Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-07-31
LETTER FROM "A WILD n1sHwAT,"
The Exploded Hpmhn0I

Day; &C. again pay my derOiTy to my friends
OF the DEMOCRAT.
Having been snitten with the Frazer f..
YER !, like many more unfortunate victims
to0k rather expensive but sure mode of get.
ting cured. e~
Inc pleasing effects Of sea voyage, the
constant commissions Of my purse, and theme.
cn'Iar aspect Of things at the North. proved
Tor me, at least, radical cure. II is only
when one is away from California, he learns to
appreciate the glory. beauty, grandeur, and
riches Oi the Golden State. But when one is
covered with gloomy sky, surrounded with
English officials and proclamations. and yexrd
with fraudulent gold reports, then, indeed.
must ne bc stupid wretch who learns not
the value Of what he left behind and what he
cannot enjoy uuder any other sun.
With your permission will lay before yon,
Tor the benefit Of those who are rashly think.
ing Of prospecting the mines on Frazer River.
something that could not learn or gather
from the vague and inflated letters published
about that region, Of the expense OF going
ticrc, OF the dangers attending the expert.
mcnt, and the possible remuneration that may
he expected.
Glad was ] to escape from the fuss and
tune and turmoil and disorder Of crowded
steamer, when put my foot on oil terra
.nrm" at ESqumalt. | walked to Victoria,
distant about two miles and a half. Met
many men listlcssly lettering on the road,
wcaried, disappointed, Responding. All
greeted the newcomers with plying Snccr.
Sold again! was lcgibe on their cOuntenan-
ces. could read it in their significant smile.
! was angry, little mortified, and began to
TcGhcn. But there is Victoria before US -
with its dark frowning fort, and countless
tents, and its busy crowd. Everything looked
as Il nm army had just encampei, and il Ind
an army Of eager, excited, reckless ndven.
turcrs
What strange feelings many Americans
must have had that day, as, for the first time,
they felt or StrovO To feel, AZ Foreigners! To
many, have no doubt, it conveyed a gcncr.
"nS lesson, especially to the educated, re-.
tccing, intelligent, -conlirming them in the
belief that to be kind to the stranger is no
int an Virtue. But j should think it hard,
very hard, for an American to feel as a for
cigncr on this continent.
Having refreshed myself, I strOllcl through
the town, hearing the news, seeing the sight,
and feeling the pulse Of the crowd Every.
thing was dull and drcarv and gloomy.
learned startling information-,hat the river
was high, when the devil will it be lowell
heard If tales Of distress and starvation On the
rivcr--Ol men being lost in the mountains
through dcscrtion Of the Indians of others
being drowned going up the iivcr;-of rob.
berry being prevalent in Victoria; but not n
glimpse OF gold dust Here was prospect
Tossed. Immediately felt keen appetite for
1tIg,R, .SE,ls 4
neutrality-suspicious., genial. lovely California!
The state Of things ut Victoria is very bad.
There are hundred without dollar living on
the Kindness aud charity Of Others who must
shortly he in the same destitute condition
themselves. Thousands wish they were in
California again, and curse the day they left.
But they may O.'ly blame themselves, as they
rushed mndly out Of this country, without
thought or calculation; as ignorant Of the
country they were going to as of the length
.! the purse sufficient for such journey
Now they feel Lccnly the fatal effects Of such
insane folly.
Fraser river, it is thought, will not be-
workable before the latter Part Of September
How much suffering will be endured before
that time arrives? But even then are we Ger.
tain that relief will come! Is il beyond a
iouht. or is i; indeed yc, questionable, whether
This river Is as rich as il Is rcp0i ted to he:
have convrrsc'l with many who have worked
M it-onmr give n favorable, but large ma.
oritv an unfNvorablc opinion Of it. Fur hu
nanity'S sake hope the best accounts true.
Now let no mnn start for those mines who
intends I" sec the humhug out, without tive
hundred dollars. uni, 81 hc wishes to BIZ left
destitute in a foreign country.
But whether the mines ill be rich enough
whether two or three months work out oi
twelve will repay man for the outlay and
danger and privatiOns, is n moOtcd point Tor
hthcrs to decide. One thing We do know, il
will take the best Of the stories told Of the
'liggingS to do il. Is it not shame that the
prcSS-c especially the honest(!) Sacramento
CniOn--aavc lent their aid and added to this
excitement, TO the injury Of the State and the
utter ruin Of individuals, by opening their
columns to interested pRrtiCs?-for most Of
the letters published in the papers were rom
parties, Victoria hucksters and
Whatc"m land graLbcrS. The steamship
monopoli>tS too keep up the excitement. In
san Francisco they drum up the passengers
with industry and energy. From Victoria
they S1"I "W'y IN TIE night, and on arriving
at san Francisco the officers of the boat try
t" prevail upon them to keep quit aud not
show themselves. To conceal the humbmE,
{" create the belief that hut few return, the
boats generally arrive after night. They do
not want big load down. Are they afraid
Of the bubble bursting!-a b.bble raised
with so much skill and adhered to with so
much 7crtinacity.
There arc supposed to be about .fftcra
MomS'nd men on Frazer now. Must it not
ne most weary lfr waiting for that water
to fall from four to twelve feet. AS SION as
the water falls, is ON the lips Of every one
rhcM it rW .IdU the "clLrst ihaLitant"
cant even surmiSe! There are Some five
thousand Mt Victoria, and about three thous-
and between Whatcom and Schome.
Thus finding there was nothing doing in
Victoria and Whatcom, and nothing to be
done on tho river for m indefinite time,
formed the resolution Of rctracing my steps
to that State where the sun shines, where the
rivers OccGsiOnaiiy fall, where gold dust mny
be seen il not had, and hungry man gets
food! and where, above all, you cannOt
blow the dust ont Of the black sand! /!
Ircturncd in the OrizdbI. We hal rough
time Of it, being exposed to all the violence Of
u two days storm.
If this letter proves the means Of inducing
one man to reflect and forcgO journey that
might ruin him, shall think have not wan.
dcrcd to the new mines or Scri6bled in vain
AS Of old, gentlemen, am yours,
n