Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-04-02

leaving Santa Fe. There was no grass in
the vicinity, and the Indians were steal
ing animals every night, and driving them
off into the mountains. We concluded to
send our mules to Scott's ranch on the
Marcaides, where we could have them run
with caballada," upon the range, at
So per month each, and no security for
their safe keeping. Our first business
was to purchase supply of provisions.
There were several stores in the place,
some in tents, others in the open air. We
found prices to range pretty much as fol-
lows: tea So; -four SOC per h.; pork IS; su-
gar so; coffee so; salt IS; saleratus So per
lb., &c. This was said to be very cheap,
and really was, but at the time, we thought
it sank pretty deep into the small remnant
of coined dust" we had brought with us.
1t cost about So per day to live, and do
our own cooking We were surprised to
see how willing merchants were to credit
persons coming into the mines with pro-
visions, tools, &C., and also noticed that
the miners were not in the habit of paying
cash, but settled their bills at the end of
the week or month.
Our next step was to take walk thro'
the diggings, see how they did it, what
tools were required, and select a spot to
commence operations. The first hole that
attracted our attention, was at narrow
point in the arroyo, and from the appear
ance of the rock on either side, ledge
once obstructed the passage of the stream,
which is now so low that the water ap-
pears only at intervals, and sinks. In this
place there were three persons at work
They sunk the hole some s or 10 feet
deep; one was engaged in bailing out the
water, another was scraping up the gravel
and sand in the bottom, and the third
washed it out in wooden bowl. We saw
him washing out several times, and always
ndu IuM udil du ouHCc W lWo ouuCcs.
This we thought first rate luck" but
they worked hard for it, and were wet
from head to foot. Several persons were
working near them, with tolerable success.
We went little farther up the gulch, and
stopped to enquire Of man what luck.
He was taking out about an ounce per
day. Another man was at work opening
a new hole he said that he had worked
three weeks in hole some distance above,
and made but few dollars: if he didn't
have better luck this time, he would leave
for some other diggings. Further up, We
came into the dry diggings. Here the
Sonorians were at work, burrowing under
ground, and working very slowly and care.
fully collecting none but the earth contain
ing gold, which they packed off to water
upon their heads The Americans sell
dom work in the dry diggings. We saw
a number of machines at work, with varied
success. They consisted of a rocker or
cradle, dug out Of pine log, placed in
slanting position, and put in motion by
means of lever. The earth and water is
poured into box at the upper end, passes
through copper or sheet iron seive, and
runs off at the lower end the gold and
some sand settle to the bottom, and is re-
tanned by several cros>pieces or shoulders,
left on the bottom when dug out.
We soon became satisfied looking at
others, and also satisfied that the larger
portion of those at work were making but
little more than board. We supplied our
selves with the necessary tools, and went
to work. Paid SIG for crow bar, So for
a shovel, &c. Opening hole in these
diggings, was a pretty difficult job. 1t
was not worth while to clear off large
spot, for it would only be by chance that
we could find gold at the bottom, and the
stone and clay were closely cemented to-
gether, making the digging very hard.
When we reached the rock, We found that
a knife" was necessary to dig out the
crevices, and horn spoon" to scrape it
up. l tried washing, but when / had all
the earth and sand out of the pan, there
was no gold in the bottom. l gave that
part of the play up in despair, having new
er washed out peck. We sunk several
holes, all with like i'll success. While we
we're in the mines, the total earnings Of
three of US was about $40, and our expen-
ses, 500.
These mines are so miles distant from
Stockton, and 1S0 from San Francisco by
land. Col. Fremont holds claim Of 100
square miles, which he purchased Of the
Spanish Governor of California. This
covers the most valuable portion Of the
Maraposa gold regions. His partner Mr..
Cooley, had store here, and large num-
Der Of Indians employed at digging. He
had discovered vein Of quartz rock said
-, =, IL has oroctod a rudo |