that purpose in September, 1847. In making the necessary excavations, he observed in the mud and dirt thrown up some glittering particles, which on examination proved to be gold. Further explorations soon followed, and at length satisfactory evidence was given that large portions of the valley abounded in the precious metal.

California by the treaty with Mexico, having become a part of the territory of the United States, numerous vessels were fitted out in various parts of the country, and in foreign countries; and thousands of adventurers sailed for the "gold region." The excitement still con tinues. A government has been established, towns and villages are rapidly springing up, and California now (1850), asks for admission into the American Union as a sovereign state.

149. Gold-Digging in California.

The following, relative to the California gold-mines is extracted from the official report of Colonel Mason, the military commandant of California, dated August 17, 1848:

"I started on the 12th of June last, to make a tour through the northern part of California. My principal purpose, however, was to visit the newly-discovered gold "placer" in the valley of the Sacramento. ... We reached San Francisco on the 20th, and found that all. or nearly all, its male inhabitants had gone to the mines. The town, which a few months before was so busy and thriving, was then almost deserted.

"On the evening of the 25th, the horses of the escort were crossed to Sousoleto in a launch, and on the following day we resumed the journey to Sutter's fort, where we arrived on the morning of the 2d of July. Along the whole route, mills were lying idle, fields of wheat were open to cattle and horses, and farms going to waste. At Sutter's, there was more life and business. Launches were discharging their cargoes at the river, and carts were hauling goods to the fort, where already vere ca

tablished several stores, a hotel, &c.

Captain Sutter had only two mechanics in his employ (a wagon-maker and a blacksmith), whom he was paying ten dollars per day. Merchants pay him a monthly rent of $100 per room; and while I was there, a two-story house in the fort, was rented as a hotel for $500 a month.

"On the 5th, I resumed the journey, and proceeded twenty miles up the American fork to a point on it now known as the "lower mines," or "Mormon diggings." The hillsides were thickly strewn with canvass tents and bush arbors; a store was erected, and several boarding shanties in operation. The day was intensely hot, yet about 200 men were at work in the full glare of the sun washing for gold-some with tin pans, some with closewoven Indian baskets, but the greater part had a rude machine, known as the cradle. This is on rockers. six or eight feet long, open at the foot, and at its head has a coarse grate or sieve; the bottom is rounded with small cleets nailed across. Four men are required to work this machine; one digs the ground in the bank close by the stream; another carries it to the cradle and empties it on the grate; a third gives a violent rocking motion to the machine; while a fourth dashes on water from the stream itself.

The sieve keeps the coarse stones from entering the cradle, the current of water washes off the earthy matter, and the gravel is gradually carried to the foot of the machine, leaving the gold mixed with a heavy fine black sand above the first cleets. The sand and gold mixed together, are then drawn off through auger-holes in a pan below, and afterward separated by blowing off the sand. A party of men thus employed at the lower mines, averaged $100 a day. The gold in the lower mines is in fine bright scales.

"As we ascended the north branch of the American fork, the country became more broken and mountainous, and at the saw-mill, twenty-five miles above the lower washings, or fifty miles above Sutter's, the hills rise a housand feet above the level of the Sacramento plain. Here a species of pine occurs which led to the discovery

of the gold. Captain Sutter, feeling the great want of ¡umber, contracted in September last, with a Mr. Marshall to build a new saw-mill at that place. It was erect ed in the course of the past winter and spring-a dam and race were constructed, and a large bed of mud and gravel was carried to the foot of the race.

One day Mr. Marshal, as he was walking down the race to this deposite of mud, observed some glittering particles at its upper edge, he gathered a few, examined them, and became satisfied of their value. He then went to the fort, told Captain Sutter of his discovery, and they agreed to keep it secret, until a certain grist-mill of Sutter's was finished. It however got out, and spread like magic. Remarkable success attended the labors of the first explorers, and in a few weeks hundreds of men were drawn thither. At the time of my visit, but little over hree months after its first discovery, it was estimated that upward of 4,000 people were employed..

