CALIFORNIA. THE GOLDEN LAND.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 368, 24 October 1849, Page 3

CALIFORNIA.

THE GOLDEN LAND.

The following notes respecting this centre of attraction are derived from a gentleman recently aimed in Adelaide per Phantom. As will be perceved, they differ in many important respects from the account! heretofore publ'ihed, and contain statistical details interesting to parties contemplating a trip to the gold region :— "The city of San Francisco ii situated on the south east side of the Bay of that name, at a distance of seven miles from the Heids, and exactly opposite the mouth of the Sacramento River. " Few harbours in the world can compare with this mngnificent bay, which is capable of accommodating 5^,000 sail, being upwards of fifteen miles in breadth, with deep water anchorage for vessels of the largest tonnage all the way from the Heads to three miles beyond the town, and navigable for sloops up. The vessels are moored and discharged at a few yards distance from the beach, which is sandy ; and as there is no surf, the want of wharves, &c, is not much felt at present. The town consists of about 1000 hnurrs of two and thr c stories, which are entirely constructed of wood, with the exception of one bnilt with bricks brought from Sydney as ballast, there being no stone in the neighb' uihood. Spacious shops and stores are to be seen fitted up in the European style, with about six respectable hotels, and an abundance of small drinking shops, as may be imagined from the fact that the trade is entirely free, there being at present no licence required for the vending of wines and tpirits. At every public-house an armed watchman is employed at from eight [to ten dollars per night, to protect the premises from danger by fire. The principal anicles in demand are dry goods, provision 8 , and liquors of all kinds, with the exception of rum, which is unsaleable. One of the most expensive luxuries is butter, which is from Bs. to 10s. per pound, and even in the best establishments is rarely seen at table more than one dny in the week. Pickles and preserved meats are scrcely to be seen in town, the consumption at the mines of these articles being enormous ; the former selling there at 30s. per bottle, such as would cost Is. 3d. in the Australian colonies. Ready-made clothing of all kinds may be procured cheaper than in Sydney ; but should any individual proceed to this El Dorado wMi a scanty wardrobe, forty-fire dollars would tie required for making a coat, exclusive of the material and trimmings, and four shillings is- the lowest price for which a single button will be attached to a garment. Porter, ale, and brandy are retailed at three dollars per bottle ; v hile fresh beef, being the principal article of 100d — tho country abounding with herds of cattle — is sold at the comparatively low price of 2d. and 3d, per pound. Salt provisions are also in great demand. The fixed population of San Franciico consists of about three thousand souls, including an average proponion of the female sex. It may not be out ot place here to oberve that female delicacy has in no instance hitherto been outraged, but the same respect pa : d as in all parts of the civilized globe. Life and property is equally safe as in any other country, the American laws being now in force. A large influx of immigrants in the iiiy occasionally takes place ; and it is only in such cases of momentary emergency that people are compelled to lie in the streets or open air as represented, as thee in possession of funds can obtain shelter, or pitch their tents ; and those who are destitute are at once obliged to accept employment or proceed to the diggings. Trade in the city is at all times very brisk, but more particularly during the three winter months ; when the mats of people congregate theie to avoid the severity of the season in the inteuor ; gambling, rioting, and inebriety being their chief occupation. Business is Almost wholly managed by the priucipals, few clerks being obtainable; notwithstanding fioin 300 to 500 dollars per month can be easily obtained for that description of employment. Board and lodging is at the rare of 20 to 25 dollars per week, exclusive ot washing, which is frpm 6to 8 dollars per dozen. Carpenters can readily obtain 20 dollars per diem ; whilst the ab •sence of bricks, and the scarcity of stone, render timber the only article available for building purposes, the price of which it 700 dollars for 1000 feet of sawn in boards from half- inch to one and a half inch in thick* ness. Timber in log is unsaleable, from the total absence of sawyers, who could readily obtain almost any wages the most elastic conscience could be found to demand. Houses in frame sell remarkably well ; and if the possessors can command sufficient assistance to open them as hotels or lodging-houses, a handtome fortune can be speedily accuu ulated. One party on leaving Sydney took with him the materials of an old «hed, which he sold on landing at California at j£l2o, and received £5 per day for nailing it together, although he was a mere novice at the art of building. A furnished house of six rooms lets at 800 dollars per month. ~ " Persons proceeding to San Francisco must entirely depend upon their own exertions, as domestic servants, cooks, and waiters not only demand from 300 to 400 •dollars per month, bat keep their employers in one continued state of anxiety from the suddenness of their exit from the city to the diggings, many individuals keeping hotels and boarding«houie& being at a mo Trent's notice obliged to abandon a lucrative business from their servants quitting their services, and being unable to procure uthere in their place. Blacksmiths, tinsmiths, and shoemakers are also in demand, and can obtain from fifteen to twenty dollars a day ; a pair of bootß sells at twenty dollars. Washing women and sempstresses make from forty to fifty dollars a day, and twenty-five dollars is the fixed price for making a dress or bonnet. Wood is the principal article of fuel, and sells at forty dollars a cord, which measures eight feet in length and fonr in breadth. 11 The Alta Cali/ornian newspaper is again resuscitated, the editor, printers, and other subordinates having returned to the city after a laborious and unsuccessful sojourn among the placers ; and judging /rom the following charges, their legitimate occupa-

