The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-02
[coNnusIcArEo.l
California; Gold Region.

lishod in the Commercial Journal" of Pittsburgh,
some views the subject Of the California gold re-
gion, which have been confirmed by observations
on the spot, published in the "AItG Califovnia,''
and by accounts still more recent from that country.
In order TO understand the views referred To-, il is
necessary, in the first place, to give sketch Of the
geological features Of the country. valley of six
hundred miles in length, and from fifty to hun
dred in width, is formed by the Sierra Nevada, or
Snowy range, on the cast and by the coast range
on the west. This valley is watered by two rivers,
the Sacramento and the San Joachim; one rising
due north, the other due south, and running to-
wards each other; after uniting their waters they
enter the bay Of San Francisco, which bounds the
western side of the valley. These rivers may be
said to wash the base Of the Sierra Nevada, their
waters being supplied, almost exclusively, by
streams which take their rise in that range of
mountains. In this manner they form continued
line, although coming from opposite directions,
receiving the drainage and debtritus brought down
by the innumerable torrents which cut the sides Of
the Sierra. The auval and diluvial depositcs are,
therefore, almost exclusively the eastern side;
and this accounts, also, for the overflow of the river
on that side. On looking at the map Of Colonel
Fremont, l was struck with the extraordinary num-
Der of these rayines. They look like many
streaks on the map, or, rather, lines drawn by art-
fetal agency; butthat agency is the sudden melt
ing Of the SHOWS, and heavy rains Of that climate.
One cause Of this great quantity of water discharged
by the short mountain torrents, is the want of suf
cicnt elevation Of the mountain, in that latitude,
retain the SHOWS until they can melt gradually, as
is the case of the Andes Of Peru and Chill; and
yet sufficiently elevated to receive great depth of
snow. This, when melted by the rains, rushes
down with great force, carrying detritus along
with it, and cutting through all the incumbent
strata, until it reaches the level of the rivers al
though still above the trap, granite, which
forms the nucleus Of the mountain.
As this detritus is carried down, it becomes more
and more disntegrated, until its further progress
is arrested by the course of the rivers before men,
toned, and is at last deposited in fine sand and
pebbles. The metallic threads are found, probably
not less than two-thirds of the way up the noun
tain; and if a shaft were sunk at the base Of the
mountain, it would have to go TO depth before
reaching the vein, corresponding with its present
elevation above the original level. The metal,
therefore, viii only be found in these aluvial de-
posites not beyond twenty thirty feet in depth,
formed in the course Of time by the descending tor
rents. The nearer the river, and the farther from
the seam, the finer will be the particles of gold,
and the higher up the coarser, and less separated
from the quartz in which it il detained. The mos
expensive part of mining, reducing the quartz to
sand by stamping, the amalgation with quicksilver.
and the separation of these by dstillation is thus
saved, and the gold obtained with comparatively
little expense. The stamping, or breaking up of
the quartz, is performed by the natural agency of
the water and by the rocks falling upon each other
in the course of their descent. Until these de-
posites shall be partially exhausted, although a
much more precarious pursuit than regular mi
ming, the latter will not be generally resorted to.
There is no doubt, Also that others, with moro
perfect machines for washing and inauguration,
will follow those pioneers and wash the earth
and sand over again to great profit at the first
operation. When examined the lead mines of
Missouri, found that those who came after the
regular smeltcrs took their scorie and leavings
and extracted, by means of the ash furnace, about
twenty five per cent, in addition TO the fifty al
ready obtained, but without the expense and uncer-
tainty Of mining, which rendered it a sort of gam
bling pursuit
Having given this brief description, / will now
proceed to what may be called theory u.s. facts
derived from induction. Let suppose a series Of
horizontal strata, one above another, but of une-
quail depth, incumbent on the original unstratifed
mass, which forms the nucleus of the globe. Ac-
cording to geologsts, this the natural position.
Now, in consequence Of some great volcanic agen-
becomes the nucleus Of a mountain, and that which
was before the lowest, now appears at the top,
while the various strata which lay fiat upon II are
tilted up its sides. These being cut through, in
the manner described, there is exposed to view in
hesecuts the various strata and their contents in the
same manner as II shaft had been sunk through
them in their horizontal position. Ifthcrc be any
metallic seams TO the right le Of these cuts they
will be seen like threads, and running lengthwise
with the range Of mountains. The metals con-
tanned in the now vacant spaces Of these ravines
have been carried away and deposited below. The
masses, thus broken and separated have been still
further reduced in the manner before stated great
ly diminishing the labor Of mining The deposits
Of dctritus intermixcd with gold may be the work
Of thousands Of years. but the quantity may be esti
mated by the number and width Of the natural cut
tings through the gold seams now disconnected.
certain that the amount Of gold at the bottom
cannot exceed the amount carried down from these
original deposites. Without assuming that the
amount OF gold deposited In the Sierra Nevada il
actually greater than in the same range further
south, its peculiar gcolopics and geographical
character may be a reason why gold may be found
In California in greater abundance than in any
other part Of tho world II is found along this whole
range from Sonora to Chill, although in greater or
iess abundance; and there IL doubt that a varic-
ty Of other metals will be met with perhaps val
liable, when the passion for gold washing shall have
somewhat abatcd. Il IL remarkable that gold has
been found almost invariably on the western Pa
cihc side Of the great range, while silver, copper,
and lead are discovered on the eastern aide, and at
much greater elevation. II IL probable that, in
stead Of gold, silver and copper exist the eastern
side OF the Sierra Nevada, towards the great Basin
but, by what process, or operation Of nature,
came these seams, veins Of gold other metals,
70 be thus dcpositedi Was IL by the agency Of
FIRE, or by water and alluvioni ! think Il probable
that both may have been at work, being the two
greatest solvents in nature, and. at the time,
the greatest chrystalizers. Perhaps metallic
may be the work Of alluvion. and the production
pure metallic substanccs-that Of heat With re-
spect 10 gold, think the latter theory s the
reasonable, ss Il s always found In pure state,
while the quartz Cor pure sler) in which Il Is con-
tanned may be aIluvial. and one Of the earliest
deposites from the decomposition Of the ancient
unstrstifed mass. But where shall we seek for the
original Il