The Placer herald., 1858-06-12
4 Warning to those Going to Frazer River

The following letter from the San Fran.
cisco Bulletin, is from Mr.. Alexander d. Nc.
Donald, late Of RsttIesnske Bar, in this
county. Mr.. Mcdonald has long been a re.
sdent Of Placer, is perfectly relisb.e man,
a practical miner, and hi. opinion is entitled
to full weight with those Of our people who
have determined upon g'ing to the new gold
flds. He intends returning to the Frazer
river country during The summer. lie says:
I am conscious how futile and humble any
attempt Of mine will be to stop the present
exodus from California when see the al.
vice and counsels of disinterest-d persons
despised and rejected 10y their friends. and
sensible men sacrificing their property, and
rushing on to the Polar Star Of the North
west Coast, as if their lives depended upon
their getting there tomorrow, and salvation
rested upon their ascending the fnaming tor
rent of Frazer river within given time
and given point, say the mines. History
affords no parallel t" the present excitem n,
since the days Of George Law, the celebrat
ed Scot, when Europe was brought to the
verge of bankruptcy by his magnificent views
as man of genus-when in Paris every
man, woman and child. sperulated in the
South Sea scheme, and so contagious was the
epidemic, that the priest, who, from the altar
to-day mathematical the nngodly rage tor
gambling in the Mssissi pi swamps, to NOR
row threw beads and bre, iarieS asice, and
emerging from the cnster, was soon on
Change. So in San Francisco; the scepir
yesterday doubts less to-day, believes to-
morrow, am! is a maniac the following day
He reads with avidity the statements Of
comparative success OF the very few out Of
some three thousand ersnns who have al
ready left this shore, listening only to the
gtter.ng tales of the more fortunate, not
caring to read, nor pausng to consider the
accoun $ Of those who preceded them, Of the
difficulties, dangers and sutferngs t" be un
d-rgone in arriving at the mines AT pr, s mt.
and of the imp"ssibity to do any work on
the streams till the middle Of A gust. Nei-
th-r sex nor age is exempt from the con'a
gion, and the pla ue threatens to dep"pna-
our interior counties, AMI leave many houses
even on Front stree "To Let" Con,ras,ed
with Washington and Oregon. the rompari
son is r.,na, kabIe in this respect. There.
the people display no undue excitement, at
tend to their legitimate calling. and wisely
bide their time; but in California the mercu
rial temperament prtdominales, people ig
more experience and advice, and rush precp-
tally on to, am afraid, suffering and dis
tress. That the new country presents many
attractions to the adventurous and entrrpris-
ing, | admit; aud that the bars on the stream.
as far rs pr"spected, are rich, and yield Il
handsome return for Il labor expended on
them, there is no doubt. But at the pre- tnt
time, and until the waters fall many feet,
which ,rarprrs and HUI on Bay men wh"
have lived in that country say will moi tie
before the middle of August, it is not pru-
dent for men to exchange the comforts OF
California for the perils aud hardships OF
Frazer river.
The restrictive and oppressive pol'y OF
the llu sons Bay Company, added and en-
forced Ivy Her Britannia Maesty'S men-of
war. is certainly r,pusiv- fe' tnre, and
should re:ard the stream Of enli z alton about
being poured into that colony. Theirs are
the only goods admitted to the mines; and
though it does not make much difference L,
the miner where he gets his supplies, $" that
able price, still it is to be supposed, and all
former precedents in this respect are con
xrmcd in our own State, that the hearts o
commercial monoms's are petritied an'
steeed against all oher ine: esIs than their
own, and that very little accommodation vii
be afforded from this source. So resoluie
are they in the determination to enforce
what they conceive their rights that mi
ner buying COOS q: BelIinghan Bay, before
entering the river must frs; proceed t" Vie
toria take OF 4 clearance for his canoe, and
cross the Gulf of Georgia in his fral bark,
generally rough passage, before entering
Frazer. That the pressure from without will
demand and effect change in the existing
state of things, there can I've no doubt
England is not going to hazard her colony
tor the sake Of baking in wealth a heartlesS
s"uless, mercantile monopoly. Apart from
making enemies Of and eslranging her own
subjects, this portion Of her colonial posses
sions assumes, all At once, more importance
than all Others rombine,l. The l"'rt+nt"us
Russian fortif. a;"ns at The mouth "f the
Amoor; the emigration of so many repul'i'
can symI'a,hizers in the country-ile voice
Of the people demands free commerce and
equal rights to all nations, and before that
relic Of The dark ages, the much vannied
Hu!son's Bay Charter, expires. England will
from policy, remove the seal from the mouth
of the river, throw the gates wide open. and
gi.e admission to the gold fields Of this ur-
employed territory to the world.
Pioneers are not always the most success.
ful in new country, and if men would
pause and reflect upon the past experience in
California, they would not rashIy sacrifice
their property and comfort f'.r this trip
which. however romantic in theory, is 10y ne
means SO in practice. Nothing can he done
in the mines for at least two months. Pro
visions are high and not easily obtained
Only these are remaining there who hap