The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-14

CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA.
We make the following extracts from
Bayard Taylor's letters to the N. Y. Tri
bune dated at Sacramento City, Nov. 18th
questioned several miners about thei
profits, but could get no satisfactory an
swer. Singularly enough il is almost i'm
possible to learn from the miners them
selves, unless one happens to be a near &C
quaintance, the amount Of their gains. /
unIucky, they dislike to confess il; if the
contrary, they have good reasons for keep
ing it secret. When mos, complaining, they
may be most successful. heard Of one
who, after digging fruitlessIy for week
came suddenly on pocket, containing a
bout three hundred dollars. Seeing a
friend approaching, he hastily filled it Up
with stones, and began grubbing in the top
soil. We'll what luck ? inquired his friend
Not Id cent was the answer, given
with mock dependency, while the pale
face and stammering voice betrayed the
cheat at once. Nobody believes you are
not gold hunter. lie must be fool, they
think who would 60 to the mountains for
any other purpose. The questions invari-
ably asked me, are 'Where have you been
digging2' and 'Where do you Winterr II
| speak Of going home soon, the expression
is: well, s'pose you've got yourpile;' or,
you've been lucky in your prospecting, to
get off so soon.'
Leaving Amador's Creek, walk ofseven
miles took me to Dry Creek. where ! found a
population ol from two to three hundred,
established for the Winter. The village
was laid out with some regularity, aud had
taverns, stores, butchers shops and monte
tables. The digging was going on briskly,
and averaged good return. The best
could hear of, was Sll4 in two days, con-
trasted with which were the stories of sew.
eral who had got nothing but the fever and
ague for their pains. The amount Of sick
ness on the rivers this season, has been very
great, and but small part of it, 10 my opin-
ion, is to be ascribed to excuses Of any
kind. All new countries, il is well known,
breed fever and ague, and this is especially
the case here, where, before the rains came
on, the miner WAS exposed to intense hest
during the day and was frequently cod
under double blankets al night. The water
OF many Of the rivers occasions diarrhGa to
those who drink il, and scarcely one out Of
a hundred emgrants escapes an attack Of
this complaint.
Al all these Winter settlements, how.
ever small, an alcalde is chosen and regu-
ations established, as near as possible in
accordance with the existing laws OF the
country. Although the authority exer-
cised by the alcalde is sometimes nearly al
solute, the miners invariably respect ard
uphold IT, Thus, at whatever cost. order
and security are preserved; and when the
State organization shall have been compile
ted, the mining communities, for an extent
Of five hundred miles, will, by quiet and
easy process, pass into regularly constitu-
ted towns, and as good government and
protection as any other part Of The State
Nothing in California seems more miraca-
lous to me than this spontaneous revolution
OF social order from the worst elements OF
anarchy. II is n lesson worth all the god.
The settlement on Dry Greek is just On
the skirts of the rough mountain region
the country Of canons, gulches, canades and
divides; terms as familiar in the diggings
as per cent'in WaIl.st. had intended 10
strike directly across the mountains to the
American Fork. The people represented
this route to be impracticabIe; 50 took the
trail for Daly's Rancho, ,wentytwo mi es
distant. After passing the Willow Springs,
log hut on the edge Of a swamp, the read
descended TO the lower hills, where il was
crossed by frequent streams. passed on
the way group Of Indians who we're skin
ming horse they had killed and were about
to roast. They we're well armed and nad
probably shot the horse while it was grazing
| greeted them with 'buenos dias.' witch
they sullenly returned, adding an 'ugh!'
sughr which might have expressed either
contempt, admiration, friendship or fear.
met on the road many emigrnnt wag-
ons, bound for the diggings. They travel
ed in companies Of two and three, joining
teams whenever their wagons stuck fus, in
the mire. Some were obliged 10 unload at
the toughest places, and leave part Of their
stores on the Plain until they could return
from their Winter quarters. Their noon
camps would be yeritable treasures for Oar.
lev, ifhe could see them. The men are
all gaunt, long-limbed Rip Van Wrinkles,
with brown faces, matted hair and boards,
and garments which seem to have grown
up with them, for you cannot believe they
were ever taken off. The women, who are
somewhat more tidy, have suffered less
from the journey, but there are still many
fine subjects for the pencil among them
In the course Of the day Ipassed about thir-
ty teams.
At night, after tolsome journey, !
reached the Cosumne River, two miles be.
low the diggings. Two Boston boys, who
had pitched their tent by the roadside, hail
ed me, saying that the road was very bad,
and if cho0sed I conld ston with them-