Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-09-16
LETTER FROM PATTY PRIM."
SAN FRAxcIsco, September lst, 1871

!
the mountains. Well stayed there until all the
mining claims had been visited that were worth
visiting, and can assure You that the hydraul-
ic mining at Gold Run is worth seeing. Didn't
half dozen of us sit for two hours in the burn
ing sun, waiting for bank to cave and how
rapidly we "scattcred - when it did cave and
sent the rocks flying in all directions; nobody
was hurt, and VIC had the satisfaction of wit
Messing the tumble" of perpendicular bank
over one hundred feet in height. We also Wis
tied the Yuba ditch (but looked in vain for the
"Yuba dam" the story is told of); went "up
the 1ume" and enjoyed it hugely The scenery
is charming as you go up the Bear Valley to the
bead of this ditch where it taps the river, to
convey the water.down TO the hydraulic claims
about twenty miles below. To the right, one
sees long line of snow-sheds, apparently cling
ing to the steep mountaip side. II ever incliued
to fish, 60 to Crystal Lake near Cisco, and see if
you can refrain from iuduging in raptures, and
all the adjectives you can think of, expressive Of
its beauty l was so engrossed looking ut the
hierogyphcs on the rocks, that | nearly forgot
there were any fish until recalled by such pow
erful bite as to nearly pull me into the water
After five weeks of delightful enjoyment of
mountain airs and mountaineeFs, / returned
home 10 San Jose, from whence as you see, |
took a ''new departure" and came to the me-
tropolis TO attend the Fair in common with
hundreds of other "cOanty cousins" If you
have been to the Fair, and "know how it is
yourself" there is no use talking, if not, and
- Barkis is willing I'll iot down few of the
items;
The Pavilion is tastefully decorated with ever
greens and profusion of flags those of all ma
tjons are seen, but the cred, white and blne'
predominant. You enter-eyerybody and their
wives are there-but you push your way along
till you come to the cologne fountain Here if
very fortunate, you may be able 10 obtain II seat
probably the first who attracts your gaze will be
the " Belle of the Fair" There she is; gor-
geousy arrayed in dozen or more different col
ors on her mead, surmounting an enormous
mass Of rolls, braidS and curls of somebody's
else hair, she wears high-crowned turban hat
with saucily turned up brim, three huge pink
roses and a long white feather Her creamy,
beautiful complexion she buys by the bottle
her eyebrows are carefully adjusted, in color
nearly black, while her hair is very light-the
most approved shade of golden-a - tow head "
it wond have been few years ago beladonna
gives her eyes n sparkle, while long dark line
drawn at the base Of the penciled eye-lashes is
supposed to improve them her cheeks touched
with rouge and lips with coraline salve the
Lar ,p1a lint
sometimes, not often, by one unshiled in anato.
my. The rest OF her ''makc-up" is both fearful
and wonderful. 7 must confess though, that
after having seen this same damsel in all her
glory of dress and lavish ornaments, my eyes
turn with relief to yonder modest couGtry maid
en- as she drops her eyes before the stare Of the
haughry belle, and clngs tighter to the arm of
her escort, for hers is the true beauty-nothing
false about those glossy cuTls laughing eyes
and rounded dmple cheek Now you have seen
the BELLE and recovered breath, you pass on,
perhaps to the picture gallery. There are some
fine paintings one group of Indians around
their camp fire, the moon rising in The back
ground-tbe effect Of the freight upon the dusky
figures standing in bold relief against the dark
background is very fine another that attracts
attention on account Of its beauty is that Of
Roman carrying off his Sabine wife--he is not
dressed in exact Roman costume, and fancy
she is several shades lighter than the original
Sabines, but these are the painters privilege
while making charming picture to delight our
gaze. The Japanese and Chinese departments
are very interesting, especially TO Eastern visit
ors. The Japs must have fertile Imagination
or they would never have produced those won
derful figures on their vases, ETC.; what they
represent, II would be hard to tell The exhibit
OF machinery is very fine one / noticed in par
tcular, the diamond drill is worked by steam
power. The machine used in tunnels has sever
al hollow iron rods, around the orifces of which
are set hard black diamonds, found in Brazil
and Africa the swift turning of the drill eats
its way into the granite or marble when the
tube is withdrawn long bar of stone is obtain
ed, and a hole of corresponding size left in the
stone The blasting drill has one tube only
the hole is bored to the depth wished, and nitro
glycerine poured in and exploded, after which
common powder completes the work. This will
bore from thirty to sixty feet an hour. fancy
this instrument will be of great use in taking
ore bearing rock from mining shafts, and in tun-
neling much quicker and easier than by bncket
aud windlass. Having so recently come from
the mines my eyes were open to anything per-
tanning to them, this may explain my being in
Aerested in noticing invention which much
facilitates the "picking up the gold on the
copper plates covered with quicksilver, oy cleo
'ro-silver plating the "copper" the quicksilver
readily adheres to the plate, which was before
lor bed " attracts universal attention, when
closed il has the appearance of handsome sec
retary aud writing desk, occupying no more
room than they usually do; touch to the