North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-04-16

AN INDIANS DESCRIPTION OF CALIFORNIA. The
Cherokee Advocate contains long letter from one OF
the Nation. We select a few passages.
Persons, however, who intend coming to Callfor-
MIA with the view of making sudden fortunes, by
gathering gold like pebbles, the sand the sea
Shore had better remain where they are, for can as
sure them they will be sadly disappointed; the day
is past and gone for this and never did exist to the
extent represented, that many haered themselves
it did, when they left good comfortable home. to
secure fortune in months years time III Cali
fornia. Thousands have returned horse worse OIL
than when they came, and thousands not able to
return for want Of means. few are making genteel
fortunes by trade while thousands slowly real
izing business that will in few years make them
independent But, indeed, every man, who is eth
too lazy to labor or too ProtIgae to save is
here doing well, much better than he could do with
the same means in any other country, now known to
US, the face of the earth.
The spontaneous productions of this country ex-
cell all have ever seen any where. The blossoms,
and the great variety OF flowers, that the plains
next the mountains, really magnificent, of almost
endless variety kind, and cclors. The wild poppIes
have appropriated to themselves thousands of acres
next TO the mountains. we could manufacture opium
here with vengeance, Judging from the quantity OF
the raw material The grain, grasses, and vegeta-
bes, that grow without cultivation, superior to
any thing ever saw; not SO much from the great
number, and variety of the articles as from their pro-
duction and quality. Grapes, of most delicious fla
vor and of several varties, grow here in great abun
dance. Parsnips of excellent quality grow all over
the southern mines, the banks OF the creeks, and
in the ravInes, being much used by the miners
substitute for the cultivated ARTICLES have eaten OF
them, and found them good. l am told that there
many other vegetables growing wild, that resem
BILE those cultivated, and used for food, and found
to be excellent. but have not seen, partaken
of them, will defer naming describing them
til have done both.
The prevailing feed for animals in this section is
wild oats, with clover the coast and occasional
ly extending for back IN the interior. This is supe-
rior feed both in its green and dry state. Timothy
and other nutritious grasses are also found here on
the rivers and the plains; but the wild takes
precedence of all others in the upper part of the State,
and clover in the lower part. The oats every
hill and valley, and nearly every foot of open land
cording to soil and location. l have seen them as
high the back of the talest horse frequently, with
large strong stalk and very good grain, and to all
appearance in size and quality of grain, quite equal
to the domestic article yet the heads quite small
in proportion to the stalk. On the hills and more
sterile Soils it grows from knee waists high, makes
excellent pastu1ge and Pcrfects its grain. Timber
in the valleys and plains is amounting in places
to entire absence of the article, and what there is
in these situations is fit for nothing but frewood.
The prevailing timber (when any, in the valleys,
plains, and water courses, is kind of scrubly live
oak, with few other varieties worthy OF mention
A party OF my acquaintances have been to Hum
| bOdt Bay this summer, and they say it is GER
tainY true that four Of them rode their horses
abreast into the hollow of Of these trees, (.ed
woody wheeled in it, and rode again, still abreast
have never seen any so large that, but have
seen many that would grt thirty feet, very tall and
handsome; this timber is only found in the mountains
and on spots up and down the coast. There are red
woods north and south of this place, within twenty
miles. Humboldt Bay (near the lire of Oregon)
abounds in this timber; is good building timber
and equal to cedar for fencing, being much like ii in
quality and appearance.