Year: 1868

On Saturday, for the purpose of seeing
what progress is being made in the develop
ment OF the mineral resources of the famous
Rail Road Flat and West Point districts,
and to form more intimate acquaintance
with those readers Of the CHRONICLE who
are noncmaniacs on tn subject of arrearago,
we visited the cas-; ;ein mining portion of the
county. We made tie trip on horseback.
Equestrianatin5 IS thought by some to be
delightful recreation by others it is consid-
cred very heathful exercise, and there are
those even who think to sit q horse properly
is great mplishment. So far as our
experience has taught US. however, those
who like 1t are welcome to all the pleasure,
vigor and grace which it imparts. In the
future we prefer to walk. How in the world
1t can be pleasant, healthy or graceful to
pound along over these rough roads on a
horse which plants his feet every step as
solidly as though they were pile drivers, is
more than we can imagine. That it has a
tendency to make fellow 'tough." may be
true; but the viscous operation is terribly
annoying to the seat of ones pantaloons.
None should ride horseback but those who
are adiposely inclined our anatomical
structure partakes too much of the gothic
style of architecture to admit of any degree
of comfort while astride an equine. An ex-
hausting "jounce" of six miles brought US to


RICH GuLcH FLAT,


a camp once famous for its rich placers. ].
L. Hoey, Esq, mine host of the excellent
hotel in that place, received US with that
urbane hospitality for which he is noted,
and under his fostering care we soon forgot
our troubles. An acceptance of his kind'in-
vitation to stake scat" however, awaken
ed rem niscences Of our ride more poignant
than pleasing. Like the generality Of min
ing camps at this season of the year, Rich
Gulch is dull, but the prospects for the fu-
ture are fattering. Quite number of gravel
claims are being worked and paying we'll
Work on the quartz leads in that vicinity,
has not been commenced this Spring. but ac-
tive preparations are being made, and the
coming season will develope the fact that
Rich Gulch is On the great quartz belt which
extends nearly through the State. Miners
in that locality are energetic and industrious,
and with the assistance of the capital prom
ised, success is certain. Purchasing a new
rawhide with which to keep the flies off our
horse we rode on. A short distance above
the fiat, close by the road, an aboriginal
"acorn milf' was in full blast. A small
piece of bedrock had been cleaned off and
around it were sitting four or five female
Wallas, with large rocks in their hands, with
which they kept time pounding acorns into
mast. We would describe their dress but
for the reason that they had dispensed with
that article entirely. Talk about the Black
Crook. Umph! They "outstripped' the
ballet girls immeasurably. No more COM
parison between them than there is between
a Winter dressed Greenlander and a FIJI.
Our face was suffused with bushes, and
turning our head, we urged our horse to the
top of his speed. Stopping a few moments
at the "Glencoe" to chat with our friend,
Colonel Rust, ride of four miles over a
gently undulating country, through forest
of gigantic pines which rear their lofty heads
almost to the skies, monarchs which
have withstood the blasts of centuries, we
reached