The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-01-29

From he san Francisco Herald, Noe. e5.
Gold Mines in siam-Ameriean Miners al Work.
Through the kindness of Capt. Dubois,
of the half clipper Queen of the Pacific.
we have been permitted to peruse several
letters written to him by Mr.. John Camp
bell, formerly California miner, but now
occupied in gold mining in the kingdom
of Siam. We shall make an extract from
a few of the more interesting points of
these letters, as they evinCe the singular
enterprise of the American people.
In 1856 Mr.. John Campbell went to
Bangkok, in Siam, on board the clipper
ship Shooting Star, Captain Dubois, and
soon after connected himself with four
other Americans, for the purpose Of gold
mining. They were melted to this sort
of undertaking from the fact that all the
idols and great deal of the furniture and
domestic utensils of the Siamese were
heavily gilded, and the natives were fire.
quently seen in possession of fine gold
specimens. Previous to this time the
King of Siam had always refused to grant
mining licenses to strangers, but after q
good deal ofperseverance he was induced
to grant special license to the company
of which Mr.. G. is member. They were,
nevertheless, much annoyed by the Of
fcials, and had to pay exhorbitant prices
for every thing they needed.
After fourteen days river navigation
from Bangkok they reached Matabong,
where the mines are located, but found,
on their arrival, that they had been villain
ously deceived by the natives, for the
elephants made the same trip in one day,
the distance being only about thirty-fVe
miles by land. Here they established
themselves, and gave their claim the title
of the "Sonora Nine" the location Of
which is thus described by Mr.. Campbell:
"These ravines are in an elevated basin,
oval in shape, thirty miles long, and eigh-
teen broad, surrounded by craggy walls Of
rock, with only seven gaps or means Of
entrance in the whole circumference. In
the centre is a huge pyramid Of rock,
shooting up like vast cone, which, after
the most perilous ascent ever undertook,
Smith and / reached the summit Of,
whence we could overlook and note the
shape and the extent of the whole basin,
which is covered with dense forest, with
scattered openings at intervals. There
are but few people at work in these
Mines"
Mr.. Campbell then states that their
richness is beyond dispute, but complains
greatly of jungle fever, heavy rains and
other inconvenience. He thinks, how
ever, that any one capable Of withstand
ing the climate, could make himself rich
in two or three years. Among other in,
teresting details, Mr.. Campbell gives the
description of an elephant hunt "But
wild elephants took the shine out Of any
thing ever heard Of in the way Of game.
L got within fifty yards of one, unseen, Q
splendid bull, took good aim at his tenn
pie and fred, striking him fairly, when he
wheeled and made at us. Ny boatmen
(two being in a canoe) Immediately start
ed, when the noble beast stopped and
shook his head. then got another fair
shot, and hit him behind the ear, using
composition balls, when he turned and
walked slowly of, wincing every time
shot him, and covered with blood, but
tearing up the Jungle and pretending to
feed. / fired fourteen bullets into him
with heavy charges, when he finally re.
treated into brake, where my boatmer
. refused to follow, and l never saw him
I more. Another, on the same day, receiv'
ed forty-two bullets in his carcass, from
Mr.. King, Captain Smith and myself who
kept up continued volley Of composition
balls at point blank range, but he, too, 60
off in the same way. These were no me
nagarie elephants, but regular A. ] will
monsters, who can stand more killing thar
|. I can do for them. This you may rely Of
as strict narrative Of facts, and opene'
my eyes to the truth of the yarns sbou
: this kind Of work, which I have read i
J, books Of travels"
/ It appears from Mr.. Campbell's lettel
:. that although the company had q specii
; message from the King Of Siam, yet the
were much annoyed by the minor ofticia
! before reaching Matabong Bangkok
/; the principal commercial city OF Sian
b and is but thirty EIGHT miles from the IS
, nora Nine" 1t contains about 69,O0oil
IF habitants, among whom are many Enrt
Of pean and American merchants and the
families