Read Ebook: The English Novel and the Principle of its Development by Lanier Sidney

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The Bear Creek was not very rich in the precious metal, and now may be less so as it has been worked. On these rivers people generally were making an ounce per day, some much more; but how long it may continue so we are not able to say. These rivers being accessible for a considerable distance to waggons, diggers crowded there, as provisions were cheaper there than anywhere else. These rivers have their forks, or in other words, tributaries of more or less importance. Below the mouth of these forks it is well to look for deposits of gold in the main streams. The Bear Creek has a tributary called the North Fork, in extent probably from forty to fifty miles. The Yuba has two forks on the north bank of some importance. The distance from the Bear Creek to the Yuba in some places hardly can be more than ten miles. The general course of the Bear Creek is West by North nearly; it meets the Feather river about ten miles below the Yuba, which likewise mingles its waters with the latter. The Feather river, which heads far at the North, taking almost a parallel course with the Sacramento, runs on in a South-Westerly direction, and having thus accumulated its waters is lost in the last mentioned majestic stream some distance below.

To go from Sacramento City to the Mokelamy, the miner has to pass the Consumnes at Dailor's farm, about eighteen miles from the above place, and then farther south, the Dry Creek, from which the first trading post at the Mokelamy diggings may be about 30 miles distant. The Mokelamy diggings are distant from Sacramento City about from 50 to 60 miles--a waggon road leads to them. The Consumnes has not been dug much, but the Dry Creek had a very good reputation among the miners. The banks and dry diggings of the Mokelamy have been rich in gold, and may be so still; some diggers passed last winter there, and were not sorry for so doing. This summer there have been many digging, but their labors have been disturbed by hostile Indians. We think there may be yet rich diggings there.

As a general rule, it is a practice among the miners to leave each digger a sufficient space for a hole, upon which nobody has a right to encroach; from four to ten feet they allow among themselves to be sufficient for each, according as they may be more or less numerous and as digging may be more or less rich. A tool left in the hole in which a miner is working, is a sign that it is not abandoned yet, and that nobody has a right to intrude there, and this regulation, which is adopted by silent consent of all, is generally complied with. It is very seldom that any disputes about one's rights occur; and if they do, they are easily settled among themselves. In fact, as a general rule, miners heretofore have been law-abiding people; some excesses now and then may occur, but seldom of much importance, and if any of them should commit murder or theft, justice is no where so prompt and efficacious as among them. At different points of the mining district there have been persons executed for murder and robbery, by the stringent code of Judge Lynch, but under the superintendence of juries and judges selected for the occasion. At present, by order of the Governor of California, a sort of jurisdiction has been established at different mining points by elections held for the purpose; but as the mining population is constantly fluctuating, such arrangements cannot be permanent, of course.

The time for mining in dry diggings commences about the end of March and lasts till July, at which time water gets very scarce, and consequently digging becomes unprofitable, or even impossible. Some dig on the banks of rivers even in the spring when there is much water, but it is not a very profitable operation. The time when the rivers begin to fall by degrees is the month of June, and they continue falling till the next spring, when the melting snow again replenishes them; In August the snow from the mountains where they head, disappearing, they do not receive any new supplies, while the scorching sun keeps wasting them all the time, and in winter where it snows but does not rain they continue rather low; thus in winter time they are at their lowest ebb.--From the middle of September till the end of November is the best season for mining on the banks of rivers, as it is then that the lowest bars are uncovered, and even sometimes one may work in the very bed of the river itself. This is the time at which in many places, the current of a river may be turned aside with great facility. In so doing, miners should not rush blindly into the work without examining attending circumstances; dams have been made where there was not gold enough to pay one man's day's work. It is first necessary to see whether the hills in the neighborhood warrant the supposition that there must be gold in the river in that particular spot; then it is important to see where the current of the river would be most likely to make such a deposite; this being investigated properly, there will be a better chance for the company of miners to reap a plentiful harvest, should they determine upon the work.

