LATER FROM CALIFORNIA. (From the Polynesian, October 28.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 280, 3 February 1849, Page 3

LATER FROM CALIFORNIA. (From the Polynesian, October 28.)

We have received, per Mary Frances, dated, from San Fraucisco to the 9iti of October, and a file of the " Californian" to the 7th. The news from the gold region it more cheering than ever, to far as an abundance of gold is concerned. — New discoveries are being daily made. At Sonoma, on the not tl) side of the bar at Santa Rosa, and in the neighbourhood of the Ciudxd de los Angeloi, gold has been found in ai great abundance as on the American Fork. The amounts taken in a day are reported to be enormous. In what are called the " dry digging " enormous pieces of solid gold have been taken out of the rock. We will not pretend to state what sze the largest piece found is said to be ; but one piece which has been brought to the islands weighs five ounces.— An enormous quantity of gold has been taken from the earth. RisStfg of 100,000 dollars worth of gold came in the Mary Fran<es\ The abundance of gold, and the ease with which it is acquired, have not been at all exaggerated m the accounts which have reached this place. On the other hand much sickness preraili, on account of exposure, and the irregular minner of living which those engaged in digging are obliged to submit to — A gentleman from the mines informs us, that niuetenths of all who have gone up to the diggings have been taken sick, either on the ground, on their pasiage down, or on their arrival at San Francisco. Doubtless much of the sickness is owing to dissipation and consequent exposure. The fever-and-ague season has past, but the bilious and intermittent fevers still prevail to an alarming extent. A gentleman fiom the coast informs us that hundreds were lying sick at Sutter's Fort, unable to procure a passage to San Francisco, and suffering for want of attendance and the,necessaries of life. Many deaths have occurred bt which no notice is taken. The eiprme of living is high. Board and lodging, three in a bed or on the fl tor, twenty dollars to thirty dollars per week, at San Francisco. Fork, 50 dollars per barrel at San Francisco, and 20 ) dollars at the mines. Provisions are not scarce but exorbitantly high. Such an influx of population renders it impossible to procure any accommodations. Every house, shanty, and shed is crowded, nnd still the wonder is where all find places to sleep. We are told that five dollars per night has been paid for lodging— and that on a ninepin alley. As might he expected under, such circumstances, there is much dissipation and gambling. A gentleman who formerly reoided here writes, that he lias seen more gambling there in one day than he ever law in all his life. In such a state of society it will not be strange if quarrels arise which will result in bloodshed, At present the law is in a measure powerless, but we h ipe and trust that there will be found among those who congregate there, a sufficient number of lovers of good order to preserve quiet, and punish those who may be guilty of crime. San Fiancisco is increasing slowly, it being impossible to erect many buildings at the present high rate of wages TUe Califorman notices a new hotel and a new store in process or erection. Mechanics and labourers cannnot be procured at any rate, all preferring to take the chances which digging presents to working for even 10 dollars a day and board. The whole fleet of vessels —twenty-five in number— lying in port when the Mary Frances tilled, could not muster fitly men, all hiving deserted and gone to the mines. The ship Huntress and brig Belfast, from New York, with full cargoes, had arrived. Tne Belfast disoiarged her cargo on Clarkes wharf, at the foot of Broadway, and is the first vessel that ever discharged a cargo there without lighters. This the Editor of the Ca«fqrnian con»iders a new era in the history of the country, and urges upon the Common Council and Citizens the importance of having more wharves completed immediately. The arrival of two American cargoes, and the importation of such quantities of goods from this place, had produced a slight reaction in the prices of some kinds of goods. Real estate has advanced in price. A vacant lot on the corner of Montgomery and Washing 1 on streets has been sold for Itf.OOO dollars : so says the Editor of the California.!*, — <who, by the wayi recommends the getting up t theatre as a means of improving the state of society, of whioh be says there is a great lack. Through the politeness of a friend, we hate received copies of shin-plasters which are about to be issued in order to provide for the great lack of a circulating medium. The denomination are 10, 25, and 75 cents, and 10 dollars, made puyabla in gold dust at 17 dollars per ounce, onjdemand, at the office of deposit for placer gold, if prevented m sums of not less than 16 dollar*. There was a great scarcity of specie in the country. Gold dus: hiul been received at the Custom House as a pledge for the payment of duties ; but its reception was longer refused, except at such extremely low rates as to ensure the realization of duty in cash by a forced sale of the gold dust at auction. The duties being payable in cash, the large importations hate had the effect to entirely drain the market of specie. While gold dust continues to be in payment f»r goods at the rate of 19 dollars per ounce, it commanded ooly from 5 to 10 dollars an ounce in cash,. An auction sale of gold dust deposited as- security for the payment of duties, was shortly to take place. This scarcity of a circulating medium will uot ex st long. Lsrge quantides of gold dust have been sent to Peru and Cntle to be returned in specie ; and over 100,000 dollart have

•Irtady gone from here, beside the amount shipped to' Mazatlan and the United State*, to be ' returned in* ipecie. Governor Mason has, we understand, recommended to the government at Washington the eilab. lUhmrnt of a mint in California, and so toon as that ii established, specie will be exported instead of imported. The Laura Ann, Perseverance, and Tepic, although exc'udpd from the right of entry by the strict interpretation of the United States revenue laws, were allowed to enter their cargoes. We are glad to see that Gov. Mason has, in these cases, at&umed a discretionary power ; for we believe that under the peculiar circumstances — California under military rule having invited ships of all , nations to become general carriers — the government at Washington will cordially approve of his conduct. Our private letten speak in high terms of Governor Mason. California will, for the next year, need a prompt and efficient government to preserve peace and order. An intelligent correspondent says :— " Most of those from the islands have left for the diggings, sanguine of success; but F fear some of them will come back ditappointed and sick."

