Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/169



Bou,\p 1853 if 9

regret having come here. Of those who have cpme wijJiput their friends, I have heard not one express an intention to bring them here. The general expression of Hich is, "I am glad my family are not here:" while the ma*s of those who stay, stay for otler reasons than because they l&e the country. We are all told that by another year or so we shall preler it to the East. I know not how that may be : but I know that a large portion of those who have been here eighteen months, the time of the settlement, iaUnd to leave.

Mining is being perhaps fairly paid now. Some are making fortunes and some making nothing, or less. There is room for many thousand miners in this valley. The gold, in tome *|uan- tiiy, is exhaustless. And the farther explorations are carried in every direction from MS, the more extensive the gold hearing country is found. New diggings are discovered somewhere every day. There is gold enough more jthan -can be washed out. And yet mining is a very precarious business. I would advise no one to come here to mine, because he is very likely to expend years of labor without profits and v.ery sure to get less gold than will repay him for what he undergoes in coming and living a miner's life. It is worth something to "see the elephant/' and well enough, perhaps, at least for a young man, to waste two years in learning the lesson of a trip to, and a residence in this country ; and it is "well enough" for them only, as young men are bound to fool away about so much time, and there is no school in which they can learn as fast, or by the discipline of which truths will be so indelibly impressed on their memories. I will write again soon.

My respects to all accept assurances &c. of Yours, S. H. TAYLOR.

[Watertown Chronicle, April 5, 1854]

Jacksonville, O. T. t Jan. 17, '54.

Dear Sir I write to advise you of the occurrence of a new and probably a serious difficulty with the Indians. On the