The months of July, August and part of September are sickly in the mines, and particularly on the Feather river and the Yuba. The sickness is owing to the extreme heat and carelessness on the part of the miners; some of them work in the hottest hours of the day, and sometimes not protecting sufficiently their head and body from the scorching rays. Fevers, diarrhoea and dysentery are the complaints commonly met with--occasionally scurvy shows itself; it is more apt to happen in winter time. But, however, whenever it occurs, it is owing entirely to the carelessness of the patient; a sufficient attention to the use of vegetable acids, as we have already mentioned, would prevent such occurrences.

With these precautions, and with ordinary prudence, one is not in danger of being afflicted with any of those complaints very seriously It is frequently necessary to work in water; for that purpose, high legged water-proof boots are useful; or if one works bare-foot he should avoid to feel much cold in them, and on concluding his work, he should dry them and put on shoes or boots. Some miners spend the winter in the mines, and there is no doubt they are in the end better paid for their labor than the rest who work in the usual season, for they work more at their leisure, in a spot they have marked before for a rich one, and their work is carried on with abundance of water, and at a time when there are no people to crowd them. Oregon men have done so last winter at the old dry diggings on the South Fork, and they have not regretted it. But there are inconveniences that but few will bear with. He who proposes to spend the winter in the mines should start in the end of September, and while waggon roads keep good, provide himself with a log house and sufficient provisions to last him till the middle of April next, as he must expect to be unable to move from his spot all that time, as roads are impassable for beast or man. That whole region almost becomes a mire--the soil is so loose and saturated with water. At this season he should particularly guard himself against scurvy; he should daily make use of some acid in some shape or other, such as dried fruit, lemon juice or citric acid; tea made of fir leaves is very beneficial and far preferable, for health's sake, to common tea. He should use pork rather as a lard necessary in his cooking than as a meat, and depend more on good dried beef, as commonly made in the country, which may be rendered very palatable by soking it first and then pounding before cooking it. Towards the middle of November winter begins to set in, and while it snows in the mountains it rains in the settlements; the rains are less frequent, and commence later as we go farther South; they seem, however, to be sufficient for the necessities of the country as a general rule.

Before we take leave of the miner, we will give him one more piece of advice which is none the less important for being the last. On his return from the mines, should he be so fortunate as to have a large amount of gold to send over to the States by drafts, he should enquire if the man who sells him the draft has the power of attorney from the man he draws upon, which should be exhibited to him, thus satisfied, he can with greater security trust his money.

TOWNS OF CALIFORNIA, AND WHAT RELATES TO THEM.

We touch here upon a subject which, if we allowed ourself to speak feelingly as a bachelor, we might be even eloquent, but in the position we find ourself as a writer, we are bound to speak philosophically only, viz: look upon the question before us with that cold eye of indifference or reserve which becomes an impartial judgment. We will, therefore, say nothing of ourself--we will speak of the situation of others; we will try to advocate the cause of poor and forlorn bachelors, and persuade some respectable heads of families that have daughters to settle in life, to come to California and build up the society, which, without woman, is like an edifice built on sand. Woman, to society, is like a cement to the building of stone; the society here has no such a cement; its elements float to and fro on the excited, turbulent, hurried life of California immigrants, or rather gold hunters, of all colors and shapes, without any affinity; such an aggregate or mass of human bodies have no souls; they are but a grand automaton, whose springs Mamon alone makes vibrate. Such is the society of San Francisco. But bring woman here, and at once the process of cristalization, if we may be permitted the expression, will set in in the society, by the natural affinities of the human heart. There are here many worthy men who have had the good luck to make a respectable competency, who would like to be married and settled in life, as honest and sensible men should do; but for want of the fair ones, they think only of getting away from here as soon as possible. Now, the country by this state of society, loses much in many respects, beside losing many valuable inhabitants; and those who stay behind intend to do the same when their turn comes. This would not be so if some pleasant families from the States, rich in nothing else but in intelligent, home educated daughters, they could well provide for all their members here with much more ease, as yet, than in any portion of the Union. These families must be easy in their circumstances, so that they may be able to buy farming lands where they could settle, and by the natural growth of landed property they would, in a few years, find themselves wealthy. This country is particularly fitted for that class of people who once knew what affluence was, and who by a sudden turn of the wheel of fortune, found their means reduced to mediocrity. Life in California, although it must have its inconveniences belonging to a thinly inhabited country, yet it cannot be compared to anything like life in new settlements in the Western States or Oregon. If people only were willing to take it easy, they would, ninety-nine out of a hundred, even like it. The population here is much more ready to take at once, or very soon, a more agreeable and polished form than could be expected in any other new country. There is something in the climate--we of course except San Francisco and the Valley of the Sacramento, which predisposes one to contentment. The sunny skies for so long a portion of the year have an exiliarating influence upon the mind, and so much so that we have known cases of Americans who were in the habit of carrying care-worn visages in their own country, acquire here smiling and contented countenances, smoothed by placidity. Indeed, we would recommend, as a medicine, to all vinegar-faced, care-corroded gentry, that are well to do in the world, to come and settle in the rich valleys of California, where good health and azure skies can be enjoyed; where winter does not touch you with its freezing hand.

