The weekly Placer herald., 1854-04-01
Imitation Of James.


March No. of the Knickerbocker:
1T was near midnight, toward the close
OF the afternoon, on a sultry morning in
Derember 18-, previous to the revo'u-
ton of the last war, when the burning
moon was setting in the eastern sky, cast
ing brilliant shadow upon the gorgeous
clouds, which entirely obscured the firma-
ment; and the uncouded sun was sending
down its noon-day beams with an intensity
of heat, like the shrieking of heavy thun-
der through the deep mointain-gorg Of
the western praires.
'Lovelv indeed was the sound of such
spectacle 70 the feet of the weary trav-
eler, for three feline monsters of the deep
were just gathering together for their
evening meal, and separating, ere the sun
was risen, for the sports of the chase, and
all things betokened a response too deep
for utterance.
'ln the ensuing autumn, about two years
previous to the aforementioned merry
catastrophe, two pedestrians might have
been seen riding upon horseback in a
three wheeled carriage, up to the brow of
a precipice under the side of a forest,
which had been cut down before the trees
had begun to take root, and engaged in
eating their evening dinner by the road
side, in the arms of Morpheus. The ell
dest of the three gentlemen was a young
lady, of about fifty-three, and about two
years Younger than the other man, which
latter gentleman was, from the manner in
which she addressed him, evidently her
only and youngest daughter.
sThe remainder of her dress consisted
of two pair of pantaloons, neatly buttoned
round the tops of her ears, and elegantly
attached by golden strap of unwoven
silk, to the axetree of the middle-aged
gentleman's horse.
'The third individual, last mentioned
was an old gentleman of about twenty
two, whose venerable features disclosed
the livd hue of the Siberian negro His
bald head was proflIsely covered with
long silver locks of sandy jet, and which
he had evidently lost during a severe at
tack of sea-sickness, caught from the
next-door neighbor, who resided several
blocks from him in the country. He also
was richly attired in the same manner as
the lady, being clothed in a worn-out
frock coat which was secured by straps
under his boots.
His feet were bare, and save his gloves,
he had no garments to shield him from
the balmy atmosphere. He had lost both
arms ust above his collar-bone, and was
constrained to wear crutches This, ad-
ded to his total blindness, rendered him an
object of general admiration.'
EGYPTIAN HoUsEs.-Th ancient Egyp-
tians built their houses usually of crude
brick. The ordinary way was single
| Storv onJ N haSaunont with a torrocn on
the roof, open or carved, surrounded
by balustrade or batlement. In hot
climates, two great objects in the arrange
ment of houses are, to admit air and eX-
clude heat TO attain the latter the Egyp-
tians made their windows small and their
apartments lofty; and for ventilation it is
probable they had a conrivance in the
roof similar to that which is now used
in Egypt. Houses which stood attached
and enclosed within a wall of their own,
had no ornaments or garden around them
and were still more capricious, compre-
hendng variety of apartments, and had
frequently the appendage of a barn yard.
The walls of the principal rooms were
carved with stucco and with paintings.
The GOLD FIELDS OF THE WORLD.-
Gold abounds to greater or less extent,
in almost every country. 1t has been
found in small quantities IN Spain, Porru-
gal, Sweden, the Germanic States, Tur-
key and even in England. The produce
of the Russian gold mines is from fifteen
to twenty millions of dollars annually
Besides Australia, gold is found in China,
Malacca, Japan, Borneo, New Gunea
and New Zealand. 1t has also been dis
covered in considerable quantities in and
about the Chaudiere river, in Lower
Canada. The eastern gold region of the
United States is considered as beg inning
in Virginia, extending through North
Carolina along the northern part of South
: Carolina, and then northWesterly into
Alabama, terminating in Tennessee. The
diggings are supposed to be pretty well
worked out, although productive at times
In 1943 fl 100000 was dug from the
gold mines of Virginia. The west coast
of America, both north and south of the
equator, is perhaps the region having the
greatest number Of gold deposits. The
precious metal is found in considerable
quantities in all the Soulh American
States. Gold is produced also from vari-
Gus parts of Africa, TO an amount pro-
bably of $3, 500, 900 yearly. 1t is estima-
ted that the total yield Of gold during the
year 1853 was two hundred and fifty mil
lions of dollars, and it is supposed that
the whole stock Of gold and silver bullion
now in ciyc YFla zion is twenty five hundred