The Placer herald., 1858-04-24
San Francisco Correspondence.
SAN FRANclsco, April 21st, 1858

SlealneIS Sdleu from tnlS pOIJ crowded with
passengers. The Golden Age had about one
thousand for Panama, and $1,947 900 in
treasure; the others were the Mail Steamer
Columbia, and the Commodore (ate Brother
Jonathan,) for Pugets Sound, both crowded
to suffocation with anxious gold seekers;
among whom were some 200 negroes sent
out as the pioneers of the future settlement
they intend to make on Vancouver's Island.
This may be considered the first fruits of the
Anti-Negro Bill. What joyful circum-
stance it will be if they keep it on until the
State is drained of them; but l fear that
their hearts will fail, and we will hear them
hurrying back before the first of October.
They will find to their cost that they will
have to work for living in that country.
Their thieving propensities will not avail
them where there is nothing lying around
loose. The famous Archy was among the
number. BY the way, the colud population
intend to present Col. Baker with GOLD
medal as an evidence of their gratitude for
his disinterested () and unbought (!) efforts
in the cause of monkeyanity. This proposed
mark of distinction is the more appropriate
to one Of his established reputation; as no
one who knows him will suppose for a mo-
ment that he would have worked with equal
zeal for the other side, had they offered the
most money. Did he not stump the State
for Fremont, devoting himself zealously for
months to the cause of the Africans, at his
own expense without fee or reward. True it
was reported that he was paid 81, 900 for it,
but that was doubtless SANDER on one who
may emphatically be pronounced the friend
and brother of the woolly heads. But whilst
Baker deserves his reward, and should have
a medal, | would suggest to his African
friends, whether they are not guilty of an
act of injustice in not bestowing similar
mark of their appreciation upon the others,
who sacrificed their time and self-respect, and
who did not get $500 fee. They should
have some reward of merit-they should
have medals, too-but as this might necessi-
tate an increased expense far beyond the
means of the donors-by substituting very
impressible substance called leather. they
would be enabled to bestow this emblem of
gratitude upon all without serious damage
to their pockets, and in material fully equal
to their deserts.
In previous letter warned your readers
not to be too hasty in joining this stampede
to the new gold mines. There is I think no
doubt that gold has been found there, and
there is pretty good reason to believe that
it exists in considerable quantities, but we
must remember another thing-is it not the
interest of certain parties to exaggerate? even
if they prove failure? Will not the Hud-
son Bay Company, and the owners Of certain
idle steamships make "a good thing of it,"
by carrying the t7ats up and back? | say
again don't he in too much of hurry. In
June next | will have been in California nine
years. and have noticed that regularly every
spring, there was a great excitement and rush
for some new FL Dorado, which has almost
invariably resulted disastrously to the great
mass of eager eXpectants. The difficulties
that were met and overcome in the early
days of California adventure are nothing, to
what will be encountered by the miners on
Frazier's river. They will be enabled to
ascend it twenty miles in stes mers; then they
take to canoes, which carry them to within
thirty miles of the diggings, and for the re-
mainder of the distance they will have to
proceed by land through a jungle of the
densest description. No one who has not
tried it can form an idea of the labor of cut
ting through Puget Sound forest. Once
there, they will find provisions scarce and
high; mosquitoes plenty and hungry, gold
scarce and hard to get, but Indians plenty,
thievish and quarrelsome, Hudson Bay
Company ready to tax them, and at the
same time allow them to do their own In
dian fighting. If you will 90, 90 armed to
the teeth; my word for it-you will want
your rifles more than the pick and shovel.
| do not entirely discredit these reports, but
think that nothing would be lost by waiting
until they are fully confirmed, and the more
serious difficulties are removed. If they
prove true, the mines will be found to extend
over large portion of Washington Terrific
ry, and perhaps as far north as the Russian
possessions. No one would be more eratiti.
ed at such result than myself, but still say
wait while, there are always fools enough
to do the prospecting.
The departure of Mr. and Mrs. Weeks, of
the Atheneum, on the barque Glimpse for
Australia, under the name of Mr.. and Mrs.
Percival, has created quite stir among the
large crowd who were so skilfully guled by
them. Weeks alias Wentworth, &C., &c. is
an "old sharp" and with the assistance of
his various wives (this one is said to be No.
25,) has been starting newspapers, to be con-
Quoted by female editors, in every city of
Importance in the Atlantic States. The wife.
who was always a pretty woman, would 90
around and get subscribers for the forthcom-
ing journal and collect the money in advance,
two or three numbers would appear and
having got about all the money that could
easily be obtained, the editorial train would
suddenly disappear, leaving their creditors in
the lurch, and their creduous subscribers
decidedly "minus" Having exploited all the
Atlantic cities, New Orleans having been the
last, they turned their attention to San Fran
cisco, and from all that can be ascertained,
reaped golden harvest. The lady was
pretty (decidedZu.l fascinating and would