, 1876-12-31
CALIFORNIA IN 40.
Some Soensa and Incidents Of Those EARLY
Days.
For Tne Tribune.

sight, the pure atmosphere rendering the
| branches Of the distant trees perfectly distinct
! from our far-seaward position.
TIE THRAsHER AND LEv1ATHAN.
OF the "Golden Gates - we had close view
Of desperate encounter between two thrashers
and very large whale
The thrasher Is a large fish Of the shark spe-
cies, thirty feet in length when fully grown,
| and, in company with the sWord-dsh, 1t wages
frequent var with the giant OF old Oceans
depths, as against q common foe, the sword
fish attacking Leviathan from beneath and fore
ing him to the surface, when the thrasher fastens
upon him with his teeth, and, raising his tail
aloft, inficts trem mendous blows upon its back.
We stopped our engines for half hour, when
the poor whale seemed nigh exhausted, and the
sea for rods around was crimsoned with marks
OF the bloody fray. -*~
After standing oH-and-on throughout the
night, on the 21st OF March ne entered the
Golden Gate and stood into San Francisco Bay,
anchoring Just astern Of the Pacific Mall steam
ship California, Capt: Cleve Forbes ian old
schoolmate OF mine at Woodbridge, N. il and
in the midst OF urge feet Of vessels Of various
rigs and nationalitcs.: We were soon boarded
bY shore-boat, aud learned that all the reports
we had previously received only shadowed forth
the realities Of the
wEAL'W OF Ell DORADO.
Every ship in port WAS almost deserted, and
officers and crews were digging among the In
land places.
: Board alone was so per week, and lodging
was not to be obtained for love or money.
Hundreds Of adventurers were daily arriving
from Valparaiso, Lima, Mazatlan, aud the
One chap who boarded Us was very loquacious,
and by his wonderful yarns be succeeded IN
making our sailors and firelnen almost frantic
to get among the golden hills and streams.
But they-poor fellows! had signed articles
for two years. service In Uncle Sam's employ;
and, when doub1e-od1cer watch was set, the
boats all hoisted up aud diyested OF oars and
oarlocks, to prevent the possibility Of an escape,
they went of grumbling to their cheerless
bunks, to dream OF Ounces, but to touch them
not.
PRICES OF LABOR
The Parker House was in process OF construe-
tion at the time Of our arrival, and as carpenters
we're very scarce, the owner gave ous ships
carpenter $50 per diem, and found him :" at at
that, though he was poor workman, OF the
class denominated HHood-spoilers.n
Laborers received from s10 to S12 day for
ightering, and doctors charged (and received,
too) an ounce-$1G-for single visit and
AN ORDINARY MEAL.
I well remember my first meal in San Fran
cisco at that time; for had been there twenty
years before, for water.
=, Walking past = tent, IN company With Capt.
some boiled eggs and a coffeerpot On dry7goods
box, and, feeling rather hungry, We asked We
could get some breakfast there. @Of course
We could" So in NC walked into the 1y-tent)
and ordered two eggs each, two cups Of coffee,
ea ca Ff m ees et q b Es eT aosrs sa's
pleasantly responded our host; "eggs 81,
coffee ST, toast 81; total, $3!"
Very satisfactory itemtzing: sowe settled"
(which was more than onr coffee had doneb aud
then we s. varnosed that ranche.n
REPORTS FROM THE PLACERs. :
had not been idle from the time We enjoyed
the pleasant interview with jolly Capt. Bell in
the Magellan Straits, but, with the help Of the
armorer and soilmaker Of the Edith, had
finished comfortable tent, and had good Bup~
ply OF mining implements in readiness for my
use among the gold-laden streams OF Cali
fornia.
Dodging around among the stose-tents, where
men from the mines were congregated selling
their dust aud making their purchases, listened
to all their stories, with an eye to future otera-
tions. .-.
One old chap took out his buckskin bag to
pay for some articles, and was attracted by
the size and beauty Of the "chfspas," or Jumps
Said /, "My friend, I have just arrived, and
would like yonr advice as to the best locality in
which to try my luck at gold-huntlng."
"Waa}, now, str: =nger,n said ha e knew him
for man from "Pike Keonnty ~ never
leetle fellers out Of the Spanish Lar [stanislau]
diggins, and THERE'S plenty more just like lem
there; that's all know. Bat, mister, mind ye,
don't b'licve anything ye hear in Californy, and
only halt wot ye see an that's my advice ye
did want 1t, aud never had more sensible
advice given me in my life than that OF my old
"Pike keounty' friend in Frisco.
STARTING FOR TIE MINES.
All p. III. ca :he 97ts OF March, 1eae, bsae
on board the little Edith, and took passage in q
small sloop, the Diam, for the Town OF Stock
ton,-a day and nights sail for which paid
French, Germans, Mexicanos, with three
Yankees besides myself, composed the motley
ers .peeped from every belt, and boot, aud
The beautiful san Pablo and suisnn Bays
were rapidly passed, by the aid OF suspicious
westerly gales, and Te soon Glided INTO ths
sau Wakecn. The tule Is & sort OF mammoth
rush. which lines nearly all Of the California
streams to great extent; beyond which, on the
banks Of the river through which We were rap-
idly gliding, herds Of deer and antelope Te1e
sails as we were sweeping up the stream but
lntely SO quiet and secluded.
STOCKTON.
In due course Of time we reached the Village
OF Stockton-if one house and score or SO OF
tents might be dignifed With the title But do
not smile; for, within that single house and
those swaSing tents, saw. gold enough to buy
up State Legislature, or lay q telegraph cable
around the globe.
Haying shipped my sfp1undcr," tools and
proVand, on an oI-wagon at the low rate OF 81
per pound transportation to Sonora, distance
of snty-hve miles, started on foot, and, travel
ing for four days over spreading plains and amid
mountain scenery, the whole face OF
the country teemfng with beautiful -varfegated
flowers Of every imaginable hue almost, l
reached the
.sp1da1N's' - on WOODS CREEK,
aud, from lofty eminence, beheld the busy
groups eagerly washing the sands OF the gold !
laden streams.
The road for miles was thronged with sonos-
anians with long lines OF pack-mules,-some
upward bound, hea7il; laden, while others we're
going to Stockton for fresh miner-supplies.
I dropped down lelsurely towards the creek,
and hailed three Americans, whom asked what J
success thev were having. "About an ounce |
(s16) day per manm Well, thought I, that is !
lar better than hammering against old 0cean's !
gales and waves for scantJ pay; 90 ] camped !
down among some Chilenos, and, tired and |
dusty, was soon Ia the land Of Nod, and |
Il. ~ = IL -f~N