Mineral- Wealth op California.-— According to indication! which have recently some to light, there ii every' proipcct that in the accession of California, the United States have made a very valuable acquisition. We have, on a former occasion, dwelt upon the commercial and agricultural resource* of tint country, but, great as they are, they link nearly into insignificance when compared with the immense mineral wealth of that region. By accounts recently received from there mines of quicksilver of extraordinary wealth have htni discovered, the richness of which is almost incredible. In one mine, owned by an Eng'ish house in Mexico* named Bai'ron, Forbes and Car., a few workmen, with the rudest description of mining implements, and at an expense very trifling indeed, have been for some time past procuring quicksilver to the value of 3)0 dollars per day. When proper implements and machinery, which have been contracted for in England, shall have arrived, this company expect to produce immense quantities of this valuable metal. As it is at present, they cannot work to advantage. A lew pickaxes, crowbars, and a small lot of common pots, constitute all the implements at work. Yet, with these rude and imperfect meaos, they produce wealth to the amount of 3'JO dollar* per day. Now that this valuable te ritory has been annexed to the United States, we may look for «n early derehpement of those great mm ral resources of California. American skill and ingenuity will aoon manifest their presence there, and when directed to these immense mines, will no doubt, reap their due reward. As it is, the ice has already been broken ; for we perceive that an association of enterprising Americans, known as the Santa Clara mining Company, have purchased a mine of great richness, which they propose to work as soon a* they can have their machinery completed and transported thither. An accredited agent of the company is now in New York, making the necessary preparations for commencing the enterprise. This mine we understand, is extremely prolific, and is most admirably located. It u within thirteen miles of the Bay of San Francisco, and six of the village of Puebla Jose de Guadalupe, with abundance of fuel in the immediate neighbourhood, and a straight and level road runt from the miae to the main avenue that connects Monterey with San Francisco. The ore has been tested on the spot in an exceedingly primitive manner, viz., by placing it in a musket barrel, and applying fire to it; but even with this imperfect test, it yields 30 percent of its weight in pure metal. This is the first blow that American enterprise has made at the mineral wealth of California ; but it, no doubt, will be followed up, until the resources of that part of our territory shall have been fully developed, and quicksilver as regularly expor ed from there as breadstuff's) and coiton are sent from the Atlantic cities. Indeed judging from the accounts that we have received of the mineral wealth of California, quicksilver is as easily mined there, and is as abundant in the mine of tbii American company, and iv that of the English company, as coal is iv Pensylvania. Mexico, we suppose, will be the best imrket for the products. The gold and silver mmes of that country will hereafter, no doubt, be more extensively worked than ever ; and a* quicksilver is an indispensable agent in the business, theie will be a constant and steady demand for it,— This American mine is so rich, we are informed, that thb gentleman who surveyed it, under the direction cf the government, was so much affected by salivation, that his mouth was sore for a period of ten days afttr he had concluded the survey. We believe that Mr. Thomas O. Larkin, the United States Consul at Sin. Francisco, was the first American who appreciated tLe value of the mineral resources of California, and he s the secretary of this new Santa Clara Mining Company. We further lmrn, that specimens of the oro from this mine are in the hands of a scientific chym st of this city for analyzation. It therefore appear* tl at in acquiring California, tha Un ted States have become - possessed of an extremely valuable acq action. What with the splendid harbaur of San Francisco, and the agricultural and mineral resources of that country, California promises to be the most valuable portion ot our territory.— New York Herald.

Anecdote op the Insurrection. — At the barricade of the Fiace Maubert, in Paris, a young Gur c Mobile boldly mounted, amidst a ihower of ball* to teize a flag. At the moment he put his hand on tl c no >hy an insurgent presented his muiket at Lim, ai d ' was on the point of firing, nhtn the boy exclaimi d* "Tush! your p : ece is not loaded." Themsurg.nt mechanically moved hit musket to assure himself of the fast, and in an instant the boy »hot him dead, md descended with his fl g, ming ing his own laugh er with the applause of hi* comrades, " What foo's tl eie fellows are/ said he to an officer who ernbmced him with enthusiasm, "they don't even know what they are ataut." This boy, who Ivas already been mentioned in the French journali, was bet«ee.i 15 and 16 ye-trs f age, and wis decoraid by General Cuvuignic. During the fighting he r oeited balls in four different placet, and was otherwise wounded. A Modern Heroine.— At th; Palais de Justice yesterday— says the Droit— -was observed a youn^ woman, between 18 and 20 years of age, in the costume ot a vivandiere, and wearing on her breast the Cross 1 of the Legion of Honour. The following 1 weie the o'reumstances which made her merit thu r compense,, so rarely granted to a woman. At the barricade of the Rue St. Jacques, a tremeudous firing from the insurgents made the assailuots for h moment hesitate ; nut the young vivaadiere advanced alone, kword in hand, mounted with intrepidity the formidable barricade, and seized the ftdg, after cutting off the hand of tie mau «ho held it. The Gardes Mobiles and the Gardes . Natiouales, inspired by her courage,, rushed, in a body, to the assault, and carried the barricade. In tome, of the towns of Germany the itinerant vendors of femah finery have started * new and iflresistibl* method of attracting customer*. They, taint un -ed that, a magnificent ihawl — fun chafe d' honneurj — Till daily be presented to the handsomest woman iliat ma^" grace their ialc<roo.ni with, ker pmscucc..