Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-05-17

indulging in. His illustrations of towns ant
scenery must have been gotten up by CUES.
the picture of Virginia city, might do very
well to illustrate the glories of the New Jeru
salem or the ruins of Palmyra, but 1t bears
not the slightest resemblance to Virginia CITY
Carson City, Gold Hill, Flowery, and
Mount Ophir are no better represented; the
Devils Gate in Harper bears slight resem-
blence to the real Gate. Such cuts as relate
to the doings of the miners are very good
as cartcatures-indeed quite funny, the bes,
part of the whole thing! The impression
left on the mind of the reader of Browne
Peep is that there may be few tons oi
good silver ore in the Comstock, but owing
to the poisonous nature Of the water, the ter.
Iible storms of wind rain and snow, the fact
that there is nothing to live on but brandy
and gin and the general meanness of the
country, that 1t would be impossible for hui
man beings to exist in Washoe, and the rea
der is ready to conclude that when j. Ross
Browne left everybody that could get away
followed suit: and, in fact, had there been
none here with better "grit " than j. r. 3.
possessed, the chatter of eight quartz mills
would not be singing in my ears at the pres
ent moment. But Ross is now wandering i'm
Germany writing letters for the Sacramento
Union and will say to him and his " Peep
-0dios! .Y.
A few days since I made visit to Virgin
ia City for the purpose Of examining the
works of the Ophir and Gould & Curry
claims, and will give you hasty sketch
of what / saw without going into partic-
ulars concerning the various cuts, tunnels and
cham bers and galleries, as minute discrip-
ton of these thing would not be likely to in
terest your readers. On reaching Virginia
proceeded to look up friend, Mr.. Perry
Childs, who was acquainted with the officers
of the works wished to visit, and having
some spare time we took stroll about the
town. Virginia City stands on sloping
piece of ground on the east side of the noun
tains in which the Comstock lead is situated
These mountains or hills are three in num-
ber-viZ: Mount Davidson, Mount Ophir
and Cedar Hill, and besides the Comstock
they contain quite anumber ofexcellcnt leads.
There is very extensive view eastward from
the city At the foot of the slope on which
the town stands, Six Mile Canon takes its rise
and we may follow its meandering eastward
till by sudden turn it is lost behind tall,
tapering, granite peak called the Sugar Loaf.
Over, and miles beyond, the bald, gray, sum-
init OF the Sugar Loaf, we sec the broad,
brown, winding valley of the Carson river ;
and still beyond can sec the 22-mile Desert,
with great white patches of alkali presenting
precisely the appearance of lakes and still
beyond the Desert are great rugged ranges
OF snow-cappcd mountains, beyond which
and dimly visible are seen the blue, shadowy
outlines of towering mountains on the Hum
bolt. Northward rugged, brown, hills side
up within the distance of mile and cut off
the view in that direction. Southwark we
can trace the dark line of the pine-fringed
and snow-capped Serras, some so miles be.
yond Carson City till lost in the clouds on
the distant hoizon.
A hasty peep at the "human sights" on
the streets and we 60 to the mines: First,
We sec everywhere the bone apd ss;,new ofthe
country--thc honest miners" with canvas
pants, heavy nailed boots, wooden shirts of
divers hues, and heavy felt sombreros; then
we see well dressed merchants and gamblers
with ponderous fob chains and glossy Peru
Wan hats; ladies exhibiting an immense
spread of hoops, costly silks and satins then
come what We may term the nomads, abort
ginal and imported. Here we see a croup of
-Pintes OF Washoes strolling about in their
objectless manner, picking up stray articles
OF cast-off clothing, gathering in knots about
an old wooden shirt which some blcar hag is
stretching over her skinny claws and exam
lining with the severity of an old d-clothes- man
of the jewish persuasion Here and there we
see a " buck tricked out in shrcds of red
flannel with dilapidated musket or fowlne
peice on his shoulder resting supincly against
a dry goods box or reclining against the frame
of some open door attracted by the savorv
oder of sputtering steak within. Sauaws
with papooses on their backs, children, mu-
chachos and muchachas with naked legs and
ears hung with shells-in fact some shiver-
ing imps almost an puris naturali6us. We
see cinnamon, with their comica scmi-yerti-
cal eyes and dangling tails, washing, ironing
and putting out " clothes. These "Celes.
tial devils are horrible fellows to use up
clothes in washing-where they have access
to pond or river they seize hold on the end
of garment and beat it furiously upon a
rock or block of wood, from time to time
dipping it in the water-here they spread it
on table and scrub it with brush made of
bamboo splints-about three times washing
ends common cotton or linen shirt. Then
we see Spaniards coming down from the hills
with mules and asses laden with faggots,
shouting" caramba que snenO tiene arri-
ba arriba" chow sleepy you are, get up y
" Caraja! que hay (what is the matter ?)
Then We see other Spaniards or Mcxicans
driving asses about the streets with a canvas
contrivance slung across them containing
cans of water they are peddling among the
saloons. Long trains of mules, laden with
silver ore, are winding through the streets,
giving utterance at every step to peculiar
mournful grunt or moan which the uninitiat-
ed is apt to think the result of overlooking.
but which is only one of the long cared
beauty pretty habits. But, to the mines !
AT the Gould and Curry we found Mr..
Strong the superintendent absent, but were
shown through by son of Erin with !" list
the laste taste J" of brosue In front of the
mine is spacious dwelling house &c. "John''
being told that | wished specimens Of their
ore, was alert as cricket and said, with the
true Hiberian blarney: IN, get you the
fine specimens, sir the kind we kape laid
up in the office, sich as everybody don't git,
sir Now don't We be botherin wild the com.
mon stuff there, sir r And, indeed, I had
no occasion to find fault with his selection
for the specimens of ore he gave me were
splendid and well assorted. Being each sup.
piled withcandles door was opened through
one OF the rooms and we stepped into the