FOUR MONTHS AMONGST THE GOLD FINDERS IN CALIFORNIA. [From the Times, April 11.] (Concluded from our last.)

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 428, 8 September 1849, Page 4

FOUR MONTHS AMONGST THE GOLD FINDERS IN CALIFORNIA. [From the Times, April 11.] (Concluded from our last.)

One morning three of thepartyset oat upon a hunting expedition, accompanied by the old tr.apper. The converted Indian and the fawyer above raentoned remained at the camp. The rest of the party proceeded to a neighbouring ravine with their implements, and for the usual object. After working for a few hours the diggers procured more gold than they had obtained in any two days before. They were on the point of returning to the shanty when a rustling was heard near them, and shortly afterwards an Indian was seen stealing along as if to avoid observation. Being perceived, he discharged an arrow, which la-

cerated the ear of one Mr. Powling, who, smarting under the wound, leaped forward, buried his mattock in the head of his foe, and killed him on the spot. At the very moment the crack of a rifle was heard in the direction of the" camp, and, immediately afterwards, a whole troop of Indians approached the diggers at full speed. The latter sought shelter hi a dell close by, and there prepared themselves for attack. First came a shower of arrows, which the diggers answered with rifle shots that told. The Indians, panic struck, made off with their wounded, and left the white men in possession of the field. This was the beginning of the end. Returning to the camp, the victors were informed that one of the hunting patiy, Mr. M'Pbail, was missing. At 1 o'clock in the moruing a portion of the society set out in search, of him, though ignorant altogether of his track. Several fires were visible on the hill sides at the dis-tance of half a mile, and towards them the party valiantly directed their steps. Coming close upon them the travellers dismounted, gave their horses in charge to a boy, who remained behind, and then cautiously advanced ; when they weie within 200 paces of the camp fires a shot was beard and then a shrill whistle. Both bad come from the camp, and the former was about to be answered when a familiar «D — n you, who goes there?" proceeding in the same direction, caused our friends to desist and to look about them. They had hardly time to do so when a shout from the lad in charge of the horses called them instantly to his assistance. They hastened to him, but the poor fellow was already murdered and scalped. A tribe cf Indians hud settled his fate, but the ramp fires had been lit by a set of diggers and washers, like our friends, who were visiting these distant quarters with the same civilized object as the gentlemen who had mistaken them for natives, and who were prepared to slaughter them accordingly. The missing man of the hunting party turned up in a day or two. Sickness broke out, provisions became low, fear of attack constantly prevailed, defences were necessary, excitement rendered the labour cis unfit for regular work. At the end of a month nearly every man began to think he had had enough of it ; the Doctor for his part, felt inclined to return to the coast forthwith. There was a large quantity of gold in the camp. What was to be done with it ? Don Luis and Bradley, the American, volunteered to 'take the treasure to San Francisco, and to deliver it to the custody of some merchant there, on the joint account of the company. The Doctor didn't like the suggestion, for the temptation to make off with the booty was great. His friend Malcolm, however, proposed to accompany the pair, and the stb of September was fixed for their journey. On the sth the three set out. Malcolm carried the bulk of the gold. - Don Luis and Bradley formed his guard. The former had 70 pounds weight on his horse, the latter had each 18 pounds in their saddle-bags. Late in the evening of this same eventful sth of September, Bradley galloped up to the camp, and Don Luis shortly after him. Malcolm was not with them. The best part of the gold was gone. When all but within sight of the Sacramento Valley, a party of Indians had attacked them for the sake of their treasure, had all but killed Malcolm, and had quite taken away his gold. The former was now under the care of a Californian womrfn ; the latter, — who could tell where that was ? " Throughout the whole of the night," says Dr. Brooks, " most of the party remained gathered round the camp fire, — now in sullen silence, and now expressing their bitter dissatisfaction, which ha 1 led to the day's misfortune. And when the first faint light of daybreak showed over the tall peaks of the snowy mountains, it discovered us looking haggard and dejected, alike wearied and disgusted with everything around." • The partnership was about to close. It was deemed advisable to share whatever gold remained and to break up the establishment. Each man received four pounds two ounces in the distribution ; everybody squabbled, and nobody was satisfied. Some resolved to set out forthwith in search of the marauders, others were too sick to move. Those who were in health had been taught selfishness sufficient in their pursuit of gold to be perfectly oblivious of the danger to which the wretches were exposed whom sickness detained at the camp, and placed at the mercy of the natives who bad scalped the lad in charge of the hoises. Our hero, of course, made one of the party in pursuit of the robbers and the gold. Upon the return of the Doctor and bis friends southward to the diggings there was a perceptible change in the gold-teeming district. The rainy season was close at hand, when great mortality might be expected. Many deaths, indeed, had already taken place. Two thirds of the folks at the settlements were unable from sickness to leave their tents ; the remaining third, we grieve to say, were too intent upon their labour to render the

