Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-08
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,

is short of gold, so is the trader-who is depend
ant on the miner as fountain head.
AS it respects the average gain of the miners
1t is uncertain. | have been engaged in driving
beef to the mines for two years and am well
acquainted with their operations, and in my
opinion one in twenty is doing well one in
ilVe saving little, and one half of them keep
even, while the other half do not save enough
Tor the necessaTies of life. You may be sur.
prlsed at this statement, for am well aware it
is In direct opposition to the glowing accounts
which are circulated. 1t is true large Jumps of
gold are found and fortunes made in few days
but when one such case occurs, there is sci
dom anything said of the hundreds who are la.
boring hard within the sound of that lucky mans
voice, who have not made enough for week
past to pay for board and clothes. do not say
bot they could nearly all pay their way and save
something, if heslthy and worked al hard as
'lcn do in the oster states-but they do not, and
say they cannot A man that comes to CaIifor-
mia now, must expect to work hard If poor, II
rich he must be good trader, or meet with loss
would not advise friend to come here ii he
has family, but If young men wish, let them
come, they will learn to prize home if they
have one-although one can make himself much
more comfortable at present than in 49 and 80,
but it is far from being pleasant to me yet, as |
am great lover Of good and virtuous society,
and that have not yet found here.
The people in the valleys are settled far apart,
except in the cities and even if they we're near
enough to meet together it would not better the
matter, for who ever heard of good and virtu-
GUS society, where there was no female influence
AS there are but very few white women here
compared to the number Of men. There are
plenty of Spanish and a few Chian and Peru.
Wan women here, but they are of no account.
One fact to illustrate the morals of the coun-
try and prove the truth Of the last statement.-
We had Spaniard at work who went home to
Mexico short time since, and on his return
sailed from Port Guymas for San Francisco in a
vessel that had between fifty and sixty women
on board, in pawn for their passage money
When they arrived in port any man that wished
could go on board, and if he saw one that was
worth the price of the passage, $50, he pays it.
and takes her ashore. | have confidence that his
statement is true, for it is not the only cargo oi
girls that have been reported in harbor, in pawn
fDrt tboir Such nronan1innc mod nn
comment.
Crime is very frequent here at present, altho
the law is very severe-the sentence being death
for stealing the value of fifty dollars, and yet
they venture, and property of all kinds is stolen.
Gambling is practiced to great extent here
and very many young men are ruined by it
Young men who were once members of good
and perhaps christian socety-but when far
away from the advice and counsel oftrue friends
they fall an easy prey
Drunkenness follows in the gamblers train
and murders are very frequent, and but few oI
the criminals are arrested
The place where date from is three miles
from the mouth of the river where it emptes in
to the Yuba-l8 miles from Stockton 35 from
Sacrimento, and 90 from the nearest mines-is
a prairie country in the valley, but little timbe
and that mostly evergreen oak and white oak
some pine on the mountains.
hardly know what to say about agricultur,
here, but think if was to stay for years wou
not cultivate the soil, for, in my opinion, withou
irrigation, it would be impossible TO do well a
farming, and there are but few places where wa
ter can be got on to the land without great ex
pense. In the summer and fall, the grass
completely parched up, and the earth is bake
so hard that it would be impossible to pIow, {
to force shovel into it without first using picl
axe. Fruit is scarce here-pears, peaches an
} apples are worth So per dozen, grapes, and fres
t pork, so cts per pound, sheep So each, chicken
Sc per pair, eggs So per dozen. Game is pler
= ty and we often see two or three hundred anti
, opes and elks in band Grizzly bears an
l grey wolves are about the house nearly ever
night. The spotted caamount, badger, an
rlccoon are plenty. There are a lew lions, bl
, different from the African, having no name.
n have been driving Spanish cattle and horse
from Lower California to the mines and sellin
n for myself for a year past At times | win
o others lose, but on the whole consider M
V self fortunate, and unless they steal from n
n faster than they have for six months past, sha
4 save something from the wreck yet. | can no
ride wild horse, and throw the lasso equal
most Of the Spaniards, and speak their languae
nearly as well as my own. 1t is wild, excl
ing life, but am satisfied with it--jus for tt
- present.
+ think shall start for Vermont as soon as
l.. sell what cattle and horses now have, whi(
,. will not take over two months-for, although
s is delightful climate, yet am not content, al
v if have one wish above another, it is that ms
q evermore be permitted to associate with peac
d ful community in Christian land.
Ever yours, D. s. s.