History of the State of California: From the Period of the Conquest by Spain to Her Occupation by the United States of AmericaFrost, John
History
History of the State of California: From the Period of the Conquest by Spain to Her Occupation by the United States of America
Frost, John
California -- Gold discoveries; California -- History
"We were inclined to give only an average degree of credit to stories
that have reached us during the past few days, of the unprecedented
richness which this locality has developed. A few moments passed in
Marysville on Saturday, convinced us that there is much more show of
reality in this last _eureka report_, than usually attaches to the
like. In a year's experience of local excitements from the same cause,
we have seen none equal to what now prevails in that town. It has
visited all the inhabitants indiscriminately, lawyers, doctors and
judges, traders, teamsters, mechanics and gamblers. Our readers know
we are the last to justify the circulation of unfounded or exaggerated
reports, but we deem it right to conceal nothing of what may prove
(for aught that we can see to the contrary) one of the most astounding
discoveries in the modern history of diggings. The specimens brought
into Marysville are of a value from $1600 down. Ten ounces is reported
as no unusual yield to a panfull, and the first party of sixty, which
started out under the guidance of one who had returned successful,
were assured that they would not get less than $500 each per day. We
were told that the previous morning two hundred had left the town
with a full supply of provisions and four hundred mules. Those who
could not go were hiring others in their stead. The length of the
journey and the quantity of provisions required, there being no stores
in the region, rendered an outfit rather expensive. Mules and horses
had doubled in value, and $400 were considered no more than enough to
furnish a proper start.
The distance to Gold Lake was first reported two hundred miles; the
best informed, however, say that it is but little more than half of
that. It lies at a very considerable elevation among the mountains
that divide the waters of the South Fork of Feather from those of the
north branch of the Yuba. The direction from Marysville is a little
north of east. The story has of course spread ere this far and wide
among the miners high up on the Feather and Yuba, and the spot will be
as crowded as all other good places are, ere the tardy adventurer from
this region could reach it. The region of the Gold Lake wonders is a
new one, however, and lies between what are established to be diggings
of unsurpassed richness. It is our belief that it is better for one
who has got some initiation into the gold mysteries, (if there be
any,) not to be content in old 'used up' localities, but to push along
to the great field yet unexplored; and that, though the search be long
and laborious, the _big lift_ is ultimately pretty sure for those who
are patient and persevering."
[Illustration: MONTEREY.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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