The Sierra citizen., 1854-09-16
For the Sierra Citizen.
NO. VIII.
ettars from Major bov1nie.


Letters from Major Dovznie.
Now, that l have dispUsed of Slate
and his pile, 1 may as well attend to Gu
Eye Fosters case: There are many VIII
think that Foster and Slater conspired t
cheat us out of our dust, but ] do not be
lieve it; Slater took money from him a!
well as ourselves. Foster was not thu
rascal he got credit for; he had rancf
down the river, and when he happenet
to find a stray mule he would drive it along
with his own; this, however, was otter
done in ls49 by men who did not think
themselves thieves, whatever the sufferers
might think.
If a miner in needy circumstances ap
piled to Foster, he generally got what he
wanted, and if he was never able to pay
Foster, made himself very easy about it.
| have known him to keep two sick men
perfect strangers to him-at his camp, when
they would otherwise have died from hun.
ger and exposure, for weeks together, and
as sooh as they were able to travel, he
gave them mule, and money, and started
them of, never troubling himself about
whether he was ever paid or not. Foster
would compare very favorably with many
others here, Of more pretentions to integ-
rity. He owes me more perhaps than any
other man in California, yet l have not
the heart TO pronounce him rogue
Good luck to you Cut-Eye: perhaps may
stumble on you sofae day, bit If 1 find
you with a sick miner III your cabin I'll
give you receipt in full. But to my
story.
Stores we're going up every day, and
there had been fight or two, but nothing
to speak Of I was at my camp when the
news came up that the town at the Forks
was named Downieville. James Gallo
way and James Vineyard proposed giving
the village that name. While the streets
were being laid out there was considera-
BILE strong water disposed of. Mr.. Gallo
way was elected Justice of the Peace, and
James Vineyard Constable; Galloway was
the first justice in Downievil,e; there were
in addition, two or three lawyers and a
constable. Every Sunday we had free
fight or two, not that people fought from
anger or hatred, but more for the fun of
the thing; the boys usually came to town
with their sleeves rolled up, ready for a
muss.
While at work on my claim, DR.. E.
called at my camp to see whether l knew
anything of certain rich diggings twenty
miles North, somewhere near the Bald
Mountain and the Lone Tree. l would
like to see an old settler who has not heard
marvellous tales of these landmarks. l
have listened to stories about the Bald
Mountain and Lone Tree, round the camp
fire, until was heartily sick of them, and
even after l had rolled myself in my
blankets to sleep,I have dreamed about
the Internal Bald Mountain and Lone
Tree, until saw the whole hillside
covered with gold. Many a Will-O'-the-
Wisp chase has been after the rich diggings
supposed to be there, and there are people,
who even now believe in their existence.
l think myself that there are rich placer
diggings in the north yet undiscovered,
but I rather doubt the existance of gold
quarries. One thing l am convinced Of
by observation; when you leave the Dow.
Neville range, you get out of the best dig.
gings in the northern mines, and as YOU
follow that same range south, it grows
poorer; whereas to the north it is just the
reverse. To be convinced of this, Won
need only refer to the hundreds who 20
south every fall, and almost invariably
they come back next spring fat broke; on
the contrary whoever goes north stays
there. The winter is harder to be sure,
but when the miner is taking out gold
pretty fast he cares little for the snow and
cold, and shovels it away about as fast as
it falls. In the winter of 1850, / became
reconciled to the cold, for l was taking
out gold at . rate you would not believe
if | were to tell you.
You may wonder why I left the north,
with this belief; it matters not to me which
way travel, and just at present 1 happen
to be here. Still the diggings are not 50
rich; nor are they any where twenty mile.
east or west of the Downieville range. ]
would not give much for YOUR prospect
twenty miles east of Downieville; have