The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-25
News from the Gold BluMs.

News from the Gold BluMs.
From the Alta California, Feb. q
Herewith, We give. the account OF our reporter,
whom We sent up ON the Chesapeake for tho specAM
purpose OF seeing and reporting the fcts respecting
that region which has caused so much excitement
lately. lie has been and returned, and gives tho
public the results of his observation lie has no object
in eoiorng his account, and had ne, We are certain
would not do So His reports, heretofore, have al
ways stood the test. This much We say, having
implicit faith in his statement Of facts in this in
his previous reports.
The steamer Chesapeake arrived from Gold Bluffs
this morning. with about fifty passengers. The
counts from the Gold Bluffs, through authentic
sources, confirm the previous reports Of the aurifcr
nature of that region. Having seen the whole
show, We are prepared to speak positively on the
subject.
The Chesapeake arrived at Trinidad on the 2lst,
making the run from San Francisco in sixty hours.
Most Of her passengers were landed at Trinidad,
and she then proceeded to the Gold Bluffs for which
place she had a large quantity Of freight for the
Pacific Mining Company. Trinidad bids fair to
become town Of Importance, especially should the
Gold Bluffs be worked 20 any considerable extent.
Within the last month it has received large addi-
ton to its population, and the proposition to make
it the seat Of justice Of Trinity county will undoubt-
edly be seconded by the Legislature Many people
viii go TO the mines as soon as provisions can be
packed thither; but still sufficient number will
main TO render it the most populous town in the
county. The harbor is insecure during the prcva-
lence Of southery winds but it is sheltered from all
between San Francisco and the Columbia river.
There il an abundance Of the finest timber in the
immediate vicinity of the town, and large quanti-
ties Of piles are prepared for the San Francisco
market. The fertility of the soil, and the mildness
Of the climate, remarkable. Particularly is this
true respects the vicinity Of the Klamath river,
where We tasted whortleberres, plucked from the
bu she's on the 10Th of January.
The Indians along the coast are very friendly
towards the whites, and frequently employed to
carry baggage from the klamath to Trinidad.
The Bluffs are about thirty miles north of Trini-
dad and to reach them is matter of no slight fla
tgue. High hills and deep gulches are quite re-
lief after travelling twenty miles ANGLE deep in beach
sand.
The Gold Bluffs present to the ocean perpend-
cular front Of from to four hundred feet in height,
| and extend distance of about six miles. At the
base there is an abundance of talcose slate mixed
with quartz, and We were shown specimens of quartz
gold, though in very small Quantities At times, the
ocean breaks against the bluffs rendering travelling
along the beach very hazardous matter, for seve-
| raj days together; but, in ordinary weather, the
beach at the foot Of the bluffs is from twenty to
| fifty yards in width. The beach is a mixture Of
| gray and black sand In some places the black
sand the surface to the depth of eighth Of
an inch, and be easily gathered, though We
must say that during stay at the bluffs the ex-
hibitions of black sand in any great abundance
rare. 1t is found mixed with scales of gold, very
fine, fine that il cannot be separated by ordinary
washing. The beach changes with every tide, and
occasionally no black sand is to be seen upon the
! surface In digging into the beach, the gary and
black sand is found mixed together the gray largely
| predomnatDg. In the rills which trickle down the
bluffs the gold is to be found in quantities perhaps
greater than in the black sand.
Ii is probable that the gold has been washed
from the bluffs into the ocean, and i cast upon the
beach by the action of the waves.
The scenery in the region of the Bluffs is really
magnificent. The stupendous height Of the bluff,
the cascadcs-the water rushing the top and
meeting no mpedimeDt until it strikes the beach at
the base, two hundred feet or more-form scenes
which an artist might study with profit. The Bluffs
are broken by three gulches, in which the Pacific
Mining Company have located their log houses and
tents. The Bluffs appear to be Of sandstone
formation, and exhibit many traces Of iron.
The gray sand is found in any desirable quantity
upon the beach We noticed men washing this
grey sand, and they succeeded in attracting guam
tity of black sand, perhaps one-tenth part. There
il undoubtedly more or less of the black sand all
along the beach; but in most places the quantity is
very minute.
The Chesapeake landed several tons Of goods at
the Bluffs, by means of lines extending from the
steamer To the shore, and to which the casks con-
tanning the goods were attached. The surf render
cd the landing in boats impracticable. The steam
er was anchored nearly half a mile from the shore,
and in sounding, he lead being creased to test the
quality of the bottom), several PARTICLES of gold
were drawn up This fact seems to Indicate that
there i as much gold in the ocean az upon the
beach, and before many months we may expect to
vessels fitted out with apparatus to bring up the
mineral from the bottom of the ocean.
nc mines ON hlafnatn anu IL. tributarlcs are
represented to be extremely rich, and many per-
sons are preparing to operate on Beaver Creek, Sal
mon Creek, and scott river, soon "a the season
opens. Two dollars per pound were paid for pack
ing from Trinidad to Salmon Creek. On Saturday
week. the entrance to the Klamath was reported to
be 80 yards wide, and most accounts represent that
during The summer months the river can be easily
entered by small vessels. The Gold Bluffs extend
TO within twelyes miles Of the mouth of the hla-
math.
The black sand. as it is called is principally oxide
Of iron, strongly magnetic. Several chemists
who have examined the sand suppose that a portion
Of i Is oSidatcd gold, and that but a small portion
If the precious metal is visible to the naked eye.
We conyersed with several intelligent miners
men who bad remained near the bluffs for several
months. They say that occasionally they find the
gold very abundant, and at other times little or
none j. visible.
The Pacific Mining Company lay claim to large
portion Of the beach, and have erected three log
cabins aud laid In large store of provisions, pre-
paratory 10 working the Bluffs ON extensive
scale. They have large number of laborers on
the ground, and have employed chemist to extract
the gold from the sand, and are sangune in the be-
lief that their enterprise will yield them hand
some per centagc IL the sand yield any thing like
the quantity OF gold which has been represented
We cannot doubt the ultimate success Of the com
pany, ii their affairs managed prudently. Bat
for individuals, single-handed, we have word Of
encouragement. The expense Of reaching the
Gold Bluff. j. nearly or quite one hundred dollars,
and the cot # getting provisions there, about
my s'"'' ~ punt b'ch suppose .ney sue
coed in getting large quantities Of the 50
called black sand, without some economical method
Of scrsrrting the gold, It will be valueless. We
men in the vicinity Of the Bluffs, who had cx-
pended all their means in reaching there, and are
now unable 10 return.
The schooner Capacity, with 10 passenger ar
rived 90 Trinidad the 2Sth January, and pro- |
ded next day 60 the Gold Bluff, TO land her pas-
scngcrs. The steamer Sea Gull touched at Trini- |
dad the Both, LEFT few passengers, aud con-
tinued on hertrip To- Oregon. The steamer Goah
was going into Trinidad n the Chesapeake left, on
the afternoon of the Both.
Richness Of me SCOTS River |