Head Waters of the Stanislaus River3
(15 miles from civilized habitation)
Augt 1851
Dear Mother4
You will see by the heading of this letter that I have left the comforts of partial civilization in that I ha "Campo Saco5 [sic]" to be a wanderer in the mountains and a sojourner in the wilderness. I am in fact speculating in what may be a failure or what may turn out very advantageously[.] I believe in my last communication I mentioned that the waters in the creeks were getting low and that gold washing was therefore getting low likewise as it is impossible to get the Gold without the water. I have therefore gone into a speculation with about 160 others forming a large company for the purpose of conveying the water from the Stanislaus River to a place called Columbia where there is a great extent of land which only requires water to yield a large crop of gold to the industrious miner. For this purpose we have to build a canal along the sides of steep and mountains & precipitous rocks a distance of nearly 20 miles (and when I tell you that this canal can not be dug in the ground (like ordinary Canals) but must be all built of wood) you will have some idea of the magnitude of the work we have undertaken. We are only at present making the grade that is a level road along the sides of the mountains for the purpose of laying the canal (or flume) upon, this canal will be about 4 f[ee]t wide and two feet deep made of boards about 2 inch thick and properly braced and fastened together to prevent leakage, This will be about 15 miles in length and the remainder we shall be able to manage by digging a canal in the ground (about 5 miles) the reason we cannot dig it all is that the mountains are so very steep & rocky, with very little loose earth upon them that no permanent banks could be established. These mountains are of immense height & steepness only tenanted by grisley [sic] bears, Deer, Coyoties [sic] & other wild animals [2]6 The mountains of Wales if placed here would be entirely lost or only recognized as small hillocks. We had at first proposed putting off up a water power saw mill for the purpose of cutting the immense quantity of boards required for the work — but we have now purchased a Steam Engine & are about erecting a saw mill on the top of the mountains where there is plenty of timber growing and there to saw the boards required and then shift the mill &[?] Engine to another place further on as we progress with the work. You will perceive that this is a great work and will require many months to complete [sic]7 — yet it is all undertaken and intended to be compleated by miners by their own labour which is the principal capital required except for the purchase of the machinery & tools for which each member has contributed about 30 dollars. As I was the only practical Surveyor of the company I have been engaged in levelling and setting out the line and have now nearly compleated it. It has been a very laborious work, the hills are so steep in some places that it is difficult to stand & fix the level. My level which I had stolen at San Francisco would have been of great service to me here if I could have had it. The Company purchased a Theodolite at San Francisco and paid 170 dollars for it which does not answer the purpose near so well as my old level would have done. When this work is compleated we shall have a large Stream Engine of water running into the richest mining district in this part of the Country where there are several thousand acres of land that will yield Gold sufficient to repay the miner for working if water could only be obtained upon the spot. Every miner therefore will have to pay us for the use of the water whereby a good daily revenue will be obtained, sufficient we hope to repay us for our present labour and expenses, the water will also be of great use and value for agricultural and Mill purposes.
[3]8 I hope before sending this off to receive one a letter from you I long to hear more of the Great Exhibition as every American paper we see is full of it, admiring & extolling the beauty and grandeur of the Chrystal [sic] Palace and its contents and also the British Nation its enterprising people and even the Queen herself receives her due share of praise for the great interest she appears to take in the objects of the Exhibition. all [sic] this is very gratifying to an englishman, [sic] who in this distant republican country can read the praises of his native land in foreign journals although in his mother tongue — as far as I have seen of American Politics and maner [sic] of government I admire the system & the people and can see more fully the errors of some parts of our own government, and yet I can exclaim "England with all thy faults I love thee still." although [sic] there is no place like California for freedom of action and scope for enterprise where a man can dig where he likes for gold even in a man's garden if he thinks proper, can cut down timber when he wants it and can erect a house or a saw mill in any convenient spot (not occupied by a previous party —) can roam over mountains and valley's [sic] in search of game — and can shoot deer, bears, hares & rabbits without fear of game laws or any interference whatsoever —
As we are all now camping out about the mountains shifting about every week and sleeping under a tree on the bare mountain sides we have a good opportunity of observing the habits of some of the animals although they mostly feed at night, a bear would sometimes come growling round our camp at night but they will not hurt any one unless wounded or hurt in some way[,] it is dangerous to meddle with one unless there is a large party armed with rifles — as they are immensely powerful9
Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1630.1409)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1]1
Headwaters of the Stanislaus River. Fifteen miles from Civilized Habitation. August 1851
[To Mary Ann Wallace]2
You will see by the heading of this letter that I have left the comforts of partial civilization in Campo Seco3 to be a wanderer in the mountains, and a sojourner in the wilderness. I am in fact speculating on what may be a failure, or what may turn out very advantageous. I believe in my last letter I mentioned that the waters in the creeks were getting very low and the gold washing was therefore getting low likewise, as it is impossible to get the gold without the water. I have therefore gone into a speculation along with about 160 others, forming a large company for the purpose of bringing the water from the Stanislaus River to a place called Columbia where there is a great extent of land which only requires water to yield a large crop of gold to the industrious miner. For this purpose we have to build a canal along the sides of steep mountains, and precipitous rocks, a distance of nearly 20 miles.
