CALIFORNIA. [From the Polynesian.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 351, 13 December 1848, Page 3

CALIFORNIA. [From the Polynesian.]

We have received per Euphemia dates from" California to the 20th .of June. Our files of California papers up 'to the date of their death have come to hand. The yellow /ever has' taken hold of all -the members of the craft i there, from the editors to the imps, and carried them off— to the gold mines.' The only, item of interest is' the news from the-gpld

diggers — other matters receive no attention. The whole country is in a state of turmoil and everybody is flying to the gold region to reap a fortune. All the seaport towns are deserted. Out of a population of nearly 1000, San cFrancisco only contains about 50 or 60 souls and these would leave were it possible. The news of the gold discoveries has spread with lightning speed, and the minister, merchant, •artizan, mechanic, farmer, labourer and loafer have all gone to seek^ their , fortune. Farms and crops are deserted, and all branches of business is at a stand. Up to the latest dates there was some 2000 men, women and children on the ground digging, and the roads were thronged with multitudes more pressing to obtain a portion of the glittering treasure. 'The Mormons have laid claim to a large portion of the territory, and demand a per centage of the ore taken therefrom. An express has been sent to the Salt Lake settlement where about 10,000 Mormons are located. There is a rumour that equally tich mines have been discovered in that region, and that the Mormons encamped there are engaged in mining operations. If this be not true the whole Mormon force will probably muster and come to the Sacramento for the purpose of digging gold. It is idle to indulge in speculations as to the final result of all this. That' there will be a scarcity of provisions must be-apparent , to every one; and that there is danger of serioos collisions is also apparent. _It needs no prophetic eye to see that the effect will be anything but favourable to themorals of the people or the .permanent prosperity of the country. In the eager strife for worldly gain, personal rights and perhaps lifr will be disregarded. From all the information which we can gather we are of opinion that the rumours afloat here ate somewhat exaggerated ; but that there has been an immense mine of gold discovered there can be no question. We have received letters from individuals in whom we have the utmost confidence, and those statements can be relied upon as true. We extract the following from a letier dated May 25th :— ' A strange revolution is at present taking place in California. A gold region has been ! discovered on the American foik of the Sacramento, and all California is rushing thither to dig. -Half the population of San Francisco has already gone. 4 1 have conveised with several intelligent and trustworthy gentlemen who have just been on a visit thither to satisfy themselves of the tiuth of the reports. The gold occurs in an alluvium and is disseminated over a region of 50 or more miles in length. The people who are there digging obtain on an average from 10 to 50 dollars per day washing by hand — some obtiin 100 dollars per day, but not continually. It is on wild land, and of course everybody goes and digs that pleases. All who have been to examine either remain to dig or have returned with their families to make preparations. As a consequence all branches of business except gold digging are at a dead stand. Workmen of all sorts are off at onee — gardens, crops, mills, and everything else are left to take care of themselves. Even Forbes great quicksilver mine will have to stop operations from the desertion of the hands. Labourers could be hired in abundance a month ago for 25 dollars per month. Now they are not to be had for 10 dollars per day — in fact, not at all. ' The crdps will in all probability be extensively neglected and food will doubtless have to be importedm ported to prevent scarcity. • The gold occurs in small flat grains averaging about the size of flax seeds — the largest pieces yet found is 10 dollars worth. What the result of all will be no one can tell. That it will be disastrous to the permanent welfare of tbe country I have no doubt. It certainly will not promote industry, sobriety or good morals." , The following is from a letter dated June sth;— ' ' " The yellow fever increases here daily. People are all quitting the town by hundreds. The principal places are all depopulated; nine family waggons, with all appurtenances, have just passed on their route for the Sacramento. More people, it is said, are waiting at the straits above than can be ferried over in three weeks. From 1000 to 2000 are now on the aground digging. What a spectacle ! almost all California to a man — men, women and children, editors, merchants, lawyers, farmers, smiths, schoolmasters, alcaldes, shoemakers, speculators, millers, ministers, volunteers, loafers, blacklegs, &c, all with pick, shovel and bowl, digging and washing the earth, as busy as Bunyan's man with the rqijck rake jscraping together the sticks and the straws ! Woe to the morals of the county, and woe to the mouths that some months hence will want food, v lf the gold deposit hold out it will be a good, thing for the business of the islands." The following account of a trip to the mines and; information respecting the quantities of gold taken, we copy from a letter dated on 'th^, ground of operations June 13th ;

