Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-02-06

SourH FoRx FfArHsR RIVER,
C.I;esrnia. Nov. 3Oth. 80.

mountains are different things altogeth-
er. l tell you there is deal OF differ.
ence in travelling over level, smooth
prairies, with plenty of game, grass,
water, &C., and in vending our way up
and down hills. along dry, dusty ridges
and valleys, with little water, and that
highly impregnated with alkali, sulphur
or some other mineral, no game, moth
ling to amuse. but every thing to perplex.
You say you want me to give you
minute account of my journey. and lit
Etle incidents, &c. If you got my Lara
mie letter you will have nearly all, at
least of the pleasing incidents, of my
Journey. Big Sandy (about half way)
is the last place remember Of having
my gun out of the wagon for the pur.
poss OF shooting, and then to no pur-
pose, so you will perceive we had a
peaceabIe time, yet if was at home |
have no doubt but could interest you
for many an evening with an account of
my travels. A great many times on
the route have charged my memory
with some little circumstance or object,
which thought would interest you in
, letter, which afterwards would be cast in
the shade and totally forgotten by me,
while contemplating something Of the
same kind, so much more interesting or
so far superior. But will say more
about this another time, aud the first
time see Capt. H-d will send you
copy Of his journal.
have seen none OF the Gallia boys
yet. June Hereford saw Anthony
Drouillard at the city, who told him that
Columbus had started home with one
, or two thousand. We were all there OF
4 the same time, but some how we did
r not meet. would have liked to seen
D Columbus before he went home. have
/ seen or heard nothing of cousin Lem.
4 or Robert Stevens yet would have
!, liked very we'll TO have gone in the
mines with either of them, but it was
Otherwise ordained. | spent about q
(, month Of the best part of my time run
u ming around and waiting on friends, all
to no purpose. / soon found out this
I would not do, so | came up here, in
e company with Frank Cromley and three
g other persons, but found the best par
!, Of the diggins had been worked whit
/. we were gone, but we set to work ant
J. did tolerably well for a few days. We
:. made about one hundred dollars the frs
= three or four days, four Of us, then ou
lead give out, so they all made up thei
>, minds to leave, but | was determined
- not to leave this cabin this winter if
1l could help it, for here was every thin,
/ we wanted, good cabin, with floor il
a. it, a good set of dishes, all kinds O
r. cooking utensils and too's necessary 70
in comfort, which would cost a great dea
n of labor and money, but here they cos
J. us nothing. They all left, however
h but myself and June, who had come il
:, the meantime. June was unwell. whel
he come up here, and soon after wa
taken with the chills and fever, whicl
lasted about a week, and then we wer
both taken with the diarrhea, the effect
! Of colds, and, in fact, am not entirel
well yet, but am able to work at present
re We scratched away, however, and man
Id aged TO lay in a supply for winter befor
in the rain, which is now in full operation
We have given up the idea Of making
IL any thing this winter more than wha
s: will keep us comfortably, and procur
ID us a good outfit in the spring, when W
a. calculate to make push for the hea
20 waters OF this river, where il is said, an
l | have every reason to believe, the dig
gins are as rich as any in California
'o These mines cannot be worked in tn
% winter on account of the snow, and ou
nl only chance lays in getting up there a
le soon as possible after the winter breaks
le and working the ravines before tn
Of snow all melts. Upon the whole | thin
l- our prospects quite flattering. Our Dig
er ging here is confined altogether to tn
,o river banks. We commence as clos
to as we can to the water, and dig up tn
q hill. In the first place we sink hol
. to the bed rock, which is generally froT
two to six feet deep, (the deeper the bel
ter, throwing away all dirt except tha
70 which lies Immediately on the bottom
as this take up carefully and wash. Tn
re gold here on Oregon BARI lays il
Of streaks or piles, and when we do &c
a any thing it is something worth while
Dr. We can form no idea in the mornin,
8. Of what we will have at night. Durinj
,e the last two weeks we worked hard
IN when the weather would permit, and
= am sure we did not more than pay on
- = board, while there were men, acquain
= tances of ours, working by the side @
c us who would take out their hundre,
y dollars week; but we keep diggini
u away, feeling certain that we will hit Of
D it after while.
d We are located about one hundre,
II miles from Sacramento, and three mile
# above the town of Stringtovn. w,
n. have a good cabin, good beds, plenty o
. books, and, upon the whole, are righ
comfortably fixed. We can buy almos
any thing we want at Stringtown, in tn,
provision line, but our principal diet il
: bread. pork, fresh beef, molasses, beans
1t pickles, coffee, tea, dried fruit. and oc
II casionally we indulge in mess of pota
=. toes, &c. ! think we will pass off tEt
winter with a great deal more comfor
d than | anticipated.
II Tell the boys not TO be too "dead set