Nevada national., 1860-01-07
wAsHoE CORRESPONDENCE.

MOUNTAIN HosPfrALiTY AND ACcohopA-
Tfoss-Loxe YiLLEr--Wnp GAhE-A
NIoHT's REsT IN HAysTAck-MouSrAIS
APPgrfrEs--DEsr Ssow--THs WAsHoE
MiEgs-.NEw DscovEEIEs-ADyIcE.
Nevada Ter, Virginia City, Dec. l6, '5s
Ma. EDrroR .-Agreably 10 promise made
on leaving Nevada, forward you s6tde sc-
count Of our trip TO what are known as the
"Washos Diggings. Our party consisted OF
Eve in all. We left Downeiville on Sunday
afternoon, well mounted on mules, and by
s o'clock made dismal looking hovei, In
habited by two Italians, which, with one
other cabin, constitute, as we'll as we could
discern in the starlight, the far famed ST.
ezra City, situated beneath those rugged
peaks. called the Downeiville Buttes. As
our ride must be long and cold, and over
scarcely visible trail to reach the next abode
We concluded to call halt for the night
Here, while waiting the preparations for
sspper, an affair occurred, of which, / sup
pose you have before this, had some accoun.
and which resulted in the shooting Of a man
named Nelson, who resides in the neighbor
hood, by Mr.. Andrews. Whether the wound
was of serious nature have not been able
TO learn, but presume not from ths fact that
the wounded man st-rted for Downeiville
that night. Early in the morning, after q
talk with the father OF the celebrated "Doe-
sticks" who appeared as a friend OF the
wounded man. we resumed our saddles.
This days ride brought US into Sierra
Valley, or more properly Siberia Valley
As the long aud delinquent search for the
Franklin Expedition has been terminated,
suggest to the adventurers who succeeded in
findips tie remains OF that ill-fated navigar
tor, just to test their powers Of eniura nee
by visit into this Valley. Suddenly on
entering il / discovered the trout Of my
mule became as white as the SHOWS over
which We were passing. thought that
some OF that tribe of stunted and MAJ. .gnant
shapes who are said to dwell in the regions
OF Scandinavia had brushed us with the
wings Of frost, and imagine my terror and
surprise, when, on putting out my tongue,
found my rough and rsgorable" face a.
dorned with halo Of resplendent chrystals.
Mile after mile we rode. the stars all fixed,
cold and frozen 90 that they couldn't twin
kle. There came, at last, to our eyes that
unfailing evidence OF mans habitator-the
far OF shining Of light on the earth aud
surely Columbus, when he saw, st night,
"that same token,n on the shore Of San Sal
vador, did not welcome its presence with
more intense delight.
The bospitable home Of Nj. David New
man offered rs protection for the night
hospitable because of the kindly hearts Of
its owners, but just in that unfinished con-
diiion 10 which It would be hard to say
whether you were 10 the house, or out o
doors-most lily conditioned either to re-
ceive or "expel the winters dow." Itwa
st our service, however, with such provis-
ion ss our hosts had provided for themselve
and certainly no guest OF the st, Charles OF
st. Nicholas. who pays his board, ever hat
such occasion for gratitude. We rested will
our blankets on the floor. somewhat in tht
style of Lochiel, with our feet to big cook
ing stove, and our heads to the wall, form
ing thus as you will see, (by the aid of ,
small piece of chalk,) Eve radii. Of which
the aforesaid cooking stove was the centre
Leaving Newman's early on Tuesday
morning, we rode twenty eight miles, pass
ing through Che Yuba Gap, and reached
Long Valley about two O'Clock in the af-
ternoon. Here We found . haystack, and
the question presented itself. whether We
should try it-that is, the haystack-for a
couch, with the chance oi freezing. or push
on to the Truckie Meadows, thirty-five miles
further, with certainty of freezing. The
former seemed the most rational course aud
the Council Of war so concluded, AFTER grave
deliberation. The point settled, we proceed
ed to negotiate with neighboring campoo-
die OF Red men, for sundry articles OF diet,
in the way ofa rabbit--or iabit, 10 approved
Indian dislect-and q sage hen, wherewith-
al to make q supper. A few dimes, judi.
ciouslv expended, brought our treaty to
favorable conclusion, and other several
dimes dispensed to big pappoose, put his
energies to work in securing qusntun OF
sage brush for fuel. We were thus furnish
ed with the requisites for meal and forth
with set to work to prepare it. The culina-
~ skill Of Ton Andrews was here distin-
guished, and each, with bis spii, sat about
the Camp IRE; roasting his several app"r-
tionment Of the wild game 1t was q meal
for king. Good appetites made sauce
that would defy the highest reach OF The art
esIisene. This over, We spread our bian-
kets, aud, In the language Of the poet
"0utstretehed upon the cold srosna,
We oft looked up to Heaven"
That sleeping upon the cold ground, with
! the Thermometer below zero, looks we'll IN