"From San Francisco, our road lay through the valley of the Pueblo to San Jose, a distance of about 60 miles. A lovelier country eye of mine never gazed on — the level prairies .completely matted with flowers of every hue, traversed here and there with streams, together with the " cattle on a thousand hills," presented a beautiful picture. All that was wanting in my eye to heighen the effect, and indeed without which I thought it incomplete, was a number of snug New England farm houses scattered along the valley, and embosomed in the trees near the road, the " village church" should pierce the clouds with its glistening spire ; instead of which a short time in the road brought us in sight of the dingy tile covered mission of St. Clara ! The road leads from this to the San Joaquin, which we forded and travelled on to Sutter's Fort, through a country of great richness and apparently capable of supporting an immense population. But not a human being was now to be seen ; Rancherias and all had been deserted, and Americans, Californians, and ludians had all gone to the " gold diggings." On arriving at Sutter's however we found at the Fort a young Manchester. The blacksmith, the turner, the carpenter, and indeed mechanics of every trade actively engaged in their various callings, and all aiming at one grand object, viz., the means of washing the gold at the mines, which are some 40 miles above the Fort. "After leaving the Fort, we passed along the banks cf the " American Fork," as this branch of the Sacramento is called, and soon commenced ascending the hills which stretch out from the base of the great Sierra Nevada. About noon we stopped to prepare a cup of coffee, and partake of a lunch, and while the fire was being kindled, one of our party dipped a tfn cup full of the sand from the bed of the little brook which ran gurgling down, washed it, and at the bottom found some four or five pieces of gold. This was our first attempt at gold digging. About sunset we arrived at the saw mills of Captain Sutler, where the gold was first discovered while digging the mill race. We had ridden over gold, silver, plaliua, and iron mines some 25 or 30 miles, and over a road too, where a city cab could travel with ease and perfect safety, and through a country blooming with flowers, and sparkling with springs. | Should I relate to you all that I have been told in regard to the mines, since I arrived, (but a few hours), I am fearful you would think the savour fishy. As near as I can ascertain there are about one thousand white men engaged in gold digging thus far. The term " white men" is used in contradistinction to " Mormon." These last named fanatics, with the sly Brannan at their head, are quite numerous, having laid claim to a large propootion of the gold region, demanding 30 per cent of the ore from all persons digging thereon. This fact will undoubtedly lead to trouble perhaps bloodshed. Those of the " white men" who have last arrived from the sea coast, have stated their determination not to pay any per cent age, and swear that whatever has already been paid, shall be " choked" out of Brannan. This disinterested man, when last at San Francisco, arranged all his affairs, and passed receipts with every one with whom he had business, stating with a very lengthened phiz, that perhaps he should not survive to retnrn, as the miners had threatened to shoot him, but that duty urged him onward. Thus far the gold has been" obtained in the most primitive manner by washing the earth in tin pans, wooden bowls, Indian baskets, &c. The average lam told has been 16 dol. per day for each man engaged, and the deeper the soil is dug the richer it becomes. One man obtained over 30 dol. in one washing — say 15 minutes. I was told by an old miner that not more than one-half of the gold is secured in the present rude careless way of working. With a proper machine, and the use of quicksilver, double the amount could be taken from the same soil. The largest amount taken by one person in one day was 200 dol. The pieces are of an extraordinary size, the largest weighing half an ounce. The mountains have been explored on every side, and gold found in every creek. It is the opinion of all, that 30 or 40,000 persons could be profitably employed on the,, ground now explored. Nor is gold' the only mineral discovered here. Platina has been found in one place in some considerable quantity, and very extensive mines of silver ore have been discovered within five miles of the saw mill, and are said to be very rich. Iron is also abundant, and will pay about 85 per cent. The richness of the soil in the immediate neighbourhood of the mines is most astonishing. Farms can be made in every direction that will feed all the miners that can be employed. The climate is found to be very healthy, and free from the chilly winds that howl around the sea coast. The granite of the mountains is said to be equal to. the celebrated Q,uin oy, and a beautiful quarry of marble has been discovered on the Cosummy rU

