The Land of Gold : Reality Versus Fiction

QfortteU Iniwetatta Slibrar 3ti)ara, Nttn ^ark CHARLES WILLIAM WASO COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE GIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1876 1918 THE LAND OF GOLD. REALITI YEKSUS FICTION. BY HINTON R. HELPER. BALTIMOEE: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY HENRY TAYLOR, SUN IRON BtnLDING. 1855. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S55, by HINTON K. HELPER, In the Clerli'8 Office of tlie District Conrt of the United Slates, for the District of Maryland. Shbrwood & Co., Printers, baltimore. TO THE HON. JOHN M. MOEEHEAD, OF NORTH CAROLINA, BT HIS SINCERE FRIEND AND ADMIRER, THE AUTHOR. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023250743 PREFACE. Previous to my departure for Oaliforniaj near and dear friends extracted from me a promise to communicate by letter, upon every conve- nient occasion, sucli intelligence as would give them a distinct idea of the truthfulness or false- hood of the many glowing descriptions and re- puted vast wealth of California. In accordance with this promise, I collected, from the best and most reliable sources, all that I deemed worthy of record touching the past of the modern El Dorado, relying upon my own powers of observation to depicture its present condition and its future prospects. This correspondence was never intended for the public eye, for the simple reason that the matter therein is set forth in a very plain manner, with more regard to truth than elegance of diction. Indeed, how could it be otherwise? I have only described those things which came immediately under my own observation, and, be- side this, I make no pretensions to extensive scholastic attainments, nor do I claim to be an adept in the art of book-making. VI PREFACE. A weary and rather unprofitable sojourn of three years in various parts of California, af- forded me ample time and opportunity to become too thoroughly conversant with its rottenness and its corruption, its squalor and its misery, its crime and its shame, its gold and its dross. Simply and truthfully I gave the history of my experience to friends at home, who, after my return, suggested that profit might be derived from giving these letters to the world in narra- tive form, and urged me so strenuously, that I at length acceded to their wishes, but not without much reluctance, being doubtful as to the recep- tion of a book from one so incapable as myself of producing any thing more than a plain " un- varnished tale." In order to present a more complete picture of California, I have added two chapters, that describing the route through Nicaragua, and the general resume at the close of my volume. All that I solicit for this, my first offering, is a liberal and candid examination ; not of a part, but of the whole—not a cursory, but a consider- ate reading. H R H Salisbdet, North Carolina, 1855. — CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. CALIFORNIA UNVEILED. Introductory Remarks—Erroneous opinions respecting Cali- fornia—Sterility of the Soil—The Seasons—Destitution of Mechanical and Manufacturing Eesources — Dependence upon Importations for the Conveniences and Necessaries of Life—No Inducement to become Permanent Residents of the country 13 CHAPTER II. THE BALANCE SHEET. California statistically considered—Cost of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo —Price of Passage and Services of Im- migrants—Total Yield of the Mines—Amount of Property destroyed by Fires, Freshets and Inundations— List of Sailing Vessels and Steamers Wrecked upon the coast - Public Debt of the State—Debts of San Francisco, Sacra- mento and Marysville—Loss of Life by violent measures Extract from the Louisville Journal 23 CHAPTEE III. SOCIETY IN CALirOKNIA. Extraordinary Depravity and Corruption—Reasons assigned for the laxity of Morals—^Much of the Degeneracy and Dis- sipation attributable to the absence of female society—The Case of an English gentleman—^His Story—General Re- marks concerning the different classes of Women 36 — vill . CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. SAN FEANCISCO. Importance of San Francisco—The Golden Gate—The Har- bor—Long Wharf—A Motley Crowd — The Shipping Names of Vessels—Vagrant Boys—Commercial Street- Wooden Tenements — The Jews — Fire-proof brick and stone structures — Montgomery street — genial Employ- ments—Professional Men washing dishes, waiting upon the table, and peddling shrimps and tomcods—-Lawyers and Land Titles—Grog Shops and Tippling Houses—Bill of Fare of a California Groggery 45 CHAPTER Y. SAN FKANCISCO — CONTINUED. Clay street—Gazing in Ladies' Faces—The Gambling Houses —^Heterogeneous Assemblage of Blacklegs—The Plaza— The City Hall—A Case of Bribery and Corruption—French Restaurants—Flour and other Provisions — Frauds and Adulterations 69 CHAPTER VI. SAN ERANOISCO CONCLUDED. A Pistol Gallery—Doctor Natchez—Population of the City Filling in the Bay—^Lack of Vegetation'—Yearning for the society of Trees 81 CHAPTER VII. «^ ^ , THE CHINESE IN CAUFGRNIA. National habits and traits of Chinese Character — Their Dress—The number of Chinese in. California—^How they employ their time—Their arrogance and presumption Manner of Eating—Singularity of their names—Is the Chinese Immigration desirable? 