Nebraska advertiser., 1858-12-23
They are in the Mines.
CLIMATE MILD I!

and hndIng some men mere from Inc NO.
River, l avail myself of the opportunity
Of sending yOua few lines.
This Fort is on the Platte River, some
ten or tGelye miles from the foot Of the
Mountains. and forty miles from the gold
diggings, Cherry Creek.) Those men
are from P~lattsmouth, n. T. They start
ed for this region, the 18th Of Septem-
Der, last; and have been here some ten
or fifteen days, prospecting at different
places. They say they found plenty Of
gold almost anywhere. Some Of them are
returning home, the balance viii remain.
Those going home intend returning in
the Spring
There is 10 doubt Of the existence of
plenty Of gold here from the tales We
have heard concerning the Precious Met
al. The great trouble in these mines is
the scarcity of water and the severity
Of the winter.
So far we have had no snow; but our
infOrmants say, when they left Cherry
Greek, three days ago, the snow was ten
inches deep.
The mountains are in full view from
here. Pixies Peak lays to the south. Its
pinacle looms up and resembles a far
distant black cloud. Longs Peak is west
of US, and snow can be seen on It's sum-
nit. In fact, snow can be seen on all
the mountains in view, and we expect to
be in it to-day.
We expect to reach the diggings in
two days. 1t is along ways from Brown
vile here. From our reckoning, we
have travelled over six hundred miles.
Wood is great object on the road, and
Buffalo chips are very scarce. Sev-
eral nights we had no fire, and went sup
PEERLESS to bed. But all-in-all, we have
had a good trip.
If you start for here in the Spring, I
would advise you to ONE in company
with some experienced man, I mean one
who has made a trip or two across the
plains. ,
Provisions are not very high. Flour
in the Diggings is fifteen dollars per hun
dred weight; sugar 25 cents per pound,
and other things in proportion.
There seems to be a scarcity Of tools,
wooden buckets, particularly, as they are
used TO carry water to parts Of the Dig
gings where there is no water to be had.
Our infornlants say they have prOspec-
ted where each pan Of dirt yielded %
cents. in places where there was no wa
ter convenient, There will be no water
in Cherry Creek only in a few Of the
Spring months. In fact, water is the
principal part in mining. 1t seems gold
is more plenty here than water.
There are some five or six hundred
men in the mines. Some of them have
been there for a year. They are gener-
ally provided with provisions for the win.
ter.
Our provisions last very well. We
: finished our first sack of -four this morn.
ing. We live principally on antelope
meat. | was out Yesterday some five
miles from the road, and l think / saw
five hundred antelopes. They go il
, herds of from fifty to one hundred. Ell
an deer are plenty. ! have seen only
, two buffalo on the whole route.
Our companions are in good healtl
and spirits. Your humble servant ha.
: become fat l~uxuriating on wild game
and breathing the pure air Of the prai
RE.
1 will write you again at the earliest
opportunity.
{ Yours Truly, JOHN S. HARDIN.
CnrRar CREEK, Nov. Is, 1853.
n HUGH BAKER;
We are still well and in excellent spir
j. its; are wintering about four miles abov
/, the mouth of Cherry Greek. We had
safe and agreeable trip.
!, As to the gold here, l cannot say
great deal now, as we can do but Iittl
towards prospecting, this winter. Tn
fact is, however, there is plenty Of gol
here everywhere, of a fine quality, an
further explorations, will, no doubt, de
y velope them still more rich. An indu:
ID trious hand, with anything like convent
ent fixtures, can make from So TO SIS pc
te day.
There is here, as in the settling of a
new countries, a vast amount of har
Of work to do, and those coming here mu.
s. not expect to escape it, or to make a for
u tune in a day, or week, or month.
There are two ovn already here on
at the mouth of Cherry Greek, and al
other SIX miles above. We are abol
3 twenty-five miles from the mountain
y where the Platte comes through