Year: 1866

CHgRoKEE FLAT. Dec. 3, 1866.


Ed REcoRD:-The late rains having started the
water, washing has commenced in earnest around
here The Cherokee Company, and the Eureka,
both had their hydraulic pipes running on Friday
last One or two smaller claims, having corraled
some water, are also washing. The rainy season
appears to have set in. The weather so far has
been propitioas for mining purposes, and claim
owners seem in good humor with themselves and
everybody else. As Cheokee is steady going old
mining camp I have heard ofno new strikes being
made The chief trouble and anxiety of the miners
here is to get water. They know from experience
that their claims will pay. There one or two COM
panies not ready for washing yeti but suppose there
has got to be last man in mining as well as there
is at the railroad steamboats,. Heretofore 1t
has been very common for the rainy season and ht-
igation TO go arm in arm together (like South Car
olina and Massachusetts, but at present no hostilI
ties have commenced; everything is quiet on the
Blue Lead and on the Sugar Loaf. Sometimes
puglistic display woald enliven the scene. Should
a Tom Sayres and Heenan exhibition take place
will endeavor to be on hand to see who draws first
blood the first knock down, etc. and if the paities
seem plucky, | shall invest an odd five dollar green
back on the result


have never yet seen place where the juvenile
population is numeronsy represented as it is at
Cheokee, with clean, healthy, good looking chill
dren. The married ladies seem determined to keep
up the quota of population regardless of conse-
quenees The crop of babies is sure and certain.
The rainy or dry season seems to have no effect on
them whatever. The seeming indifference and
recklesness with which some families go into that
business is fearful for Old bachelors To contemplate.


Thanksgiving day passed of as usual on such oc
casions The Ball was well attended, and a very
agreeable and social one Those fond of the light
fantastic toe, enjoyed themselves by swinging
around the circle from one line of the room to the
other. most excellent supper was provided by
the hostess Mrs Lewis The company separated at
a late hour, having spent very agreeable and
pleasant evening. The boys had some turkey
shooting The shooting rather indifferent, only
n few of the crack shots killing their birds. But
there was no one fired OF his ramrod, and then
very innocently asked the bystanders who had stol
en- it, like some parties wot of.


In speaking of thanksgiving, often ink the
pcople of this State have great for gratitude
and thanksgiving TO Him who doeth all things well,
for al, the blessings and privileges joy. Search
the great circumference OF the earth and then from
pole to pole, and where can you find the same num-
her of people enjoying the same prosperity and
health as we are? | answer none, and statistics
will carry out the assertion Providence has blest
us with most abundant and prolific harvest; the
Orchards and vineyards have also We'd with each
other in the production of their several fruits, and
everything that ought TO make people happy and
contented has been bouutfullyhestowed upon us;the
dread rayages of the cholera, and other contagious
diseases that have proven fatal to thousands i'll
the older States and in Europe have been unknown
to u.s. Except in some isolated cases, through
sickness or accident, poverty or want is unknown III
our midst. Not but that there are goodly number
ofpoor. hard working people, who have hard time
of il: but there is none of that real desttution
misery and want as We hear of in the old country
of Europe The following lines seem literally full
filed by California at the present time:


Oh mayst thou, free from hostile fear,


Ne'er the loud voice of tumult hear,


Nor wars wide wastes deplore.


Nav plenty near thee take her stand


And through thy courts with hallowd hand


Distribute all her store. MUDSILL.