New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-12
CALIFORNIA.
rhs pIgsIrgs on Deer Creek md the Yuba
Rivsr-Trsuble with the Indians.
Il h. ri

Dry Diggng', May 20 $50
H,,sr, Gyeeiey Z BeLi'ohi
Previous TO my leaving home promised TO write
vou q description Of the Mines. Could you realize
The situation Of the Mines, you would most certain
" forgive me for delaying the fuillment Of my pro
mise. Ihave barely coursge to take pen in my
hand. and it is with the greatest difficulty that
cap concentrate my mind to sheetof paper How
ever. have succe eded in noting for you some few
irciden,r accidents and adventures of Miners, TO-
eether with a brief description Of the Mines
The Mines as / haze found them.
The digeines upon the Yuba-this being the seat
ofmy operations last 6ummer-like unto some 9th
er streams, have proved abundant many having
smassed fortunes from its golden banks and bed
In mary places numbers who have labored indus
triousy have taken out from one to six ounces per
day, and some few as many pounds, while hun
dreds have fallen short Of an ounce and many have
scarcely earned living. 1t is difficult for green
hand to set himself at work in consequence OF the
great masses Of rock and stone that line the bars
and banks Of the streams. He too frequently De-
comes discouraged at the apparent difficulties that
present themselves and not knowing where to seek
for the precious metal, nor how to handle the dlrI
abandons bis prospect In pursuit oil other dissnsb
which Dame Report circulates through the mines
have Welded thou sands Of dollars in day after
thus pursuing other diggingS, which too frequently
prove quite as Improbable as the first he seeks
The sea board, declaring that all the diggingS that
are worthy OF note are taken up
The hanks or mountains upon this stream vary
in height and form. 10 some places they form
cones, in others ridges, rising from three hundred
10 three thousand feet above the bed OF the river
In mauy places there are perpendicular precipices
which are utterly impossible for man or beast
In many places upon the river site and extend
ing into the bed of the stream, are found bars-not
sand bars, but depostes Of stone and rock, weigh
ing from fifty pounds TO hundred tons. These
bars extend along the river from one hundred feet
10 two miles in length some OF them are very low
and level, others are higher and more soping
These are greatly sought after, and hundreds have
buried themselves beneath the interminabe SHOWS
of the Sierra Nevada, that they might secure for
themselves claims upon these bars, not knowing If
they would yield a remuneration for their labor.
The richest diggings upon the streams are foundin
the bars, which cannot be worked uHtil the las. Of
July or beginning Of August
Many persons have taken out large sums OF
money upon the banks and these indeed are the
pleasantest diggngs for the miner is not required
to work 30 much in the water as he is when work
ing upon the bars. Leaving Sacramento city in
July, the traveller crosses burning prairie Tor
about forty miles, when he reaches a chain OF the
Foot Hills. As he ascends into the mountains, be
turns to gaze upon the scene over which he has
Just travelled, and he beholds q vast expansive
tract Of prairie lying many hundreds Of feet beneath
him, whereon are seen thinly scattered, here aud
there, the scrubby oak; the grass and weeds are
parched and withered, the rayines arc dried up
and the whole surface Of the country THIRST for
drop OF water.
Unjust here relate an incident that transpired as
we were coming from SacrameltO Ia sumner.
Just previous to our reaching the mountains, We
met one evening three men coming down from
them, laden with their blankets and bundle oil
clothes we very anxiousy accosted them with
how are the diggings ?" to which they replied
that they had been upon two or three bars, and all
the claims that were worth possessing were taken
up. / enquired Of them how long they had remain
cd in the mines, 10 which they answered /" three
days" They advised us to turn back, as they were
satisfied that we would be disappointed. This cir
cumhtance reminded me OF the person whom Chris
tian met coming down from the mouDians crying
there are lions in the way. Ses Pilgrims Progress
have related this so that you can form some idea
respecting large class Of the bold aud untinching
Sons Of America who have len their homes to dig
| out fortunes in California. What changes come
| over the spirit of our dreams. The traveller now
pursues his journey, slowly winding his course
over mountain and through gorge until near the
Eun nit Of thiS chain. He sees, as far as the eye
can reach, the lofty, conelike peaks of the Sierra
Nevada ascending one above ano,her, blending
their distant tops in the clouds.
Deer Creek is SIN all stream emptying into tho
Yuba. This stream was worked considerably du-
ring the latter part Of the Summer, bat up 10 the
present time has nor yielded any amounts Of i'm
portance, although claims are now taken up upon
its banks and bars for many miles by hundreds
who have come into the mines this Spring.
The rAvines in the vicinity Of Deer Creek, upon
a range OF from twelve to twenty 1--WE miles from
its mouth have proven In all probability, generally
richer than any other dry diggingI IN Calilofnlag
hence the great rush Of the experienced upon tie
stream, who are now lying 10 watch their claims
until the water shall have fallen so far as TO enable
them TO work the bars, which will be In July or
August.
The ravines upon and in the The vicinity Of this
stream are moderately slOping and there is found
in them almost universally deposits Of heavy bodies
OF clay. Poiters clay is found in abundance in
many ravines In which gold is found, forming TO-
gether with the gradual descent Of those ravines
great barrier to the Transmission Of the gold into
the stream. The Nuba and other streams whose
banks are more precipitous and the rayiDeS proper
tionably so, have received the deposits from their
neighbOring ravines-hence the great quantities Of
gold taken from those streams during last summer
and alSo Of the moderate yield Of their dry diggings
during winter. 1t is directly the reverse with Deer
Creek, whose banks and rayines are less precpl-
tous and containing larger quantities Of clay, the
gold that in the other case would have reached
the stream, has remained deposited In the ravines
nehCe 'nc 6ehcfHliy uhpIOHthOie yielo HOuu hio
stream during the summer and the very profitable
yield from the dry diggings during the winter sea
son. Hundreds. who are now waiting in idleness
for the abatement OF the waters upon Deer Creek,
having heard Of the great riches Of rs dry diggisgs,
infer iherefrom that the stream must yield an
abundance In my opinion they will be greatly
disappointed about the middle Of July, or first OF
August
The dry diggings upon the Yaba have not proven
rich-indeed the few that have been discovered
werescarcely worthy Of notice, while those upon
Deer Creek have yielded from one ounce up TO two
thousand dollars day.
have taken oatfrom my claim during the win.
ter iIom two 10 ten ounces per day. some lev OF
my neigbbors have been making less and many OF