The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-02-16
Correspondence ofihe Delaware Republican.
Towalanoes River Gold Digsings, NC. |
December %, 1919.

MEssRs EplToRs:-Some time having
Elapsed since ] troubled you with my
last epistle, I therefore hope you will ex-
cuse me for intruding on your time and
columns once more;-my only motive is
to give my friends and your readers
few plain statements in reference TO the
"digglngs. have been working at the
mires on the river, for the last three
months, with about the usual run Of luck
which all new miners havs, that is TO
say, in Wall street parlance, "from fair
to mddling.n or from three to thirty dol
lars per day.
The fall rains have set in a month ear
lier than usual, the strea ms have already
swollen to such an extent that most Of
the operative, have been driven ont of
the bed Of the river, where the riches,
deposits in all cases seem to lie. Most
of the miners have left here. and our
camp seems quite deserted and lonely
some have gone to spend the winter at
San Francisco, Monterey San Oza, (the
present seat Of government.) and Others
TO bask in the sunny chimes of the Sand
witch Islands. IT is thought that little
will be done in These mines until the
waters abate, which will not be sooner
than next august.
Although there seems TO be general
distribution OF gold all over the aurier-
Gus region, there are no geological rules
governing the deposits and the fool and
the philosopher work side by side with
equal chances Of success. ] have known
one person TO take out three pounds Of
gold in the course of the morning, while
his neighbor working equally as hard,
did not get that many dollars;-and just
so it is all over the golden land; some
have forsrken holes which OTHERS have
gone into and made fortunes, and thus it
will always be. 1t is something of a
game OF chance after all;-but that there
is plenty ofgod to be found here yet no
one doubts, and nav discoveries daily
prove the truth of this assertion. Any.
one who comes here determined to work
hard and persevere, and porsevere he
must through some privations and diff
culties. will ultimately realize his ex-
pectations; but he must not think that
to come TO California is of itself sufficient
or that he can pick up the Jumps like
gathering chesEuts beneath the tree in
the fall OF the year.-No, he has to work
for 1t, to dig, TO grub, or as We say here,
10 root for it; to turn over heavy rocks
and scrape them with knife or spoon,
besides this he has to be his own shoema
ker, tailor, cook, and wash"rwoman, and
happy is the man who can turn his hand
to all these and mnay other things with
cheerful heart and willing mind.
Our camp was thrown INTO quite an
excitement few days ago, by two DIS
tinguished rrrivals. One was nothing
less than living, breathing woman; yes.
real flesh and blood. Tie miners stood
aghast, like Tom O'Shanter's marc right
sair astonished," with mouth, and ears,
and eyes, wide open to see her walk.
and hear her speak. Some thought it
was an angel, while others said nay it
is ghost. But pleasantly aside, it is
whispere in this case that the woman
wears the breeches, and that she brought
her husband to seek their fortunes here.
How this may be know not, but certain
ly she has evlnced much more courage
than some self styled lords OF creation.
The other arrival 10 which | have aIlu-
ded was that of a "grlzzly gentleman
who came by night IN the most stealthy
manner; whether he came TO pay his rA-
spects to the lady or not, ] have not learn
ed. He however showed that he was
not entirely devoid of taste, as he walk
ed through a tent where some men were
sleeping, and carried off bucket of su-
gar. AS we did not desire to have his
company, or further patronage in the su
gar line, We resolved to pursue hlm, and
on the next day we started off, armed 10
the teeth, and tracking his foot prints
over the mountains, soon came TO his
whereabouts, aud commented storming
his castle. AT first he showed dispo-
siton to make good his retreat, but We
had no disposition 10 let him of 50 cheap
ly,as we could not bel p remembering
that he had robbed US Of the sWecteniag
Tor our tea and coffee. At the first fire
however, from we'll directed rifle, he
faced about and offered fight. 1t was
now our turn 10 act on the defensive, and
though he was no insignificant foe, We
resolved to sand our ground. Coward
he canlr---tne bullets flew fast and thick
around him. and h. roared out with pain
but 70 his credit be it said he never finch
ed, but faced the storm of lead right
bravely. The sport was manly and cal
led for a little more courage than our
CITY bucks display in shooting ''toin-hts'
and sparrow hawks" yet it was not dos
tined to end so iavorabIy on our side as
it began. lam sorry to say that one
brave and noble youth about sixteen. in
his anxiety to give him his mortal wound