The Shasta courier., 1862-03-29
Going to the Mines.

-
- PoRrLAsD, o, March IL, 1862.
ross CoURlzR Thinking that some Of
~ae.s might be interested in an &C.
"trip to the mines, / have taken the
~y Of sending you a-sew-ii4ss, which you
,x<ay give place in your paper if you deem
Them worthy.
We left Shasta Feb. 10th-passed Colonel
Magee where he was laying out the new town
of Reading The Red Bluff people still ridi'
cule the project of removing the head of nav
igation. Probably the whole head will not
be removed, but the golden locks will be
closely sheared. Left Red Bluff evening of
the 1lth. After leaving Colusa, the desola-
ton on the farms is painful to look upon
Most of the farms were covered with water,
ind in many places as far as the eye could
reach nothing could be seen but the aqueous
element. The only decent looking place be-
tween Red Bluff and Sacramento is Knights
Landing Sacramento was in a very bad
condition, but was quite lively. Arrived at
San Francisco 18th. 1t is huge town, and
is the place to live in.:if one has plenty Of mo-
ney. After remaining In the city two weeks,
took passage in the "old tub" Sierra Ne
vada, for Portland, ria Victoria. On the first
night out flaw was discovered in one of the
boilers, which, as a matter of consequence,
reduced our steam power, and we proceeded
very slowly, arriving at Esquimault March
9th. remained at Victoria during the night,
while the steamer ran across the Sound to
Bellingham Bay. The ocean steamers do
not land at Victoria, because of insufficient
depth of water, but have wharf at Esqui-
mault Bay, which is about three miles from
the city. A large proportion of the popula.
tion are Niggers and Diggers. The former
are very conspicuous, and the latter almost
ubiquitous. The Indians are very curious
looking creatures, with much lighter COM
plexions than California Diggers, some Of
them having red hair, and altogether diff
ferent east of featuers Victoria is a very
pretty place, about twice or perhaps three
times as large as Shasta. l like the way
they have things around the city. 1t quite
refreshing to see the fine wharfs after travel
ing around the man-traps at San Francisco.
found large number of old residents Of
Shasta county at this place, some in business
and others bound for the mines. Twill name
some of them j. 8. Drummond, who is in
business here, and is doing well; James r.
win and family, and Stephen Watson, who
are going to the mines; John Cox lives here,
hut was absent; K Gambitz and Sam Gold
stone are in business here; Mr.. Green Potter,
who several years ago was interested in
keeping the Miners Inn in Shasta, has win
tered since '5S at Victoria last summer he
was at Cariboo. He says Fred. Black, who
is well known in Shasta, was there, and is
now in business at Lillooet, and that he is
worth about thirty thousand dollars.
The steamer left on the evening of the 7th
for Portland, and arrived outside the bar of
the Columbia on the night of the 9th, with
seven feet of water in her hold. Some of the
passengers had life preservers in their hands
ready to take swim if necessary. We ar
rived at Astoria, fifteen miles above the
mouth of the river, on the morning of the
10th. 1t is place about as large as Middle
town, with small, straight pine timber i'm
mediately back of the town, as thick as I
ever saw it grow. For a great portion of the
way up the river this growth of timber is to
be seen, and but few farms that amount to
anything. The Columbia is fine river for
navigation, but there don't seem to be much
use for it, although the discovery Of gold in
the North may make it a great thoroughfare.
Arrived at Portland on the llth, eleven days
from San Francisco. This place. has about
9. 600 inhabitants, aside from Californians
and other transient residents. There are
probably now 5000 persons here awaiting to
20 up the river. If it were not for the Cali
fornians here this would be an awfully dull
place. The river is not entirely free from ice
to the Dalles, although the boats have been
running about three days to within three
miles of Cascade City. Above the Daliss the
ice is piled up in places twenty feet do
not anticipate it will. be good travelling for q
month to come. You no doubt have accounts
Of the Indian depradations. The news of the
mines here is not so good as in Shasta. Gil
man Davis arrived here on the Brother JON
.than. from Shasta. The mail is closing. l
will give you more particulars next letter.
Yours, &c., SHASTA.
Coon ADVICE AT THE PRESENT CRISIS