The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1850-11-29
Correspondence Of the San Francisco Courier.
One who. has seen the Elephant.
San FRANcJsco. Sent 96. 185o

1
HeSSrs. Editors: Il may be of interest t,
| your readers to know that the Feather and Yu
ba damming operations of the Northern mine
are not alone in their failures. Many of tn,
streams of the Southern districts have beer
damned to all intents and purposes but one
the finding of oro-and yet the damming i:
not entirely suspended, as any observer car
perceive by auricular notice, when he falls into
the company of men who have fought, bled
and sweat upon the deceitful tributaries of the
San Joaquin.
tits hoped the sound of their watering dams
mingled with the louder dammnings from theii
souls, will prove profitable TO all those who are
signing for a California heaven. The Stanis-
laus, from Pine Crossing to the lower dam
turned out perfect minus; and so almost
every where. In our case, Armstrong, Cole
q Co.. after the sweeping away by high wa.
ter, September 9th, of one dam, and the build.
ing of another, the loss proved entire, leaving
not a fraction of $4,000 expended in cash and
labor, to reward our bright hopes and ardaous
exertions, for weeks, in knee deep mixture of
hydrogen, oxygen and mud
Such are the results of Southern gold hunt
ing-and may be safely put down in the cate
CORY of what the boys style the I" Yu-ba dam'd'
experiments. The winter dry diggings are the
only saving features of the Elephant in the
South; but valuable as his ivory tusks are, the
attraction is insufficient to make the experien-
ced traveller take second ride on his trunk.
In conclusion. will in justice to the valua-
bles which this part of his wardrobe contains,
add, that many who took passage into the gor-
geous country of the setting sun for orc, have
located themselves at Shaw's Flats, and Chi
nese Diggings, as the end of their pilgrimage,
where they hope to obtain rich reward for all
their toll and trouble in California, and for all
the boil and bubble of their loved ones in the
land of home. Yours, trulhfully,
ONE WHO HAS SEEN THE QUADRUPED.
Routes Across THE IsTHMUs.-The San
Francisco Alta California concludes an article
on Progress by contrasting the rapid routes
now established--or in contemplation-for
reaching the Pacific coast, with the tedious ira
vel round Cape Horn, which alone, but short
time since, was resorted to. 1t claims the palm
for the Tehuantepec route, to which in truth
it belongs The editor says:
sThe Panama route is becoming somewhat
obsolete already. Once more that great city
of immense calculations and prospects that
have once before crumbled almost into the dust,
may quietly again step down into her old
grave. We hope not-we think not. But
that the Realejo route will soon seriously in
terfere with her prosperous advance, there can
be little reason to doubt. If so, then there is
some reservation to be made when we speak
of her advance. 1t has not all been PRO
gress.'
"This new Nicaragua route, when in COM
plete working order, will bring us week near
er "home" than before. the thirty-two days to
which the old "Horn round" passage of eight
months had been reduced by energy, capital
and steam, will no longer satisfy those who
have made their pile and are going, or those
who are anxious to come and find the pound
Jumps. By the Realejo they must go or come
in twenty-five days, or they will curse the dull
boats and burn up the bulk heads to make
more steam and more speed
"And then how long will it be before Te-
huantepec becomes the rival or successor of
Realejo and Panama-the Byzantium of Rome
and Guasacualco river be dotted with the bu-
sy human bees hither bound, many of whose
previous swarms from the Eastern hive have
foated up the Chagres and the San Juan!
Twelve thousand miles nearer via Panama, one
thousand nearer yet by Realejo, and one thou
sand five hundred nearer still through Tehuan-
tepec-this is indeed progress"