The people of the country, of the Spanish race, possess a good deal of natural simplicity, but without that boorishness and grossness which characterizes the lower order of some of the European nations; they are ignorant for want of opportunities of learning, but nature has not refused them capacities for acquiring knowledge;--they are obliging in their disposition and hospitable; the latter virtue, however, already begins to undergo some changes since the arrival of so many foreigners; yet among themselves, or those upon whom they look favorably, they preserve their good old custom. Their women are healthy, robust, good looking and hard working as a general rule; kindness is a universal feature among them; and if one had to choose between them and ordinary women of some civilized portions of the world, we do not hesitate to say that the Californian women would receive the preference, although in point of information they are deficient.

The greatest privations that a bachelor is in this country exposed to, consist in not being able to furnish himself with clean linen when he desires, as domestic service is so difficult to be kept up here for want of working women. To induce some of the few women that are here to condescend to wash their linen for them, they have to court them besides paying six dollars a dozen.

We know an instance of an inveterate bachelor who married a spinster because she refused to wash his clothes for him, but he was determined she should do it at any price, as he was a great lover of cleanliness; in this dilema he resolved to pay her all he was worth, rather than forego his habit of cleanliness. He is in the habit of saying, "he who goes without a clean shirt on, keeps his conscience open to suspicion"--too severe a judgment upon us the inhabitants of this town.

When this uneven slope of the hill on which the town is situated shall be built up with fine and solid houses, what now looks dreary and desolate will then look very picturesque and smiling; so will it be with the society here; when elements that are now daily accumulating get through their fermentation and become settled, they also will present a smooth and transparent surface to the moral eye of the beholder, but as yet, one needs a little philosophy to bear him through the present that he may lean on the future.

The state of society in California has not yet arrived to that point of organized life where its most important movements can be stated, or represented in numbers for the especial satisfaction of the political economist. We will not therefore attempt anything of the kind, but we may however state in numbers a few facts in regard to the shipping in this port.

From the first of January, 1849, to the 30th of September of the same year, 509 vessels arrived in the harbor.

The sum total of passengers in the same space of time, 18,972.

In the month of August, ending on the 29th, the number of women arrived by sea 87, among whom 6 were married--42 American.

On the 30th of August there were 61,585 tons of shipping in the harbor of San Francisco, exclusive of river craft, which amounts to about 60 vessels plying up the rivers Sacramento and San Joaquin.

In one day, on the 29th of August, there arrived in San Francisco by merchant vessels, 654 male and 27 female passengers.

On the 24th of September 11,000 tons of shipping came into the harbor.