"The discovery of the vast deposites of gold has entirey changed the character of Upper California. Its people, before engaged in cultivating their small patches of ground, and guarding their herds of cattle and horses, have all gone to the mines, or are on their way thither. Laborers of every trade have left their work-benches and tradesmen their shops. Sailors desert their ships as fast as they arrive on the coast, and several vessels have gone to sea with hardly enough hands to spread a sail. 'Two or three are now at anchor in San Francisco without a crew on board."

150. First Steamer across the Atlantic.

The first voyage across the Atlantic in a steam-vessel was performed by the steamship Savannah, commanded by Captain Moses Rogers, of New London, Connecticut, in 1819. This ship was built in New York in 1818, by "Fitchet and Crotchet," under the direction of Captain Rogers. The engine was made by Daniel Dodd, of

Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and Stephen Vail, of Mor ristown. On the 29th of March, 1819, this ship sailed from New York to Savannah, Ga. (where she was owned). After a short stay at the latter place, she proceeded to Charleston, South Carolina, to take the President, James Monroe, to Savannah, whence (after these successful experiments) she sailed on May 25th direct for Liverpool-a full-rigged ship of about three hundred and fifty tons burden, with a low-pressure engine of eighty or ninety horse-power. She proved a fast sailer, and, by the power of her engine alone, would make eight knots per hour.

66

After a most successful passage of twenty-two days, fourteen of which her engine was used, she arrived at Liverpool. The ship was first discovered from the telegraphic station at Cape Clear (the southern part of Ireland), and reported as a ship on fire." The admiral who lay at the cove of Cork despatched one of the king's cutters to her relief; but great was their wonder at their inability, with all sails set, and in a fast vessel, to come up with a ship moving under bare poles.

On approaching the city, the shipping, piers, and roofs of houses, were thronged with an excited populace, cheering the adventurous craft. During her stay at Liverpool, naval officers, noblemen, and merchants, from London, came down to visit her, and were singularly curious to ascertain her speed, destination, &c. After a stay of twenty-eight days in Liverpool, during which time the ship was visited by thousands of people of rank, and her officers the while treated with marked attention, she left for Copenhagen, Denmark. Here she excited similar manifestations of wonder and curiosity. Thence she proceeded to Stockholm, where she was visited by the royal family, foreign ministers, naval officers, nobil ity, and others, who, by the invitation of Mr. Hughes (the American minister), dined on board, and took an excursion among the neighbouring islands, with which they seemed much delighted.

Lord Lynedoch, of England, who was then on a tour through the north of Europe, by invitation of our minister

took passage on board the Savannah for St. Petersburg, which place she reached in due time. Here she was visited by noblemen and military and naval officers, who also tested her superior sailing qualities by a trip to Cron stadt. In this city a valuable service of plate was presented to her officers. From St. Petersburg she sailed back to Copenhagen, and from there to Arendal, in Norway; and then returned to Savannah, where she safely arrived after a passage of twenty-five days. Shortly after his she sailed for Washington city, and was there laid up-being the first steam-vessel that ever crossed the Atlantic.

151. Lynch's Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea.

In May, 1847, Lieutenant W. F. Lynch, of the United States navy, made an application to the Hon. John Y. Mason, the head of the navy department, for permission to circumnavigate and thoroughly explore the lake Asphatites, or Dead sea. After some delay, a favourable decision was given to his application. The United States storeship" Supply" was placed under his command, and was laden with stores for the American squadron in the Mediterranean. She also carried two metallic boats, one of copper, the other of galvanized iron, for the use of the expedition. The members of the expedition were fourteen in number. The ten seamen shipped to serve as crews of the boats were of temperate habits, all of them having pledged themselves to abstain from all intoxicating drinks.

The expedition set out from New York, November 26, 1847. After stopping at Port Mahon, the "Supply" on February 16th anchored before Smyrna. Thence Lieutenant Lynch proceeded to Constantinople, where, by the influence of Mr. Carr, the United States resident minister, an audience of the sultan was granted, and a firman procured, giving permission to explore the Dead sea and