tion ii likely to prore more profitable to them than the toils and privation* of gold-seeking. A tingle copy of the newspaper, printed on a demy sheet, ii sold at one dollar ; and three dollars ii the lowest price at which an adrertisement, even of three liaes, will be inserted. The publication of the newspaper is frequently stopped for a week or two together, in consequence of the still more profitable press of job printing, small hand bills being in great request from the number of cargoes constantly arriving on sale, and charged at the rate of fifty dollars per hundred. " During the months of February, March, and April last, about Are thousand individuals arrived by water at San Francisco ; the number arriving overlaud is bayond computation : but it is supposed at present the population must consist of nearly seventytwo thousand iouls ; and when that number is cor* | rectly ascertained, California will then be made a | State, which will enable the first applicants to obtain I land in any part of the country at one dollar per acre, and town acres at fifteen dollars. Fifteen months ago, an allotment of land of one acre in San Franciico was selling at fifteen dollars; the same quantity is now I worth from 15,000 to 20,000 dollars; and from the large number of people daily flocking to that place, there is every probability of the price of land advancing to a sum which at present is beyond concep* tion. " There are no banking establishments at California the cash of the merchants, tradespeople, hotelkeepers, and others being deposited for security in the Custom House, where a military guard is always on duty. The hotels are never closed, and the takings, which arerage £100 every twelve hours, are deposited at those peiiods in the Custom House as above for safety. Barmen are paid 504 dollars per month, and as the duty required of them is very fatiguing, tiro sets are engaged, who take day and night alternately. " A good draught horse is worth two thousand dollars in the town, the horses of California being unfit for working in harness, and imported stock much sought after. Seven thousand dollars is the price of a ! team of mules and waggon. A man w,th a horse and dray can eas ly make from seventy.fi ve to one hundred dollars per doy ; whilst a porter cannot be induced to carry a carpet bag or a small bundle a distance of two hundred yards under five dollars ; and should a murmur at the charge escape your lips, it is more than probable he will take a handful of gold dust from his pocket, and politely say he will • pay you to take it yourself.' " The custom laws lately put in force have opened a source of employment to numbers of young men as landing waiters, an officer of that description being placed on hoard every vessel on arrival, the Government allowing one hundred and twenty dollars a month and compelling the captain or owner of the vessel to supply board and lodging. Although the sum allowed by Government U under the current rate of wages, there are such numerous perquisites attached to the appointment as to induce many respectable pirties to accept it. "The climate of San Francisco is considered healthy, little sickness beini; experienced in ihe city, The most disagreeable month* of the year aie J,ti vary and February, when the south-east "iod prevails ; the remainder of the year is generally dry, the wind blow, inj from the north west."

