The weekly Butte record., 1858-12-18
Letter from Lance Nightingill--Affairs at
ThOmpon's s River.

Letter from Lance Nightingill--Affairs at
Thompon's River.
We herewith publish letter from cur old
and esteemed friend Lance Nightingill-think-
ing a knowledge Of his whereabouts and well
being will be gratifying to his many friends in
Oroville and elsewhere
THoNpsoNs RIVER Nov. 18th.
FRIEND H Il am located about ten miles
from the mouth of this river, on miserable
COLI, stony bar, impatiently waiting for the
water to get to its lowest stage, still in hopes
Of finding rich crevice. As for the existence
of gold here, there is no doubt my mind has
never changed the least on that score, but so
many have returned to California, giving an
unfavorable account of this country (having
good reasons for so doing, by the by,) that it
is dangerous to hazard an opinion, or even to
tell the true reality fit be favorable. But as
the cry has always been for low water, / am
bound to see low water in this country. which
will be, as near as can learn in February Or
March. To stay so long seems like an age 70
me, in this miserable, cold, God-forsaken coun-
try and where | am now located and where
4 expect to remain this winter the sun in sum
mer only shines for short time during the day.
Now we can see his rays on the mountain side
several miles off, when he deigns to shine
which is seldom at present Itis getting cold
and ere long we must expect to see the low
lands COY cred with snow and frost. We are
located right in the Cascades hence must ex-
peet very cold weather. 1t is no doubt in
tersely cold here during the winter. The In
dians are disintering their "muck muck,
/ (which consists principally Of dried salmon and
| berries) and speedily erecting their winter
/ houses which are similar to those occupied by
our California Diggers. The Indians are get
! ting a little troublesome with us within the
last week there being bat few miners here
they concluded it would be safe to steal pro-
visions, having a good chance while miners
were at work out of sight Of their tents. They
robbed two tents and were about entering
ours when we caugh, one and gave him good
whipping at the same time one OF our horses
was stolen by one of them, which subsequent
y we got by paying 81. 1 then told them il
either of our horses was missing again | would
"mamabosh one Siwash" and if [ caught one
big or little within certain boundary of ouI
tent he would not get out of it alive. Since
then there has been none in sight. | don't
think there is more than fifty miners OF
Thompsons river at present. | don't know
of more than fifteen. None are making big
wages at present. Provisions are high -four
from As cts. to IS cts. beans, sugar, and cof
| fee about the same bacon 81 We don't
know how it will be with us this winter we
may have to travel hungry over snow before
spring opens, for aught we know. l would
give you description of tie Fountain and
Bridge River country but time will not per-
nit. Suffice it to say that everybody up there
is nearly out of provisions. and none in yet on
the Llloet trail from which source they cx-
pect their supplies. We get news here about
month old-letters sometime two months old
by paying 81 30 piece for them. Newspa-
pers California; one dollar | have received
but one letter written since July. 1 cannot
tell the reason, out one thing is certain, the
upper Fraser River Expressmen think more
about their pockets than they do about the ac-
commodation of the public.
Please excuse this feeble effort and oblige
LANCE NIGHTINGALE