ver, specimens of which will before many years adorn the fronts of public buildings in your flourishing city. " The cry. is still they come." While writing this, two men have just arrived from a valley some five or six miles distant, bringing with them 250 dollars worth of gold obtained in five days. These men have come in for provisions, which by the way are very dear here. The Star of June -3rd, alluding to the prevalence of the gold fever, and its effects and results, says : — " For the next nine months, or until legislative action in the seat of government, or what is more probable, the enactment and en* forcement of law in this country — the gold mines in the north will gather together as wild a class of unchristianized fellows as ever escaped the thraldom of honest law, and broke loose upon barbarism. Until restricted by measures for the preservation, of order, the security of person, and property protected, we may hear of continual mischief among the miners in its fearful excess, and rows and robberies without intermission. It is an exciting work — that of gold gathering — and it will be morally impossible' for so large a body, composed of such opposite natures, to avoid collision and tumult. Reports reach us by every arrival from the section of country to which all eyes are turned, of every day's increased addition to the number already actively employed. " If any of our readers suspect our views high coloured, and our opinion in this matter ponderous and exaggerated, we cannot but believe another month will amply satisfy such that we have not presented an overdrawn picture. The fact is, such a dangerous class as that referred to are now forming. It is well known that the country has been harrassed by organized and practised horse thieving marauders — that deserters from army and navy have contributed to swell the list of outlawed desperadoes, and it is pretty certain that most of these bad characters are moving northward, where their presence will be speedily and severely felt. " Desertions from the garrisons of the country are every day taking place. Liquor — a vile, maddening mixture — has been introduced in large quantities among the labourers, to breed brawl and contention, and, the word of sages is, it will soon tell its tale ! "We cannot too earnestly, therefore, enjoin upon our countrymen engaged in the business of mining, the imperative necessity there exists for the adoption of uniform selfgovernment in their mutual intercourse, and moderation influencing their dealings with one another. Not only for the quiet pursuit of their labours uninterrupted by the promulgation of reverse laws, but that life itself is the forfeit. We do not know that an interference of the government may be apprehended, but if riot rules, and outrage carries the day, we will very soon see digging ' tabooed,' as they say in Kanaka land. So our advice is, keep* cool." The last regular issue of the &tar, alluding to the exciteraenc and enthusiasm for gold^ says :—: — " Every seaport as far south as San Diego, and every interior town, and nearly every rancho from the base of the mountain in which the gold has been found, to the Mission of San Luis, south, has become suddenly drained of human beings. Americans, Californians, Indians, and Sandwich Islanders ; men, women, and children indiscriminately. Should there be that success which has repaid the efforts of those employed for the last month, during the present and next, as many are sanguine in their expectations, and we confess to unhesitatingly believe probable, not only will it witness the depopulation of every town, the desertion of every rancho, and the desolation of the onca promising crops of the country, but it will also draw largely upon adjacent territories — awake Sonora, and call down upon us, despite her Indian battleg, a great many of the good people of Oregon, There are at this time over one thousand souls busy in washing gold, and the yield per diem may be safely estimated at from fifteen to twenty dollars each individual. We have by every launch from the embarcadero of New Helvetia, returns of enthusiastic gold seekers — heads of families, to effect, the transportation of their. households to the scene of their successful labours, or others, merely returned to more fully equip themselves for a protracted, or perhaps permanent stay, Spades* shovels, picks, wooden bowls, Indian baskets, for washing, &c, find ready, purchasers, and are very frequently disposed of at extortion* ate .prices, " The gold region, so called, thus far explored, is about one hundred miles in length and twenty in width. These imperfect explo* rations contribute to establish the certainty of the placera extending much further south, probably three or four hundred miles, as we have before stateJ, while, it is believed to terminate about a league north of the point it which fost discovered. The probable amount

"taken from these mountains since the first of May last, we are informed is 100,000 dollars, and which is at this time principally in the hands of the mechanical, agricultural, and la- , bouring classes. " There is an area explored within which a body of 50,000 men can advantageously la- j bour without maliciously interfering with each other." ' ' * ! On the 14th of June the Star ceased to I twinkle, and the editor sloped for the golcl.re-'i gion after announcing his suspension' in the ' form of a slip.