On the 30th of September there were 94,344 tons of shipping in the harbor.

The directions for entering the port of San Francisco that have been heretofore followed, being found incorrect, we give room to the correction of them, with which Capt. E. A. KING politely furnished us, together with regulations of the port:

DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE HARBOR OF SAN FRANCISCO.

In making the northern entrance, called Sausolito, keep the Fort and the island of Yerba Buena in one; in coming from the south and making the southern entrance, keep the island of Alcatrazes or Bird Island, touching the Fort. After the Fort bear south per compass, steer due east, to avoid the flats which are making out from Belona's beach. No danger can be apprehended from Blossom Rock. In running into this harbor after passing the Fort, and having it bearing south, good anchorage can be obtained from five and a half fathoms to three fathoms. At present there are no buoys, but in the latter part of next month there will be buoys on Blossom Rock, Anita Rock, on the shoals on the N. N. W. part of the harbor, and on the bank making out from Belona's beach. High water at Yerba Buena or San Francisco full and change 10 hours 34 minutes. Rise of spring tides 9 feet, neap tides 3 feet. Latitude of the Fort 37 deg. 48 min. 30 sec. N.; Longitude 122 deg. 27 min. 24 sec. W. Variation 15 deg. 36 min. E.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1849.

REGULATIONS FOR THE HARBOR AND PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO.

ART. 1st. On the arrival of Merchant vessels at the port of San Francisco, a proper berth will be pointed out to the masters thereof, by the Harbor Master, when he boards them; and no master of a Merchant vessel shall shift his berth without permission from the Harbor Master, unless in case of extreme emergency, when he must report his having done so as early as possible at the office of the Harbor Master.

ART. 2d. Should it be the intention of a master of a vessel to discharge or receive on board any considerable quantity of merchandise, a berth will be pointed out to him as close to the landing places as the safety of the vessel and other circumstances will permit.

ART. 3d. After a proper berth has been pointed out, the master will then moor his vessel with two bower anchors across the tide, with thirty-five fathoms chain cable, with buoys attached in summer months, and fifty fathoms from the hawserhole in winter. December, January, February and March to be considered the winter months.

ART. 4th. If any vessel properly moored in the harbor shall have her anchors or cables over-laid by any other vessel in anchoring or mooring, the master or person having the care or direction of such last mentioned vessel, shall immediately, or as soon as may be after application made to him by the party aggrieved, cause the said anchor or cable so overlaying to be taken up and cleared.

ART. 5th. When any Merchant vessel may be lying in a berth convenient for discharging, and she shall have completed her unlading or lading, such vessel shall, at the request of the Harbor Master, remove to a place designated, should her berth be required by any other vessel which may desire to load or discharge.

ART. 6th. Merchant vessels arriving with powder on board, must on arrival, report the same to the Harbor Master, in order that a secure berth may be pointed out.

ART. 7th. No ballast will be allowed to be thrown overboard. Any ballast which may be wanted to discharge, by application to the Harbor Master, a place of discharge will be designated, and any vessel requiring ballast, instructions will be furnished on application.

ART. 8th. All difficulties arising between ships relative to the foregoing rules, shall be settled before the Harbor Master.

ART. 9th. Disobedience to the orders of the Harbor Master, in the discharge of his duty will subject the offender to a fine of fifty dollars, to go towards the Hospital Fund, of the town of San Francisco.

ART. 10th. After mooring, ships must rig in jib and flying jib-booms.

ART. 11th. Forty-eight hours notice to be given at the Custom House before clearing.

ART. 12th. No fire arms to be discharged in the Harbor under penalty of Article 9th.

APPROVED:--

Next to the port of San Francisco, in maritime importance, we must put the Bay of Monterey, with its two ancient towns of Monterey and Santa Cruz lying on the opposite shores of the bay. At present the mining operations being confined to the north of the Bay of San Francisco, the whole commerce is concentrated in that port; but ere long they will go farther south, and then the town of Monterey will be likewise benefitted by the trade with the mines, as its facility of communicating by land with all the points south of San Francisco promises it.

