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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 5, 1 March 1849, Page 3

In the north western portion of the continent of America, gold, in its pure state, has lately been discovered in very considerable quantities. California, the country in which it is chiefly found, is a country in America, but has only within the last year attracted very general attention. The country always known as possessing many excellent harbours, and as having a healthy anil temperate climate, lint from its remoteness, and ilia circumstance of their being no governnient or protection, but few poisons resorted thither for any other purpo o than to hunt the wild cattle with which the place abounded. The earth about certain of the rivers, has mixed with it p;ceo3of gold, of about the size of very small seeds: this iNrlh is dug out and carried to ''.io wa.o.\ where, by carefully washing it, the gold is separated and saved. Some pie. Mvi of a larger size have been obtained, w:i ,';- ing almost as much as a inaskeJ bv.V.■■■[. A* considerable quantity of this .'.raid having been ■collected, it is carried down on the backs of horses and mules t» the seaport town of St. Krnncisuo, whore it is sold to the merchants, for American dollars, nirl bv them sent in ship; to America and England. This gold, when carried to the larger towns of America and England, will be melted and beaten into the'shape of dollars and sovereign?, nnd will have stamped upon it the symbol of the American nation, or the head of the Queen of England. Although gold h so plentiful in that country, it must not be supposed that all who go there will immediately become rich. There h but liltie food in that country, savo the Hc.'ii of (ho will cattle; and "those who looi; f>r gol.i are unable to follow and hunt or shoot down these for their support. From the circumstance of there, bciu;.' but little wheat grown in California, Hour ha; to be brought from the various towns in South America—a distance of a three weeks voyage and bread is consequently very in price.- Loaves are so dear as haif-a-crown a piece, and jiork is very scarce. The places whore the gold is found are long way in the interior of the country far away from the towns—and as the people are very eager to get the gold, they do not care about cutting timber or building houses: they therefore live in small and miserable huts, and many of the weaker people, who arc unable to bear the privation to which they nre thus subjected, fall sick, and their contagion being couuiuiiiU'ateil to others, great numbers die. P>ut although gold is so plentiful in that country, it is doubl'iii whether those English people who i:ii..'it wish to "-o would do a wise thin.,' i.y going thither from New Zealand. At present there i 3 no law amongst the numbers of people who are seeking the gold, a:idas these people are composed of individuals from many iliilcrent nation:;—l'.cople having different languages and different ideas —and whose vario:vi origin would induce mutual jealousies and contentions. Many persons also will be there, who, being too indolent io work, will rather steal the geld their neighbours have acquired, than be at ll:e trouble of seeking for it, and eurrving it themselves. Wo do not know that there is as yet any order established by tho Government in California; we are nearly certain that there are not yci any police or soldiers there. Now, wherever English people go, they like to establish some kind of force for their protection. A man who lias much property cannot always, day and night, he watching it against the thief ; nor, without men of war, would the small merchant vessel be secure from being at any time seized bv the lawless crew of a larger ship. And. so in this new gold country, the more of the gold the industrious man obtains, the greater is the probability of his having his throat cut while he is sleeping, or when alone, by those who find it easier so to acquire the wealth, than by laboriously collecting it. Amongst tribes such as those of New Zealand 'there is a degree of security which would not be found in California. In a tribe the interest of the chiefs, of the people of lesser interest, and of the slaves are the same, and they will mutually protect each other against a common enemy. But if in any island near New Zealand, say the Chathams, gold were to be suddenly fouud, and claimed

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