Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-08-14

II
from California from Gallia boy,
columbus C. DrouiIlard. We pub
llish it for the perusal Of the many
friends Of young Drouillard, and. as
it contains something Of interest to
the general reader.-
DowN1EvILE, FORKS of the North Yuba,l
California. June 81. 1851.
DEAR FATHER: II is with feelings Of
great Joy | write you this letter. We
received your last letter with pleasure.
You wished me to give description OF
California, which | now sit down to do.
I cannot describe Lower California for
the reason that | nsver have been down
in the Valley, but those who have been
extol il highly. Lemuel Gates was here
this week; he has farm in Sanwasa
Valley, with twenty acres of barley and
forty acres of potatoes under cultiva-
tion. He says il is splendid country
and likes il very much. Coombs, bro
ther to ~. Coombs, Of your place, is
in with him. California is the garden
of the world; everything grows almost
spontaneously. The most beautiful
flowers ever saw, and unlike ours, are
here. There is some land here yet va
cant, some forty or fifty miles from San
Francisco, about the head Of the Bay,
and more game than you ever beheld,
the plains are covered with deer, ante
lope, elk, geese, ducks. brants, &C.;
also in the rivers salmon the finest you
ever saw, the meat Of which is red and
most delicious; they are very large and
like-our pike. like the climate ofCal-
ifornia very much, the world cannot
produce a better. In the valleys the
soil is very rich, but the rolling hills
and mountains are very rocky and
rough but generally well timbered.-
Some small valleys in the mountains
would make good farms, but would
prefer the valley if | wished to remain.
| think of taking farm myself next
spring If am not successful at my pre-
sent business.
am now making from 10 to S25 per
day and will save my money. l am in
a business in which can do well. We
are keeping bakery, store and board
ing house, with some fifteen boarders.
My partner is a young man from Ten
nessee. There is a great deal of gold
at this point. The flat on which live
is very rich; own one.third in a shalt
which has Just been sunk, high on the
head of the fiat; the first claim below it
is very rich, and ours may probably
turn out so.
Life in California is one of excite
ment. There are many different kinds
of people here, Chillians, Peruvians,
&c, &C., and it is amusing to see the
manners Of the different nations. The
California Indians are a poor, small
degraded set, very sloven and live upon
acOrns and meat.
Since my departure from home have
learned much Of the world. A person
being raised in the best manner cannot
form the first idea of the trials and hard
ships in this country, and the poorest
man in your county is a lord in COM
parison. Many times we have no house
10 shelter US, nothing for a covering but
the canopy of heaven, yet with all this
we are satisfied and whyl because we
are in search Of that which makes our
earthly enjoyment. Yet what has il
done, every man has not made a for
tune; no. il has ruined more than it has
made four TO one. Many broken con-
stitutions and dissipated lives have been
the result. and many have found an ear
ly grave. Between st. Joseph and Cal
ifornia it is almost one continued string
of graves. How many there are whose
hopes have been blasted, who have sac
rifced their all TO come TO California,
and who have amassed debts instead Of
fortunes.
would like TO be at home with you
all but cannot come until | make four
or five thousand dollars. think can
make it in one or two years. am
weaned from home now and will strike
while the iron is hot.
Brother Anthony is here and is mining,
and will do we'll. One or both of US
will be home in the fall or spring if we
do well.
You are acquainted with Mr.. Prose,
who lives nine miles back Of GalIipolis
Well a gentleman told me that Daniel
Prose, young man who was lame in
his left leg, started for California with
him from Durango, in Mexico. He was
sick for seven days with diarrhea and
lied about 80 miles from Durango; he }
was married man he said. His father I
ioes not know it, you will please &C.
quaint him of it. In your last letter
iou spoke OF some deaths, young Ro- Y
nan Menager and some others; was s
,ained TO hear it, Roman was fine o
'oung man and possessed a good heart; e
Ie has gone to a better world | hope.
The society here is i.
Iot very good, but trust there is time :.
oming when California will be a State -
6 the finest morals, in fact it is hasten "
ng to be one of tina; class. Many fam s.
lies have migrated from the East and P
Vest, and are fast settling up her fine d
alleys and plains. y
Tell the young ladies' not to be in "
urry about getting married until the pI
boys return, for they have n
sen fhrouOh tha flint mill have seer