The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-01-31

our arrival here some l4,00O feet have
bcen sold to parties in San Francisco, and
100000 worth of stock in one company
has been sold in London.
These facts speak more for the mines
than all We can say in detailed discrip-
ton. The weather continues mild, and
the general health Of the camp furnishes
the most fattering evidence Of a good
climate. There has never been case of
sickness or natural death since the camp
was discovered. Ralston is well laid out
and we'll situated, and is rapidly assum-
ing the proportions Of large town.
The short days peculiar to this season
Of the year, tend to paralyze the energies
Of the mechanics and miners, 90 that but
little work is being done, comparatively
but enough that every day developes
something new. AS class, the miners
are peculiar, especially old forty-niners.
Twenty years of rough and varied exper-
ience has made them so. Accustomed
alike to reverses and successes, they are
for the most part, happy in rude cabin
with side Of bacon, sack of flour,
barely sufficient in store for present want.
Step-dame Fortune is the only maid whose
favor they court or desire to win with
good pick and shovel, they are ever
sanguine and blessed with an intuitive
assurance that their efforts will sooner or
later be crowned with a golden-wedding,
succeeded by long honey of opu-
lence and ease. With but few exceptions
they succeed and secure large fortunes
but never having learned to bear the
charms Of prosperity, they are soon d.
vorced Of every dollar, and compelled to
begin anew. The present assayer in this
camp went to Virginia, Nevada, in '62,
where he made 100000 in two years.
He left there broke, and is now at work
for San Francisco Co. by the month.
Most of the miners here are from Cali
fornia, Idaho, Nevada, Montana and Col
orado. Many of them have peculiar and
significant nick-names. One having
body long enough for two, is called
Lengthy. Another, Whiskey Bill; this
individual has SO long irrigated internal
y with ardent spirits, that he looks like
portable lighthouse, or distillery on
legs. Another, the discoverer of these
mines, goes by the name Of Geological
Brown. This gentleman some time in
his life swallowed mineral dictionary,
and he accounts for all the mysteries of
mineral formation with as much ease as
Daniel interpreted the handwriting Oh
the waH. He will give you the precise
depth of all quartz formations, and tell
you at once whether it carries sulphurets,
chlorides, oxides, or "cowhides of silver"
As whole, they represent the different
phases Of human nature very correctly.
Some are firm, frigid and formidable
some furtive, fortunate and frugal some
foolish, false and frail and some are
fervid, faithful and friendly. As in
White Pine, we had the pleasure of lis
tening to the first sermon preached in
camp. 1t was delivered few weeks
since, by Rev. gentleman Of the Metho-
dist persuasion, from Chicago, by the
name of Cook. His text was the Lords
Prayer. His remarks were impressive,
and pleasing, and from his general ap-
pearance, we should judge him faithful
representative of the cause he has es-
poused. He wore a navy revolver and
was travelling with freig ght train, making
bis way to the Pimo Indians in Arizona,
where he designs establishing himself as
missionary.
He was out of money, and the miners
made him up purse Of SO, and he
went on his way rejoicing. With regard
to the desert-ship, Of which we made men
ton in former letter, new developments
have come to light. 1t proves to be over
200 feet long, deeply imbedded in the
sand, with her bow slightly elevated.
Mr.. Chas. Clusker, the discoverer, is now
engaged in exhuming this marine wonder
This bark that proudly breasted the
waves at time when its present grave
was at the bottom Of an ocean. Whence
came this ancient bark d? By what people
was it built? Who are they that it car
ried beneath the waves of an ocean lost
through time and change? Perhaps a
stray vessel from the combined fleets of
Israel and Assyria, that rounded the
cape of Good Hope in the days of Solo,
mon and Hiram, and returned laden with
the treasure from ports unknown to the
rest of the world. More anon as time
and change furnish material. Until then
we remain, Yours, truly,
E. W. P.