The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-11-23
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
LCorrespondence q .he vicksburg whig.]

Correspondence Of the Vicksburg Whig.l
GOLD DIGGINGs, SEroND CRossINes,(
Calaveras, Sept. S, 1850.
l left Panama on the bark Susan on her
second trip on the 18th Of June, at forty min
uies past o'clock, P M, and arrived at San
Francisco on the Sd Of August, 1850, at 2
o'clock, P NJ. Our P'ssage afforded nothing Of
interest sufficient to embOdy in letter. o.
orr return 70 Panama many Of our passengers
were sick, two died before we lef,, and sever
al more sold their tickets and took other pas
s1ges or returned home. On the Goth Of June
we lost by death Mr.. Townsend, Of New
York. Our captain, in compliment to my
clerical appearance, invited me TO perform The
funeral service, which did TO the best Of my
poor abilities, and we launched the poor fellow
into the deep, deep sca-burYing with m all.
those dreams Of golden acquisitions with
which he left home, and which buoyed him up
even in HE last moments He had brother
on board, but he was Of little assistance, being
sick himself, and his feelings were Of most
unpalernal character, from the fact, that on the
same day his brother was buried Sunday he
sold his trunk and offered other goods Tor sale,
My FIRST view Of San francisco did rot create
any peculiar sensations Of wonder or amaze
ment. | saw very large amount Of sipping
in very fine harbor, avery large city sprung
up as il by mage, large PARTON Of the hOus-
es appearing outwardly Of the best and fiest
kind. Allthe fnest build ngs are OccdPied by
liquor shops and gambling tables, which, with
eating houses, are the recipients Of the largest
amount Of the produce If the various mines,
met many acqnaintances in the city, whose
names are not necess.ry to mention, and after
spending two days there, left for Stockton
on a steamer, passage SIS, spent one day in
Stockton aud arrived in the mines on the l9th,
and went to work rocking the cradle, which
we procuredin Stockton, together with all our
supplies. had partner, and up to Saturday
night las, we had worked len days, and as he
was home.sick, We divided thiriy-twO dollars
and fifty certs between US, being the produce
after paying expenses. Now, from what you
have heard, you will call this small business,
but il is as good as forty,nine out Of fly do
| in any of the miaes in this State. Il is true,
Others do better, but go lew that the compari-
son is Odious. Two Others. who tented with
me and ,rked FIVE feet from me, made eight
to ten dollars per day; thirty ieet from them
two Others made an ounce per day. This is a
lair sample Of the mining operations Of Cali
lOrnia, where one sccumulates enough to re-
turn to the States, forIy-nine others only pay
their expenses, and fifty others do not pay
their expenses BY mining. Accommodations
are much better than expected, Every Two q
three miles there j. q provision store, farnish-
ing everything wanted BY miners. The fol
loving are the prices Of some Of the princl-
pal arlicles REQUIRED by miners, after locating
Good Picled Pork Is to 35ci -four II TO 2Oci
hard bread ~ 10 SIC; sugar 50 TO 65ci coffee
I75 10 81; tea 81 sal. 37c pei pound; axes $3i
good brsgaus S.; boots 10 to $I5i bacon soc
per pound; rockers SIS; pans 2 70 So, diPPerr'
4, so to 92i wooden buckets 2 20 S., ,asI
"a When I,leitfc the mines had calculated
.tbe cost, 80 ofar as hard labor and bodily
suffering were concerned, and have nos been
disappointed. There Is no laboFwhich have
ever sesn,so deslruciiye'O TO the body % thls.--
By .lbs odyice Of older heads than mine,
issIeet ed . hole which he'd been partly worEed
and aband dousds commencing atabout '6ree
feet below the surface, we soon struck water
and worked aiathis,shs entire ten days. and
sasvsr went to bed with dry feet daring the
time Ia,oOd principally 10 the hole and dug
and filled ihs bucket and passed y auPi ml
partner reeeived il, conveyed i four Or hy'
steps 10 the rocker. turnsd ilip, returned lA'
bucket, and then rocked out what ne had o.
hand. Some few day swo chsaged labor IhOs'
near me Who have hetetOlOFe done best arc nov