The Shasta courier., 1862-08-30
Letter from. Cariboo.
CARlBoc, Lightning Greek, y
.Julv 81 1850 =.

FRIEND COMFY In parting with you,
srcmised to write you from Cariboo. Well,
] have seen the elephant. For the last FIVE
or six weeks have opened several prospects,
but the bed rock did not pay, so that / have
been working till now for nothing. Here,
llike unto the kingdom of Heaven, many are
called but very few are elected. Out of
[thrce or four thousand miners who are ram
bling through these inhospitable mountains
in pursuit of fortune, there are about three
hundred people who have good diggings
the balance do not know which way to turn
themselves. Many who have come up here,
complaining of hard times in California, find
|cut, when too late, that they have fallen from
the frying pan into the fire. They will re-
turn back with very long faces, provided they
do not go'to their long homes, for Carihoo' S
climate has very deleteriols effects on man, $
constitution even horses and wild animals
cannot stand it. we have in the same day
sunshine, snow, rain, ard frost in the night.
There is no other corner of land in the whole
world where the strength of man fades away
so fast as here. We are wet by day and
night. The country is so swampy, SC bushy,
lthe bushes being always wet, and so thick
ny ,timbered, that We have the hardest kind
Eaftime to cut our way through. A man who
would know before hand what is in store for
hin, here. and who would still come up under
the present condition of the country and of
|things, ought to be horse. whipped three
|times day. If you or any of your friends
should like to have true picture of hell on
Eearth, as a matter of course would advise
E7ou to como up here.
h have no doubt but the first man who came
Ia to .Cariboo to hunt for gold was rene
'sssdn tic saeiety, stunning the Justice Of men,
and seeking. ike Cain, for the wilds.
Exerything hsro seems to be combined
against the miners best interests. Provis-
lsns are sold at an average of 81 so per
pound. and cash down. The country seems
to.hs given up to gamblers and a set of self
ish mercantile Jews, who call all means to
their aid, representing everything on the
bright side, in order to make you run into the
snare, When they have once rid you of your
money, in rabbing you in weight, aad in ev
cry other way they can, they sneer at you,
and it would be more easy for you to drive
nail into the moon than to get cent of
trust. When they sao your suaerings they
laugh In their sleeve, their looks meaning,
ssWell done, stupid, foolish people ~ A
harder set of people, or roughcr country !
havs never seen in my life. Honest, hard
working miners are the victims of set of
thieves. Robbery is carried on here on a
large scale, law seeming to be in pra;tice
dead letter. as it is utterly impossible for you
to bring to light the offenders. To stay here
under the circumstances, man ought to have
the very devil in him and still | am going
to drain the cup to the very dregs, and to
leave no stone unturnsd in order TO make
raise, But by no means would advise any
one to come up at present. Many miners,
dissatisfied with the hard prospects of the
country. are leaving now for Peace river
When once there they will find out, to their
great modification, that they have been sold
once more.
There are a few rich spots in Cariboo ; but
in spite Of its rich spots, Cariboo will prove
to be the most stupendous humbug of the
age about gold discoveries, by the great num-
ser of victims it will have made. and shall
s4st in th4 shade Fraser river. Gold Lake,
Kern river, &f.,, and still l must confess
that few lue.--oJ s--hav4made a
fortunes in the spacaSf few months. q MS
has been enough to make ones mouth wa
tft. But remember that exception is no
ride. Respectfully, yours, &c,
3. DEFFIs.