Monterey was, and is, as yet, the capital of the country, contains about two thousand inhabitants, principally natives and old established families of foreigners, who have not neglected to improve opportunities of making themselves rich. The soil in the neighborhood is good--the climate a hundred per cent. better than that of San Francisco. The situation of the town is very picturesque.

On the North side of the Bay lie the Mission and town of Santa Cruz, with a rich soil abounding in water and timber, as in its neighborhood, in the mountains, there are six saw-mills in operation. Building timber is easily and cheaply obtained here; land for building lots can be also procured at moderate prices. It is an excellent spot for mechanics to settle upon, as the sea offers them facilities for sending the produce of their hands into any portion of the country, while at the same time living is cheap, for everything in the way of provisions can be produced in the town.

The town of South San Francisco, about three miles South of the city of San Francisco, possesses the same advantages of the harbor as the latter, for all classes of vessels, with the superiority of being more sheltered from the prevailing winds and of having an abundant supply of water, not only for the use of its inhabitants, but for the shipping. The same depth of water extends along the shore from one town to the other. The country is picturesque, the site of the town is more regular than that of San Francisco; it commands a quarry of stone suitable for buildings, and it lies on the road from San Francisco to Pueblo de San Jose. Had the original settlers of San Francisco exercised their judgment before settling on that windy spot, they would have put their houses on the site of South San Francisco.--We have no doubt but it will soon have its share in the commerce of the Bay.

Benicia is a town situated on the north side of the strait of Carquinez, with great depth of water; ships can discharge there close to the shore without the aid of wharves. It met with the approbation of naval and military officers as a good spot for a naval and military depot; and we understand that it has been recommended by the same to the government for the erection of government buildings, upon its site. It has a ferry boat which plies across the strait, and thus keeps the two portions of the country in constant communication, benefitting the public while it remunerates the efforts of the enterprising owners of the town.

Martinez is a projected town on the opposite side to Benicia, and of which we have already spoken above.

Suisun is a town just springing up into existence on the north side of the bay of Suisun and right bank of the Sacramento; it is very advantageously situated for both commercial and agricultural purposes. It is eighty-five miles distant from San Francisco and fifty from Benicia; it has a rich soil and is well wooded; it possesses good water in abundance, and building stone is found in the neighborhood. The depth of water is sufficient to admit barks to lie close to the shore. Its importance soon will be felt when the beautiful neighborhood of the Clear Lake shall be settled by enterprising farmers and miners. Its climate is mild and healthy.

Sacramento City, once the exclusive property of the well known and remembered by every stranger who appreciates hospitality, Capt. J. A. SUTTER, is situated on the east bank of the Sacramento river; vessels of seven hundred tons are lying close to the shore in the stream. To show its growth and importance we need only state that on the first of May last it contained about fifteen houses and tents, the whole business with the mines being done at the Fort, which is about two miles distant from the city, and on the first of August it had more than a hundred houses and numerous tents, probably comprising about five thousand souls.

The town of Washington is very beautifully situated on the same bank with Sacramento City, from which it is only nine miles distant up the river. The spot is well selected for an inland town where agriculture and trade with the mines must flourish; it is well provided with timber and a brook runs through it. The river craft and a steamboat run up to it.

Springfield is a town in project, close to the town of Vernon.--Vernon is at the junction of the Feather river with the Sacramento. It is in the vicinity of many "diggings," with which it carries on a lively trade. At any season of the year there is four feet of water in the river, but for eight months the depth of water is eight feet.--River craft and a steamboat are constantly plying up to this place. Its vicinity is a rich and well wooded agricultural country.

The town of Sutter, situated two miles below, and on the same bank with Sacramento City, possesses the same advantages of the river and soil as the latter. It has already several houses put up.

New York of the Pacific, at the mouth of the San Joaquin, has been already spoken of above.

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