The last accounts from the United State* furnish adTicei from California, which wtre brought by Lieut. Beale, of the U.S. Navy, in 44 days from San Francisco to Nevr Yoik. They come down to the 14th of April. The New York Herald says— •' The arrival of Lieutenant Beale in the Southerner, with this late news from California, and a lump of gold wei.hiug 81bs., threw Wall-street into a state of the greatest excitement and delight. Mr. Aspinwall, of the bouse of Holland and Aspinwall, was surrounded with crowds of eager brokers and merchants, all curiost to patch a glimpse of the 81b. lump. There wai no mistake about it. There was the pure gold fresh from El Dorado. No gold ever attracted more attention or was more coveted than that lump. We chall tee what iff ct it will have on stocks. On the 6th of May the steam-ship California arrived at Panama fiora San Francisco. When Lieutenant Beale left San Francisco she was to sail ia two or three day*; she therefore bringt two or three days' later intelligence which will reach us by the next arrival with the Uregoa's mails. The mails brought by the Oregon nd California were at the lithmus, waiting for the arrival of a steamer at Chsgres. The Oregon was to leave Panama about the 16th of May, on her return to San Francisco, and the California on the 26th for the same destination. There are several sailing vessels also there fitting up r or passengers. We learn that Lieutenant Beale has in his possession a watch, encased in a big lump of pure Californian gold, 23£ carats fine, with a brass cable chain, with large lumps of gold attached to every other link hammered in the roughest piofusion. Big lumps of gold were hammered together around the watch, till the whole, excepting the face, was encased in the precious metal. The key was a ' chunk* of gold, with the pipe inserted in it for use. Altogether, it was one of the ugliest looking, and richest, and moat valuable watches in ex istence. The Oregon, it will be remembered, left Panama on the 14th of March ; she reached San Francisco on the Ist of Apri l. We learn that labour was very high at San Fiancisco, and the quantity of shipping there very large. Many vessels were laid up. The price of goods had declined considerably, in con* ■equence of the stocks on hand, and still larger ones expected; the fall had been very material. There was no end to the gold ; its richness and abundance mor<> tban confirmed all previous accounts. Although he himself brought a piece weighing 81b , Lieutenant Beale assures us that he has seen a lump weighing 25lbs. He says that everybody is getting rich in California— that common labourers can almost tnnke a fortune. Lieutenant Beale speaks in very high terms of the California and Oregon. Among the crowd of emigrants pouring into California was Colonel Fremsnt. We regret that Lieutenant Beale is not acquainted with the quantity of gold shipped in the Oregrn. Moit of the article in the market is probably on board the California. The mow was mdiing very fast, and the placers were almost entirely clear. Companies were leaving S»n Franciico daily for the diggings, and miners constantly arriving with the products of their labours. The fare to Sutters Fort varied from 25 to 50 dollars accorditig to the conveyance. There is a great deai of drinking and gambling going on in San Francisco. Many of the gamblers who followed the American aimy through Mexico have gone to California, and by meant of roonte, roulette, and faro tables, fleece the natives very extensively. Lieutenant Beale ipeaks in high terms of the order main'ained by population on the placers as well as in the more settled parts. There are ftw disturbances of any kind, and owing to the strict administration ot a kind of extempore justice crimes have become less frequent. The only punishment is hanging. When a person commits any theft or outrage, he his brought before a Jury of twelve men selected for the purpose, who go through the regular forms of trial, and, if convicted, he is at once executed. Three men have lately been

hanged at the digging!, one of them for stealing a hone." Mr. Ptrrott, United Statei Consul at Mazatlan, hai communicated to the newspapers the following interesting particular! :— " But the richei of California do not consist in gold alone. All the precious metal • are there found, in greater or lets profusion, as well as the rarest and mott valuable jewels. Two mine» of silver have been lately discovered, one of which is known to but few persons, who jealously keep the secret. Platinum it also known to exist in considerable quantities. A rough diamond, nearly the s'ze of a hen's egg, has been found by one of the miners in the Sacramento Valley. General Vallejo, who was Mr. Parrott's informant, says that it was brought to him by the finder who demanded 180,000 dollars for it. Emeralds of large size are frequently met with, but their value is scarcely known. Three or four quicksilver mines have been discovered, one of which, a very rich deposit, lies between the Valley of Santa Clara and San Joaquim. The Forbes mine, however, ia the only one worked as yet. The extent and value of these quicksilver mines is not 1 equalled by any other locality ia the world. Beds of coal have also been found near the coast, bu cannot, of course, be worked under the present state o things. There are about fifty women in the town of San Francisco, twenty of whom are Americans. The arrival of a ship loid of female emigrants would be a cause of public rejoicing, and all the single ones would receive ofreri before they landed.

More Gold.— By accounts recently received w& are informed of tome further diecoreries of gold and silver in the United States. In the county of Monroe, North Carolina, a mine had been found which yielded very abundantly: four men in two days found 12flbi. iof the precious metal, and it wai daily picked up n more or less quantities. Another mine had also been discovered about nine miles from Charlotte Town which had been worked for several weeks. The vein was three feet wide, and averaged about 5 dollars per bushel of earth. Some negroes h>d obtained some with 30 and 40 dollars, snd one piece of metal weighed 8f lbs. In Georgia, also, several gold veins had been discovered. A local paper contains the following notice :—": — " A rich gold vein has recently been discovered on a lot belonging to Dr. M'Afee and others. This mine is about one mile south-west from Auraria, on the Etoirah River. We were at this mine a few days since ; litile ore had then been taken oir, but what we saw gave external specimens of the wealth within. Colonel H. W. Riley made 95 dwts of gold on a deposit with eight hands during last week. Messrs. Moore and Kennon have just opened a new vein on the Ezard lot, which they suppose will yield 2 dwts of gold to the bushel." In Maryland a silver mine had been discovered on a place called Red Hill, three miles south ot Boonsboro. Specimens had been exhibited, but they had not been analysed.