Year: 1861

TRUoKEE MEADOWS, N. T., April II, 6l.


EDITOR DDMoCRAT Since writing my last
letter l have paid another visit to Winnie
mucca Valley, have rode hundred miles,
made a Vaquero of myself, and assisted IN
driving into these meadows over four hun
dred head of cattle; have been on horseback
so much since leaving Downieville that that
part of my magnificent proportions which
comes next to the eaddle has become indura-
ted to such an extent that, on seating myself
upon hard -bottomed chair q noise is made
similar to that of dutch oven lid when it
comes in sudden contact with puncheon
floor. Our trip upon this occasion, was in
consequence of Winnemucca having sent
word that the cattle could stay there no
longer; so Huffaker and Evans, who owned
the herd, concluded not to risk them SO near
his headquarters. | had hoped to see the
old Chief on this trip but he was invisible.
However, your humble correspondent did
have the pleasure of standing in the presence
of loyalty, in the person of the second son OF
the old fellow, who is a very intelligent
looking Indian. He visited our camp for his
breakfast, and to sell some fish and buck kskin.
With them the trout season will soon be
over then comes the cricket harvest, the
happest time of all, and this year it will be
good one, for the country on the other side
Of the Truckee is literally covered with the
black insects, They are small yet, but to
use the expression Of Pah-Ute. bime.by
heap ketch him." smacking his lips in antici
patton of the delicious feast in store for him.
| think of going over to Pyramid Lake, and
enjoying the feast, when they do come in
season; and if | find more than | can man
age | will remember the gentlemen of the
Press


There is quite an excitement at Virginia
rich discoveries of coarse gold in the Goose
Greek Mountains AT first, some of the In
dians came in with large quantity of the
dust, and took out with them two white men.
Subsequently, one of the whites came in and
took out his friends, and every one who
could get horse, was impatient to hurry off
upon the track of those who had gone before.
Tomorrow | am going over to Carson and
Virginia, and will learn more of the particu
lars, and hope thereby to make my next
epistle more interesting than this miserable
one. Should there be any news confirming
the report, l may date my next from Goose
Greek; for never having, as yet, joined any
of those periodical excitements, | will do so
now, and as the sports say, "try to change
my luck"


Perhaps there is no country under the sun
where the struggle between capital and labor
is carried on to such an extent as it is in this
Territory, Labor discovers the mines, but
they soon fall into the hands of capitalists
sometimes 10y fair purchase, but too often
through the freezing-out" process. Other
men of means come in, establish saw-mills,
and lay claim to ali the timber for mile
around. Others, again, lay claim to all the
ground suitable for the construction of
road, and thus monopolise all the means of
getting to and from a market. They have
only to 60 before the Probate Court, register
their bill, pay the fee, and the claim has D
shadow of right, and is declared legal. The
labor element manifests itself by trudging
the mountain, blankets on back and pick in
hand, in quest Of new treasure. BY trimming
up the stunted jumpers, and nut pines. using
the limbs thus trimmed off as fence, to dis
tinguish the boundary of the plat thus
claimed, labor, also improves the land, once
thought desert and valueless, until now
houses and barns are studded plentifully over
the valleys, and the deserts are beginning
to blossom.


Yours ALIoTu