The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-28
SATURDAY. DECEMBER as. 1872.
THE FoRTY-NrNERs.
Bret Harte gives tho characteristics
OF tho Pioneers and Gold Hunters
OF California.
rFrom the New York T,r,bune,J

from the New York Trsbune]
With Stciuway Hall we'll and brilliantly
filled in spite Of the rain and slush. with
platform crowded with the notable people
OF the city, Mr.. Bret Harte last night made
his first appearance before New York au-
dence, and achieved q most gratifying and
genuine success, His subject wax "The
Argonauts of 49," aud was handled ms no
other man living could have done it. Such
delicate humor, such fine, airy fancy, such
close and conscientious painting of charac.
ter. Is rare TO the lecture platforms, and our
lyceums are to be congratulated OH this last
and most welcome addition to their stars.
The lecture Of last night was not only good
writing, but good talking also. 1t was not
precisely the style Of Mr.. Harte's prose
sketches. There was far less of elaboration
and more breadth and ease Of treatment.
The descriptive passages were strong and
nervous. and were finely relieved by salec-
tions from that ineXhaustible treasury of
stories and epigrams in which Mr.. Uarte
rivals the great master who wrote PickWick.
1t was prominently popular lecture, for,
while everybody enjoyed it, these who cared
could see how perfectly it embodied the
poetry and significance Of the wonderful era
it portrayed. Mr.. Harte's manner is easy
and colloquial. aud his voice, while not very
strong, is clear and well managed.
He regarded the story Of the Argonauts Of
40, hs said, as an episode in American life
as quaint as that Of the Greek adventures
q kind of crusade without cross; an exo-
dus without prophet. It was not pretty
story; perhaps it was not even instructive;
it was of life Of which perhaps the best
that could be said was that it existed no
longer. For more than 800 years Califor.
MIA was of all Christian countries the least
known. 1t was set down on old English
maps as a very strange locality, and the his
tory Of its discovery was wrapped In Span.
ish tradition. Que Spanish discoverer re-
ported that he found it on q voyage from
the Pacific to Lake Superior. where he found
Yankee vessel from Boston. whose captain
informed him that he had come there from
the Atlantic only few days before. Along
the line of centuries the old freebooterS had
cruised along its shores and captured their
booty and plunder, and only within ten
years band Of gold-Ciggers came upon
large piece of wax in the broken ribs Of a
rotten ship. California heard and was ct
once fired with the discovery, and in a few
weeks they were searching the ruins for the
lost treasure of tho Philippine galleon, and at
laS: they found 4 few cutasses with the Bri-
tish broad arrow on their plates, which only
Sho we'd that the cnterprsing and gallant Sir
Francis Drake had been there before them.
These We're peaceful pastoral days for
California, when the Ange'us bells rang out
peacefully and summoned the good people
TO prayers and sleep before Q O'Clock every
night. They were happy, tranquil days.
But political and social earthquake more
powerful than any physical CONFUSION ever
known shook the foundation of the land,
and in the disrupted strata Of the land the
Glvori,e treasure suddenly glittered before
their eyes. Then change came upon them
suddenly, which had been strengthened bya
chain of circumstances. It was not the find
ing Of few grains of gold, but for years the
way had been slowly opening, and the doors
unlocked for the people who were to profit
Dy the discovery. The Ar5onauts were
iawleSs, irrcligious band Of men. They
were given to no supcrstitious rites, enhuscd
by no high ambition, and skept!cal even Of
the existence of the golden fields until they
saw them. Embarked in an adventure,
they accepted, in kind of calm philosophy,
whatever it might bring. "lf there is no
gold, what arc you going to do with those
suice-boxcs." :" said newly-arrived fortune
seeker to his friend. "They will make first
class coltinS," was the reply of n man who
had calculated all his chances. IF they did not
burn their vessels behind them, they at least
left the good ship Argo to lie idle at the wharf.
The sailors were shipped only for the outward
voyage. Nobody expected to return, even
# he anticipated failure. An Arsonaut
thought he recognized in the boatman who
pulled him ashore, and charged him the
modest sum of $50 for the favor, brother
cassmate of Oxford. "Wcre you not" he
asked, "senior wrangler in the class of
1S43t" "Yes," said the other, significantly,
"but was also stroke-oar in the regatta"
At my FIRST breakfast, continued the lee
turer. at 4 restaurant in San Francisco, saw
man whom l had looked upon as the per-
lection OF politeness talking with the guests.
The waiter remarked, He's mighty handy,
and can tulk elegantly TO customer as is
waiting for bis cakes, and Can make him for
set that he is starving" ] asked him il it
would he possible to Till his place. Il am
afraid not,H said The proprietor, with tone
Of suspicion, and lie added, significantly, 81
don't think you would suit" Laughter
1t was this wonderful adaptability, perhaps
it was the influence Of the climate that pro.
duced in them this element Of SUCCESS. Much
OF this adaptaDilIty was due to the character
Of the people. What that character was per-
maps it would not be well for me to say ut
least l should prefer to defer criticism until l
had arrived at safe distance from the his.
Iorian. In distant parts of the country they
had left families, friends, and in some cases
officers of justice, perplexed and bewildered.
There We're husbands who had deserted their
own wives, and, III some extreme cases, the
wives of others. Nor was it possible TO tell
from their superficial exterior whether they
were or were not named in this general
indictment Some of the best men had
The worst record, and some Of the
worst rejoiced in spotless Puritan degree.
The boys seem to have taken fresh deal
all round" said old John Oakhurst, land
there's no knowing whether man will turn
up iuck or king" 1t may be said of John
OakhurSt himself that he came of family
who regarded games Of chance us sinful, and
who had never believed man could be sue
cessful by them. "To think, }" said MI, Oak
hurst, after game Of ten minutes, by which
he made $1,000, 40 think as folks believe
that keerds is waste OF timel" Laughter
Such was the ch lracter and such the under
standing of the men who gave dominant
tone to the life of that period. But would
not have it inferred that there was no re-
spectability III morals among the people OF
that time; but their character grew, and the
strongest was not always the best. Let me
bring them nearer to You and sketch for you
two pictures-oue in their city by the sea,
aud one IN their little cabins in tue camps OF
the SierraS.
Mr.. Harte sketched the San Francisco of
1852, in winter time, when flour was worth
Srlt fNf