CALIFORNIA.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 406, 6 March 1850, Page 2

CALIFORNIA.

It might naturally be supposed that the visit to our port of the American barque Smyrna, 60 days from San Francisco, would have placed us in possession of recent and full intelligence from California. But we have not now to learn for the first time that the selfishness of the masters and owners of vessels in this gold-trade, sometimes — happily, in but few instances, however — leads them to lock up within their own breasts any information which may be turned to a profitable account by others. The intelligence in the possession of such parties may be of importance; — more frequently it is only such as we had already obtained, or may expect soon to obtain from other sources; — but important or not, we have no means of compelling persons connected with shipping to disclose more than they choose respecting even the most public affairs which have come to their knowledge. We can only leave them to that justice of public disapprobation and contempt which they merit and are sure to receive. Such intelligence as has oozed out from the folk of the Smyrna, is to the effect that a fire had consumed some leading streets in San Francisco, and that the new city of Stockton had also suffered greatly from the devouring element; that sickness extensively prevailed, and that the rate of wages for labour was falling. Contradictory reports have been circulated respecting the prices of various articles; but they are scarcely worth notice, as any man who endeavours for sordid purposes to suppress truth which from its public character ought to be regarded as justly public property, will not be likely to pay a very scrupulous attention to the truth of what he does say, — that is, if strict veracity would militate against his own schemes. We are informed, however, on the authority of letters received in this town, that Timber (New Zealand especially) and Potatoes continued to command high prices, and that woollen goods were found a safe and remunerative import. The Hobart Town papers which reached us by the Isabella contain several communications from parties who had emigrated from that colony by the Harriet Nathan; but they are considerably older than the news which, weeks since,

we published, (nearly all of them being dated as far back as October); and, on close examination, we find scarcely anything in them worth extracting, as they are chiefly made up either of local references with which we have little concern here, or statements of prices which may long since have altered; while the general descriptions of the place and its prospects vary widely according to the temperament of the writers, or the measure of success or disappointment which had attended their respective efforts in the land of gold — and of uncertainty. The Hobarton Guardian of the 13th ult., however, has a summary of Californian news to the 5th of December — (a very short time, it will be observed, before the sailing of the Smyrna) — from which we extract as much as seems to have any general interest:— We perceive that on Saturday evening, November 24th, a meeting took place at the Odd-Fellows Hall, San Francisco, of the Members of the order of OddFellows, for the purpose of rendering aid and assistance to all such as may stand in need of aid during the inclement season of the year. We are glad to see that the "Order" is flourishing in the land of Gold, and extending the hand of Charity to those who may require aid. Several banks and public buildings are in the course of erection. On Wednesday, the 28th November, a large quantity of land was sold in San Francisco, by order of the City Council. Many of the people who left Hobart Town are doing remarkably well in California, while some few others are in a most miserable situation, and wish themselves back again. Provisions are very scarce and dear, and in consequence of the great demand for flour, &c, &c, for the Californian market, a rapid rise is expected in our wheat and other eatables. In the market, timber, had gone up within a few days to 400 and 450 dollars per thousand, and as there was but a very small stock on hand, it would probably advance still higher. Messrs. Faulkner and Leland of the Pacific Weekly News, say:— "We were shown some potatoes yesterday, (Nov. 20th,) in the Fulton Market, that were raised in Montery, five of which weighed four pounds." The British barque Collooneg, Livingston, from Oregon, via Vancouver's Island, has been seized by Colonel Collier, the collector, for a violation of the revenue laws, in bringing a cargo from one American port to another. We have been favoured with a copy of the following correspondence from a gentleman who left this country a few months ago for California:— San Francisco, Nov. 27, 1849. Dear Sir, — Here we are, at last, at the wonderful land of gold, and wonderful it is, sure enough— for even the most exaggerated accounts I ever heard in Hobart Town fell far short of the reality. The place itself is the most miserable you can imagine — up to the knees in mud at every step during the winter, and in the summer a scorching sun, and never such a thing as a drop of rain known. The houses are few, and those of wood; the tents numerous, and owing to the great quantity of rain almost the whole of the inhabitants of the latter are a sickly, fever, ague, and rheumatic set; in fact, most of them put me in mind of churchyard deserters, that lie in the streets and die like dogs; and often do the authorities have to pay dearly for their burial. Such a thing as robbery or murder is almost unknown. Property of all descriptions lies about the streets and is never touched; this arises from the strictness of the laws— for the first offence they cut a man's ear off, and brand him on the cheek with a T; for the second, or first, if a bad one, a fellow is lugged before the Alcalde, sentence passed and executed in about half an hour, is quite common here. Heaps of people arrive daily from the diggings— many with large quantities of gold. The generality of them walk into a gambling house, and most of them lose their all; many instances have occurred, and one since we have been here, of men losing a large swag, going home and shooting themselves. Many of our passengers are on shore working as labourers at $2 per hour, some at $10 per day, and so forth; but all this is a mere nothing, for you must pay a dollar per meal and two per night for your bed; in fact there is nothing less than a dollar; so that five shillings per day in Hobart Town is quite equal to five dollars here, besides having the comforts of a house and dry bed. The gambling houses here astonish the whole of us; fancy going into one house and seeing five-and-twenty tables with games of all sorts, the sums standing on them varying from two to ten thousand pounds, with lumps of gold as big as my fist among it; this is to be seen every day at scores of places — in fact, money appears like dirt in value. Mr. — told me he and three others went into an hotel, sat the evening, called the bill, and forked out $200. Again, he and five ordered supper, and the bill was $900 and odd. Many vessels get into trouble here with their cargoes, no wine or spirits being allowed to land out of English ships. The best thing here is timber; every thing else is so uncertain that you can state no price; for instance, one week flour is $41 the barrel— the next $21, and the next $5. Shoes or boots, on a fine day, from $4 to $20; wet, boots up to $60: everything in the same style. All the ships in the harbour deserted, ours and all— just four of us left. R — and M— are doing nothing yet; they are disgusted with the place, and are living on board as lodgers."