Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-06-22

silver, and also in the ground ditch, for the pur
pose Of catching the gold. The quicksilver
being very heavy the sand and gravel run over
il, and the gold being heavier than either, floats
along the bottom. When il comes in contact
with the quicksilver, it amalgamates: We
then lift the amalgam and silver together, aud
strain tbrough..clOth or buckskln, which leaves
nothing but the amalgam. We then put the
amalgam into retort and retort il over a hot
hre. BY this method the quicksilver evspor-
ates and leaves nothing but the gold. This ex-
pertinent yOu::c try yourself by taking piece
OF gold coin or gold ring and dipping it in
quicksilver. A portion Of the silver will stick
to it. Then put it on piece of sheet iron, and
hold it over hot FIRE, and the silver will evap
orate and leave the ring as it was. l believe
| have said all that is necessary about mining.
| will now speak of the customs and habits of
the people.
California contains an assemblage of human
beings from every land and every cline all con.
ditiOns, al classes, and all cOlors, reevery dav
before our gaze. will commence with the
people Of the States 1t is customary when
men from the States come here that they start
right for the mines. They know no person,
and know nothing about mining and the mi
ners as soon as they see greeny, as they call
him, think now is the time for some fun. Ifhe
ask them how they are doing--not making any
thing. But they will tell him of some other
place where they shovel gold up by the pound,
perhaps some go or thirty miles off. He be.
lieves their tale and starts for the place. When
he arrives there they tell him the same story as
before, and start him some 90 or 80 miles fur
ther They keep him going in that way until
ne spends all his money Then he gets dis
couraged, cannot get work. and cares not what
he does Far from home and friends he cares
not whether he lives or dies. If he should get
work he will go to the gambling house or grog
shop, and there spends all he makes. This is
no uncommon thing in this country. Some
make their living by gambling or keeping gam
bling houses for the purpose of robbing men of
their hard earned money. There are five large
gambling houses in Nevada, open all the time,
night and day, Sunday and other days. Some
would sooner go to these places on the Sabbath.
l would say here there are three churches in
Nevada, two Methodist and one Presbyterian,
which are patronized by but few. You mus.
not think we have all gamblers and dishonest
men.
The Spaniards never mine any. They gen.
erally follow packing provisions into the noun
tafns for miners.
The Cinnamon as general thing follow mi
ming Tor living, and are very innocent class
Of people. Their dress is generally of dark
blue. H,heir hair is black and long which they
have plait,'d Some have their hair curled
round the or own of their heads,an some hang
ug down thei backs. They wear their hair
from two to tn. rec feet long, some longer. The
China women al e generally in public houses,
living public lives: Their dres is about the
same as the mems They are mostly dressed
10 blue pants, with q. short loose dress. Their
Irock has no waist, a. I'D is laid with cotton or
some other material, quilted, and hangs loose.
Their shoes are made with wooden solqs with
cloth or carpet tops.
The French mostly mire, and are very lucky
True, there are some th at follow gambling and
the French women. There are gen.
orally two or three in every gambling house
dealing cards for some game Or other. They
are as general thing handsome; women with
black hair and fair skin The men have black
hair and very heavy beard, and are very bold
shrewd men.
The Indians in this country, are very lazy,
mean-looking set of beings. They get their
living any way and every way. Very few of
them work any Their food is whatever they
can pick up, such as acorns, grasshoppers, fish
grapes &c. Their principle weapon ia the bow
and arrow. The valley and mountain men
sometimes disagree and they have little skir-
misf1: Their mode of fighting is this +; they
have their grounds and then they send one from
each party with his bow ard arrows. They
shoot away until thev run out of arrows, il
neither is killed, they step back and two more
take their places. If either gets killed another
steps in his place, and SO on till one side con-
quers. might say many more things about
the manners and customs of the people, but !
have not time.
I will now give you the wholesale prices Of
provisions at San Francisco Chill -four, 500
8 so; Gallego flour, $40: Haxall $1O; corn
meal, S4@5 per bbl; coffee, 14@l5c; dried
apples, 9@loc per lb; molasses 6o@65c per
gallon; sugar, to lie; tea so to 54 butter II
to 24c rice, to &c; hams, 0c:corn &c; wheat
ste; oats 4 to 41c; hay per ton $25 to $50.
We have game in abundance here. There
are elks, deer, ,antelopes, swans,
&c. There is also the California lion, grizley
bear, mountain cat, and other animals.
This country is a place where a man canmake