sufferers any. aid whatever. Rapidly decaying vegetation produced malaria, malaria disease ; but whilst am an had strength to scoop 1 oat the precious particles, or to bunt for the more inviting knobss he braved the malaria, and he fought against the disease. There were other disagreeable's at the diggings. Life and property were becoming insecure. A man amassed gold ; he was watched and followed, and then, — he was missed. The dead were by no means so' numerous as the missing. Let a digger get as much as he would, be would carry his precious burden about bis person. At night, asleep, his gold would be under his pillow, and his bedfellows a revolver and a rifle. One or two dead bodies had been found floating in the river, without their gold. Altogether life at the diggings was getting as pleasant as life on a rait a; sea, when lots are about to be cast for a melancholy purpose, and when humanity has been thrust from the soul by the entrance of passions that drag men down to the level of the brute. The prices of every article of consumption and use had gone up amazingly. Clothing was not to be had at any price. Br"andy was selling at a dollar a dram. Pitiable gold-dig-gers paid this price for the liquid which they swallowed dram after dram — Heaven help them !! — to quench the burning thirst of their fever. One of our friends entered the shanty of a big bony American, to make a civil inquiry. The latter ccolly took down his rifle, and threatened to make a hole in bis skull if he did not depart without another word ; he had already shot two visitors, and had threatened a host of others. Explanation was given afterwards. It appeared that the big bony American had accumulated a large amount of gold, and it was firm in bis conviction that every man who entered his shanty came there to examine its weak points with a view of plundering him of his booty at a more convenient season. The search Jbr the marauders was fruitless. At San Francisco the pursuers called at the house of an alcalde to consult with this functionary as to the best steps to be taken for securing the fugitives, but all the magistrates had gone off to the diggings ; so had the police, so bad everybody. After a short and useless pursuit, Dr. Brooks and his companions gave in. "vVe turned our horses' heads" he says, " and retraced our steps towards the coast in no meny mood. We rode along, in fact.Mn sullen silence, only broken to mutter our expressions of disappointment at the escape of those who had robbed us of the fruits of so many months of toil, exposure, and hardship." They arrived at Montrerey again, ' shook hands, and separated. Don Luis went back to his pleasant home. Bradley started for San Francisco. The Doctor was left alone. Upon the 11th day of October, 1848, he writes home to his friends. One passage from liis instructive document shall close this hasty narrative of his adventures :—: — "Three months ago," so he writes to "dear George," his brother in England, "I thought my fortune was made, and that I might come home a South American nabob. Nothing of the kind. Here I was almost on the spwt when the first news of the gold was received. I have worked hard and undergone some hardships, and, thanks to the now almost lawless ptate of this country, I have been deprived of the great mass of my savings, and must, when the dry season comes round again, set to wnrk almost anew. I have but 1,400 dollars' worth of the precious metal remaining; and with the rate of prices which now universally prevails here, that will not keep me much over a couple of months. My case is that of u any others. As the number ot diggers and miners augmented robberies and violence became frequent. _ At first (when we arrived at the Mormon diggings, for example) everything was tranquil. Every man workeu for himself without disturbing his neighbour. Now the scene is widely changed indeed. When I was last there things were bad enough; but now, according to the reports we hear, no man, known to be in possession of much gold, dare say, as he lays down his head at night, that he will ever rise from his pillow.'' There are sermons in stones ; there is a moral in gold ; and in this instance there needs little digging and scratching to bring it out. Dr. Brooks was on the spot when the glorious tidings of a newly-discovered world came to bis ears. Within a few miles of him there was gold enough on the earth's bosom to buy an empire. He stretched forth his hands and burned his fingers. Reader, why should you journey over sea and mountain, through difficulty, danger, trial, vexation, and trouble, to achieve the same foolish and unprofitable purpose? There is gold under your very eyes, if yon would but see it. It will spring from the earth at your bidding, or rise from the waters. Speak, — and work !