Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-14
THE GOLD BLUFFS IN CALIFORNIA.

Though passengers by the last pronounce the
counts fraudulent and cotton up to induce migration the
California papers still persist in asserting their general
TRUTH Adavits OF those who have been the spot have
been published exciting extraordinary spirit OF adventures
and vessels every description carrying crowds TO the
New FL Dorado The Alta California expresses its belief that
there is in the reports concerning the richness
of these sands than in those which mpeed most persons
originally TO hasten to California;
"en of tho best standing among u.s. il says have been
to the spot examined the locality collected the sand sub
med il to The of the public, and the
of the most eminent and honest chemists and miners in the
country, and have published the result. And yet We find
persons who thousands of miles upon Indefinite
tunes by doing So only ridcung those who fit TO
act they please and go for the black sand and the yellow
gold up the coast but conductors of public de-
nouncing all those who in the first instance sked their mo-
ney upon uncertainty for the purpose Of exploring,
cheats impostos and swindlers-The same criterion
would strike at the reputation of nearly all the prominent
men Of California.
"a" say that there is nothing unreasonable in the
idea tina, an immense quantity Of gold has been wash
ed from the bluffs by the operations OF the ocean for thou
sands Of years. The soil is known to contain much of the
gold similar that found among the beach sand The
Pacific has been the gold washer cradle and the spirit of
the storm has been rocking it for mitess ages"
The paper states that "a great many quartz veins
have been kept by persons who have been Tor some
time acquainted with their localities in order TO see what
will be the action of Congress with regard TO hem and avail
themselves of the earliest information to the
these fruits OF The people large have but
little idea Of their riches"
The Alta California Extra, issued just the
leave publishes the following from their special
porter:
GOLD ALONG SHORE
Herewith give the account of our reporter whom we
up the Chesapeake tho special purpose seeing and
reporting the facts respecting that region which has
80 much excitement lately He has object in coorng his
account and had he, certain would not do This
much we say, having implicit faith in his statement of facts
The steamer chesapeake arrived from Gold Bluffs this
morning. with about fifty passengers The accounts through
sources confirm the previous accounts OF the aur
ferrous nature of that region.
The Bluffs are thirty miles north of Trinidad and TO
reach them is matter of no slight fatigue High hills and
deep guches quito relief alter travelling twenty miles
ANGLE deep in beach sand.
The Bluffs presen, the ocean perpendicular front of
from four hundred feet in height and extend dis
Of about sixty miles Al the base there is album
dance of tacosc slate mixed with quartz and were shown
specimens Of quartz gold though in very small quantities.
places the black sand the surface the depth Of
eighth Of inch and be easily gathered, though we
that during stay at the bluffs the exhibitions OF
black sand in great abundance II is found mixed
with scales of god very fine fine that cannot be sePa
rated by ordinary washing The beach changes every
tide ard occasionally black sand is to be seen upon
surface liz digging into the beach the grey and black sand
is found mixed together the grey largely pedonnating In
the rs that ce down the bluffs the gold is TO be found
n quantities. perhaps greater than in the black saHd
The Chesapeake landed several tons OF goods al the Bluffs
by Of lines extending from the steamer to the Shore
and by which the casks containing the goods attached
The surf rendered the landing in boats mpractcabe The
anchored nearly half mile from shore, and in
Sedseu test the OF the
bottom several pieces of gold were drawn up.
The black sand, as is called sprncpay oxyde of on
strongly magnetic. Severnl chemists who haye examined
the sand suppose that portion of it is oxydaed gold and
that hut small portion Of the precious metals visible me
naked eye
The Pacific Mining Company lay claim large portion
Of the beach, and have erected there log cabins and laid
large of provisions, preparatory 10 working the
Bluffs an extensive scale They have large number of
aborers the ground and have employed chemist
the gold from sand and sanguine in the belief
that their enterprise will yield them handsome cen,age
The expense of reaching the Gold Bluffs is nearly quite
hundred dollars and the of getting provisions there
SO per pound Even suppose the success
ting large quantities of tho called black sand whou,
economical method Of separating the gold it will he
valueess. We in the vicinity of the blds who
had expended all their means in reaching there and
unable 10 return.
The schooner Capacity with lao passengers, arrived
Trinidad The 25h January and proceeded next day
the Gold Bluffs to land her passengers The steamer Sea
Gull touched Trinidad the 30h, left few passengers,
and continued her trip Oregon. The steamer Goiah
going into Trinidad the Chesapeake efon the after
noon Of the 30th.