86 — CONTEBfTS. ix CHAPTER VIII. CURSORY VIKWS. The Pacific Side of the Continent much Inferior to the Atlan- tic Side—Poverty and Suffering in California—Rash and mistaken ideas of the country—A few very Fertile Valleys —Value of the Precious Metals to the country in which they are found—The Climate „ 91 CHAPTER IX. SUNDAY IN CALIFORNIA. Manner of Spending the Sabbath—^Mixture and Dissimilarity of the Population—^Dance Houses—Mexican Women—In- fluence of Female Society upon the Community—Churches in San Francisco , 109 CHAPTER X. BEAR AND BULL flOBT. Advertisement annonncing the Sport—Mission Dolores—^An old Catholic Church — Preparation for the Fight—'The Audience — The Attack — Progress of the Conflict—^The Finale.^ , 116 CHAPTER XI. SACRAMENTO. City and Valley of Sacramento—The Legislature—Shabby Hotels—Teamsters and Muleteers—Excess of Merchants Continual Depression in Business—Perfidy and Dishonesty of Consignees—iCalifornla Conflagrations—The Three Cent Philosopher,,,,,,,,.,.,! !.!••'••!••' • l^l —A— X CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. YUBA THE miner's TENT. Trip to the Mines—^Modus Operandi of Single-handed Min^ ing—Names of Bars—^Mining Laws-^More Gentility and Nobleness of Soul among the Miners than any other Class of People in California—The case of a Highwayman—De- scription of a Miner's Tent—His Diet and Cooking Uten- sils—Toilsomeness of Mining'—^Proceeds of three months' labor 141 CHAPTER XIII. STOCKTON AND SONOBA. Situation of Stockton.—The San Joaquin Valley—Trip to Sonora—The best Hotel in the Place—A Lunatic—A Gam- bling Prodigy—Shooting Affair—A case of Lynch Law Description of Sonora — Land Speculators — Ephemeral Cities—Excitability of the Californians.—The Beard— good old Man—His Story ,,.. 161 .CHAPTER XIV. VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA VIA CAPE HOEN. Embarkation from New York—A Terrible Storm—Loss of Masts and narrow escape from Shipwreck—'Wreck of a Swedish Brig—An unfortunate Little Bird — Patagonia and Cape Horn—Stoppage at Valparaiso—Earthquakes Appearance of the City—A Delectable Garden—Two Cath- olic Priests—Beauty of Ocean Scenery in the Pacific—The St. Felig Islands—Arrival in San Francisco... 187 CHAPTER XV. VOYAQE FROM CALIFORNIA VIA NICARAGUA. Departure from San Francisco^Matters and Things aboard tiie Steamer—The Passengers—A Hoax—Arrival at San — CONTENTS. XI Juan del Sur—Novel Mode of Debarkation—Ludicrous Scenes—Trip across the Country—The Weather—Virgin Bay—^Lake Nicaragua—The San Juan River—Bad Man- agement and shabby Treatment on the Isthmus—Negro Slavery and Central America—San Juan del Norte, alias Greytown 209 CHAPTER XVI. MY LAST MINING ADVENTURE. Projected Voyage to Australia abandoned—Trip to the Mines in Tuolumne county—My quaint Friend and Companion, Mr. Shad Back—Operations in Columbia—The Result 225 CHAPTER XVII. THE ViaiLANCE COMMITTEE. Disordered State of Society—Atrocious and barefaced Crimes —Organization of Vigilance Committees—Salutary effect of their Proceedings—Defence of their Motives and Actions A case of Lynch Law in Sacramento 23'7 CHAPT-ER XVIII. BODEGA . Trip to Bodega on a Mischievous and Refractory Mule A Chinese Encampment—Description of the country in the vicinity of Bodega—The Village of Petaluma—Cruel Treat- ment of an Indian Boy—Serious Consequences result from the villainous Pranks of his Miileship—Ben. an eccentric old Negro; 254 CHAPTER XIX. THE DIGGER INDIANS AND NEGROES. Indolence and Insignificance of the Digger Indians—What they eat—Means of obtaining the Necessaries of Life—Their Habits and Peculiarities—An Incident at a Slaughter- Xll CONTENTiS. house—The Negroes in California—^The case of a New Orleans Sea-captain and his Slave Joe—A North Car- olinian Rnd his two Negroes 268 CHAPTBE XX. AEE YOU GOING TO CALIFORNIA? Resume of the preceding chapters—Arguments in favor of the Atlantic and Pacific Railway — Advantages of the Southern Route—Abstract of the Report of the Secretary of War on the several Pacific Railroad Explorations—Ex- tracts from Letters—Conclusion 280 THE LAND OF GOLD. CHAPTEK L CALIFORNIA UNVEILED. An intelligent and patriotic curiosity will find the history of few countries more interesting than that of Califofaia—which has at length re- alized those dreams of El Dorado that heguiled so many an early adventurer from the comforts and bliss of his fireside, to delude and destroy him. The marshes of the Orinoco, the Keys of Florida, and the hills of Mexico cover the bones of many of these original speculators in the minerals of the Western World. They sought wealth, and found graves. How many of the modern devotees of Mammon have done better in our newly opened land of gold ? To explain the causes of the frequent disap- pointment of these cherished hopes ; to determine the true value of this modern El Dorado j to ex- -hibit the prominent features of California and 2 14 CALIFORNIA UNVEILED.

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