When I tell you that this canal cannot be dug in the ground (like ordinary canals), but must be built of wood, you will have some idea of the magnitude of the work we have undertaken. We are only at present marking the grade, that is a level road along the sides of the mountains, for the purpose of laying the canal, or flume (as it is falled [sic]) upon. This flume will be about 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, made of boards 2 inches thick, and properly braced and fastened together to prevent leakage. This will be about 15 miles in length. and [sic] the rest we shall be able to manage by digging a canal in the ground. The reason we cannot dig it all is that the mountains are so very steep and rocky, with very little loose earth upon them, so that no permanent banks could be established. These mountains are of immense height ans [sic] steepness, only tenanted by grizzly bears, deer and coyotes, and other wild animals. The mountains of Wales, if placed here would be entirely lost, or only recognized as small hillocks.4 [2] We had at first proposed putting up a water power Saw Mill for the purpose of cutting the immense quantity of boards which we will require, but we have now purchased a Steam Engine, & are about erecting a saw mill on the top of the mountains, where there is plenty of timber growing, and there to saw a great quqntity [sic] of the boards required, and then shift the mill to another place further on as we progress with the work. You will see that this is a great work and will require a great many months to complete, yet it is all undertaken and intended to be completed by miners by their own labour, which is the principal capital required, except for the purchase of Steam Engine and Saw and machinery and tools, for which each member has contributed about 30 dollars. As I was the only practical surveyoy [sic] of the company, I have been engaged in leveling [sic] and setting out the line, and have now nearly completed it. It has been a very laborious work as the hills are so steep in some places that it is difficult to stand and fix the level. My level, which I had had [sic] stolen at San Francisco would have been of great service here if I could have had it. The company purchased a theodolite in San Francisco, and paid 170 dollars for it, which does not answer the purpose nearly so well as my old level would have done. When this work is completed we shall have a large stream of water running into the richest mining district in this part of the country where there are several thousand acres of land that will all yield gold sufficient to repay the miner for working if water could only be obtained on the spot. Every miner will therefore pay us for the use of the water, whereby a good daily revenue will be obtained, sufficient, we hope, to repay us for our present labour and expenses. The water will also be of great use and value for agricultural & mill purposes.
Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1630.4445)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Head waters of the Stanislaus River
Fifteen miles from Civilized Habitation.
August 1851.
My dear Mother,
You will see by the heading of this letter that I h have [sic] left the comforts of partial civilization of Campo Saco [Seco] to be a wanderer in the mountains, and a soujourner[sic] in the wilderness. I am in fact spectulating [sic] in what may be a failure, or what may turn out to be very advantageous[.] I believe in my last letter I mentioned that the waters in the creeks were getting very low, and the gold washing was therefore getting very low likewise, as it is imposssible [sic] to get the gold without the water. I have therefore gone into a speculation along with about 160 others form a large company for the purpose of bringing the water from the Stanislaus River to a place called Columbiawhere [sic] there is a great extent of land which only requires water to yeald [sic] a large crop of gold to the industious [sic] miner. For this purpose we have to build a canal along the sides of steep mountains, covered loose rocks a distance of 20 miles. When I tell you that this canal cannot be dug in the ground (like ordinary canals), but must all be built of wood, you will have some idea of the magnitude of the work we have undertaken. We are only at present making t the [sic] grade, that is a level road along the sides of the mountains, for the purpose of laying the canal, or flume (as it is called) upon. This flume will be about 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, made of boards 2 inches thick, and properly braced and fastened together to prevent leakage. This will be about 15 miles in lengthh, and the rest we shall be able to manage by digging a canal in the ground[.] The reason we cannot dig it all is that the mountains are so very steep and rocky, with very little loose earth upon them, so that no permanent banks could be established. The mountains are of immense height and steepness, only tenanted by grisley [grizzly] bears, deer, and cayotes [sic], and other wild anim animals. The mountains of Wales, if placed here would be entirely lost, or if only recognized as small hillocks. We had at first proposed putting up a water power Saw Mill to for the purpose of cutting the immense quantity of boards which we will require, but we have now purchased a Steam [2] Engine, and are about erecting a saw mill on the top of the mountains, where there is plenty of timber growing, and ther[e] to saw a great quantity of the boards required, and then shift the mill to another place further on as we progress with the work. You will see that this is a great work and will require a great many months to complete, yet it is all undertaken and intended to be completed by miners by their own labour, which is the principal capital required, except for the purchase of Steam Engine and Saw and tools, for whic[h] each member has contributed about $30.00. As I was the only practical surveyor of the company, I have been engaged in leveling and setting out the line, and have now nearly completed it. It has been a very laborious work as the hills are so steep in some places that it is difficult to stand and fix the level. My level, which I had had stolen at San Francisco would have been of great service here if I could have had it. The company purchased a headolite [theodolite] in San Francisco, and paid $170.00 for it, which does not answer the pu [sic] purpose near so well as my old level would have done. When this work is completed we shall have a large stream of water running into the richest mining district intthis [sic] part of the country where there are several thousand acres of land that will all yeald [sic] gold sufficient to repay the miner for workin[g] if water could only be obtained upon the spot. Every miner will therefore have to pay us for the use of the water, whereby a good daily revenue will be obtained, sufficient to[,] we hope, to repay us for our present labour and expenses. The water will also be of great use and value for agricultur[e] and mill purposes.
