The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-03-18
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENTS.
NkvAoA, California, Dec. Il

| CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENTS.
:. NkvADA, California, Dec. 1851
Il Friend SANDERS: g Fearing lest you, o
we'll as my other friends IN Davenport
/ nigh, think you, as we'll as they, had bee
forgotten by me, have concluded % orc
. YOU a few lines. And first aud foremos
10. me thank you FOR your puncna''ty
sending me The Davenport Gazette
. Could you bu, SEQ the avid,y, with @hic
E grasp il from the hands oflhe Post Maste
aud d.your its contents, you would rcgre
TIM, you had not daily to send me.
I / believe the last time ! wrote, ] was 10
Gated a. place called Nertorn, which ~
been some six months since. Since tina
|,ime have travelled over a large scope
country, in fact nearly all Of the northern
par. of California upon oil Of the principa
INNING streams and their branches in th'
section Of country. have been over man.
snow capped mountains, down many dec
|gulches, through many beautiful val'ies
Ii short, l have seen much since then, ant
gained but little, which has been the cxpe
rience Of many others. Idnre not attempt
to wri,a you description Of the countr,
over which passed, and Of the many curl
osi,ies that met with, lest ] should tire
your patience in reading and my own II
writing. crossed The Sierre Nevada noun
tain., at the head ofthe north fork OF Feath
er River, near which is called the burning
mountain; this mountain is yet on fire
near il there 10 lake containing about
four acres, which is kept in continual
boil from the heat under it--the steam arts
ing from it, in such clouds as to prevent o
person from seeing across il.
The only production in this section o.
country that I found, was grizzly bears
which are more plenty than deer in the
nor.hcrn par, of your State. One Of our
party was freed by one Of these animals in
The middle of the day, in sight Of our camp,
and kept there until his shouts brought
some Of our boys to his aid, who gave bis
grisslyship several balls before he could
be induced to leave the game he had freed
One Of these animals is more dreaded b.,
the bold miner, as he pushes his fortunes
through the depths Of the mountains, than
all the Indians OF this country.
NV travels through the northern mines,
confirmed the opinion that ! entertained be
fore, viz: that where one was doing vel
ten were not. And il is no. only so with
the mining portion Of this country, but with
all other business. For now almost every
man who can raise money enough to pur
chase kcg Of whiskey, becomes the pro
prietor, bar-keeper and cook of some stand
upon the road side, or trail side perhaps
should say, and If they can raise brand,
and whiskey both, il is quite respectable
grocery or ranch. But should they in con
nec,ion with these, succeed in procuring
wines and cigars, it brings the weary mine
to halt at once. Meihnks that taverI
stands will be but poor property 10 the oil
States after the Californians begin to re,ur'
home, for j. is reasonable to presume tha
many Of them will engage in this business
being so fully acquainted with all duties en-
cumbent upon landlord.
| have thought sometimes, that ever
one who comes to this country, tries to Sc
how different he can make his occupatio
from what il was 10 the Siates. Here yo
will find the man, who in the States dea
10 silks and ribbons, using the pick an
spade most vigorously; while he who use
the latter tools in the States has now onl
the yard-stick to depend.upon. The preach
er you will fnd dealing monta, end IN
monta dealer preaching. ] have com
nearer than most men to sticking 10 m
calling in The States, for now when ger
tleman comes in and sings out Catcher
face him at once with, "any beef to-dn,
sir" shilling very fine American cattle,
&c. Surely we must have all exclaime
when leaving home, "Othello's occupatio
is gone.''
Sumo Of the miners in this section
country are doing exceedingly we'll, Will
others land not few are but making
living. The manner, method, or system
working the mines is changing every da!
When the mines were first discovered h
gold was extracted from the earth by tn
use Of the pan only. b., diggings ths
would yield good woges with the pan onl
becoming very scarce, the rocker wa
brought forward, with which ton times III
amount Of dirt could be washed, consequen
iy diggings much poorer than the first wer
made to yield as much per day. But eve
dggings that would yield good wages wi,
= rockar hacamo scarca mud IN MAZE ali