretary, and Hensl Crease, of your city, being Treasurer, and GeoIg' Henry, of Trxas, President, The following gen ,ienen from Iitle Rock. belong 10 the Association
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