The hydraulic press., 1860-04-07
What Bayard Taylor Says of Us.

Recent numbers of the N. Y. lNuemy con-
tain Bayard Taylor's account of his visit to
Nevada county. His descriptions are graphic,
favorable and generally accurate Not having
room for the entire account, we quote here
only what he says of North San Juan and
vicinity
Merrily we ratified up the plank street OF
Nevada, around the base of the Sugar Loaf,
past the mouths of mining drifts, and the
muddy tails of siuices, and into rolling
upland region, about half stripped of its tim
Der, where every little glen or hollow was
turned upside down by the miners. After a
drive of three or four miles, the blueness of
the air disclosed gulf in front, and we pre-
| pared for a descent to the bed of the South
Yuba.
1t was more difficult undertaking than
we were aware of. The road plunged down
the steep at pitch frightful to behold, turn
ing and winding among the ledges in such a
manner that one portion of it often overhung
| another. Broad folds of shade were flung
into the gulf from the SUBMITS far abore,
but the opposite side, ascending even more
abruptly, lay with It's pines and large-leayed
oaks, sparkling in the clearest sunlight. Our
horse was equal to the emergency. Planting
himself firmly on his fore-feet, with erect,
| attentive ears, he let US carefully, step by
step, down the perilous slopes. With strong
harness, there is really no danger; and one
| speedily gets accustomed to such experiences.
After a descent of more than a mile, we
reached the bottom, where wooden bridge,
suspended on strong iron rods, crossed the
river, high above its current. There was,
of course, toll house, a peach-orchard
scattered over the stoney steep, and men
washing for gold in the sands below. Be-
yond this all was savage mountain wilder
ness. While paying toll, was attracted by
the boxes of peaches on the veranda, and
| inquired the price. "For you, sir, nothing
at all, p replied the man, calling me by name,
and Herewith liberally supplied US. Being
raised without irrigation, they were rather
dry, but of remarkably fine color and
favor. The toll-keeper informed us that he
carried on gold-mining regularly, in addition
to his other business, and found it nearly
| er.
The northern bank, as beautifully diver
sifed with picturesque knolls and glens as
| the rapidty of the descent would allow, con-
fronted us with an unbroken climb of mile
|
ing team on the way, for there was no chance
of passing. At the summit, where there is
little mining camp called Montezuma, we
again entered on that rolling platform,
which, like the fields of Norway, forms the
prominent feature of this part of the Sierra
| Nevada-the beds of the rivers lying at an
average depth of 1000 feet below the level
of the intervening regions. Looking east
ward, we beheld a single peak of the great
central chain, with cleaning snow-fed
on its northern side. Montezuma has tav-
ern, two stores, and cluster of primitive
habitations. The genus ''loafer" is also found
no country, in fact, is so new that it does
not flourish there. Far and wide the coun-
! try is covered with giant pines, and not
day passes but some of them fall They are
| visibly thinning and in a few years more,
this district will be scorched and desolate.
1t is true young trees are starting up every
where, but it will be centuries before they
attain the majesty of the present forests
Pursuing our winding way for three miles
more through the woods, we saw at last the
dark blue walls of the Middle Yuba rise be-
| fore US, and began to look out for San Juan.
First we came to Sebastopol (D, then to some
other incipient village, and finally to our
destination. North San Juan is small
compact place, lying in shallow dip among
the hills. Its inhabitants prosecute both
drift and hydraulic mining, with equal en-
ergy and success. As at Timbuctoo, the
whole mass of the hill between the town
and the river is gold bearing, and enormous
cavities have been washed out of it. The
water descends from fumes in tubes of gal
vanized iron, to which canvas hose-pipes
six inches in diameter, are attached, and the
force of the jets which play against the walls
of earth is really terrific. The dirt, was
informed, yields but moderate profit al
present, but grows richer as it approaches
the bedrock. As each company has enough
material to last for years, the ultimate re.
suit of their operations is sure to be profit
able. In the course of time, the very GROUND
on which the village stands will be washed
away. We passed some pleasant cottage.
and gardens which must be moved in two OF
three years. The only rights in the gold re
gions are those af miners. The only inviol
able property is "claim." Houses must fall
fields be ravaged, improvements of all sorts
swept away, if the miner sees ft-there il
no help for it.
In the church, that evening, met an as
sembly of eager, intelligent and friendly au
ditors. Judging not only by this, but BY
various other evidences, | was disposed tt
consider San Juan as the most spirited, wide
awake village in California. We had endur.
able quarters at the hotel. One disadvan.
tage, arising from the prevailing dust, is
that nothing appears clean. Wherefore i
the landlords would give US really clear
f1oor without carpets, linen sheets, no matter
how coarse, and the crashiest towels instead
of pocket-handkerchiefs, with plenty of wa.
ter, and cane chairs rather than damaged
plush, the comfort of their hotels would bt
greatly increased, at less expense to them
Truly, the art of living is, of all arts, tha
which is understood by the fewest persons
In Italy, with all its feas and dirt, one i!
better lodged than in the majority of thu
country taverns throughout the United
States.