I hope before sending this off to receive one from you, or else some papers. I have not yet received any, as the one directed to San Francisco I never had, as the Post Office au authorities [sic] would not take the trouble to send papers on to the mines. But any directed to Sonoma I shall most likely receive safe.
I long to hear more of the Great Exhibition, bas [sic] every American paper we see is full of it, admiring and extoling [sic] the beauty and grandeur of the Crystal Palace and its conten[t] and also the British nation its enterprising people, and eve[n] the Queen herself who receives her due share of praise for the great interest she appears to take in the objects of the exhibition. All this is very gratifying to an Englishman, wh[o] in this distant republican country can read the praises of h [sic] his native land in foreign journals, although in his mother tongue. As far as I have seen of American Politics and manne[r] [3] of government, I admire the system and the people, and can see more fully the errors of some parts of our own government, and yet I can say exclaim "England, with all thy I love thee still". Although there is no place like California for freedom of action and scope for enterprise where a man can dig where he likes for gold, even in a ma man's garden if he thinks proper, can cut down timber when he wants it, and can errect [sic] a house or a saw mill in any convenient spot not occupied by a previous party, and can roam over mountains and valleys in search of game, and can shoot deer, bears, hares, and rabbits without fear of game laws, or any interference whatever.
As we are all now camping out about the mountains shifting about every week, and sleeping under a tree on the bare mountain sides we have a good opportunity of observing the habits of some of the animals, although they mostly feed at night. A bear will sometimes come snorting and growling around our camp at night, but will not touch anyone unless wounded and hurt in some way, and it is dangerous to meddle with one unless there is a large party well armed with riffles [sic], as they are immensely powerful, as large as an ox, and very savage when once roused. Cayotes [sic] are animals[,] something like wild dogs, which sometimes come in droves, barking and howling like a thousand demons but are harmless, and not good to eat. Hares and foxes we occasionally see, and there are also wild cats, wolves, and California lions, or panthers, but they are not very numerous, and are rarely seen. Deer are not plentiful now but will be about here in the winter in great numbers. Wild fruit is very scarce in California, owing, I think, to the very dry weather during the heat of the summer. Wild grapes grow near the creeks and rivers in considerable quantities, but they are small and not very sweet. There aren [sic] no blackberries or nuts. There are a few nut bushes growing near the springs, but the nuts are mostly dried up before they come to perfection. There is a kind of wild plum and cherry trees which grow upon the mountains, but there is rarely any fruit upon them, sometimes only a solitary plum or cherry upon a tree. Acorns are very plentiful. every oak tree being generally loaded with them. Upon these the bears and Indians chiefly subsist during the winter.
If you are acquainted with any one who takes the Illustrated News and could send it regularly to me, I wou would [sic] in return send them a weekly California Paper. The [4] new Postal arrangements make the postage very light if prepaid, and I should prepay the one from here. Many persons m might [sic] be glad to have a California Paper upon those terms if you could only find them out.
There is a great deal of excitement here now about the Australian Gold Mines which it appears is quite true this t time [sic] , and from the accounts seem to be as rich as California[.] Many are leaving the mines and San Francisco for Australia, but I think they will not find that liberty to dig which they have here, as the land will most probably be soon bought and wirked [sic] by large companies. However I shall not leave here yet as there is plenty of gold yet remaining in California which will give employment, perhaps for many years at good average wages. The mines in Australia will be a good thing for working men and merchants, but it will most probably ruin many farmers and sheep graziers, as they will not be able to obtain men to work for them except at exorbitant wages, which they will not be able to pay. Provisions were selling very high there, and many things were sent from San Francisco to Sidney [sic] even flour and provisions as well as other things with which the market here was overstocked.
I have not much more news to communicate, so I think I will send this off now, the 8th of September. It will most probably leave San Francisco by the steamer on the 15th. The last letter I sent, I think was on the 1st. of July, or 15th. of June, but I think the former. I hope Fanny1 and Thomas2 are in good health and getting on in the business. Give my love to them and accept the same yourself,
from | Your affectionate son | J. Wallace.
Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1630.7662)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP1630,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 28 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1630