Columbia gazette., 1854-09-09
PROSPECTING TOUR.

your paper reliable source af mining
intelligence, shall feel amply paid for
the toll, privarion and suffering have
endured, in travelling, with my pack
on my back, and but little money in my
purse, during the excessive bot weather
in July. l left Columbia about the
! sixth Of July in wagon for Stockton,
which reached, in three days travel,
being my first visit, since the year for
ty nine. I there fell in with two young
men from Los Angeles, bound for Ma
riposa, aad such were my feelings, when
out of the mountain range, was glad to
learn my new companions were ready to
leave forthwith, for the mountains. We
crossed the Stanislaus river at Cotton's
Ferry, the Tuolumne at Dickson's, and
the Mariposalat,.Philips Ferry. This route
traverses the Stockton plains, the largest
portion Of the way being through an
untimbered country, destitute of all veg
etable matter, and reminding me Of my
trip across the plains. Picture to your
self large plain as far as the eye can
reach, no rising bill, nor forest shade,
no cooling brook, nor li'npid stream,
burning sun, and scorching sands, and
you have = good idea of what is to be
encountered on trip from Stockton to
the San Joaquin River. There are
stopping places on the, way, and the
fine bottom lands on thsA river, with
their fields of barley and some Of wheat,
are the only rcdes0ing feature d these
plains. The road was throngsd. with
Cinnamon, just arrived. bound for Fine
Gold Gulch, Chowchilli and San Jea-
quin rivers. At Phillips Ferry, on
the Mercede, there waslittle mining be-
ing done by Cinnamon, md some few a.
mericans. They were making two and
three dollars per day. A the above
ferry the roads fork; the right going to
the San Joaquin and the left to Mari
posa. It is fifteen miles from the ferry
to Towards ranch, at which place you
get delightful water, and again in the
mountains. It was between the ferry
and this ranch, that a man died from
the effects of heat; (there is no water
for the whole distance until you reach
the ranch We we're compelled to
pack our water in bottles.
From this point you can strike out
into the mountains, and you are then in
the diggings; of their quality cannot
speak, for I did not visit them. I was
informed, however. by an old miner,
who had bis arm broken, and was cook
ing at this ranch, that the Mexicans
we're doing good business. He also
informed me that he was the first miner
who struck pick in Columbia. l made
it point to stop in the heat of the day,
and travel morning and evening.
The next stream is the Chowcbilli,
which we reached at night. Here a
Chinaman died from heat. Up on this
stream there has been some mining =
1t is spotted. have not worked on it
but was told by two young men that they
had done well. There is but little wa
ter,-perhaps two tom head. You
must commence at given point, and
work through; some weeks you will
make from two to four dollars day,
and then you may strike a place and
take out from three to five hundred dol
lars per week. There is plenty of room
on this stream, but no stores, that /
could learn.
The next crossing place is the Fres-
no. You will remember, in Isl, there
was great excitement about Fresno,
and everybody Aocked there. The riv-
er was high, and it was claimed for
miles. 1t did not get low enough TO
get into, and as there is no bars above
water, people left, and pronounced it a
h~mbsg. These streams are more like
our fiat Snlcdes, or Woods Creek at the
present time. On this stream there are
some stores, = few miles apart. The
gold is fine, but weighs heavy. l asked
Mr.. Hunt to let me see the gold, if he
had any. He showed me some the
Indians had just brought in | thought
there might be three dollars was sup
prised whoa he told me there was sew