254 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



wounded, but none killed. It is supposed that the 

 assailants belonged to the Utahs. The Salt Lake 

 City is the great refuge of the belated emigrants upon 

 that route, arid the Mormons are hospitable to all who 

 visit them for shelter, or for mere curiosity. 



The great body of the emigrants continue to take 

 the old route, which we have elsewhere described, and 

 find that it is the safest and shortest of the land 

 routes. Judging from the statements of the number 

 of emigrants who have passed Fort Laramie this sea 

 son, we should say, that the route could scarcely be 

 called a wilderness, when it is impossible to travel 

 thirty miles without meeting with parties and families 

 of whites. Part of this tide of emigration will flow 

 to Oregon, no doubt, on account of the fertile lands 

 to be there obtained ; but the golden land will get the 

 bulk of it. 



In a recent tour through the region bordering on 

 Moqueleme River, in California, a couple of gentle 

 men from Stockton, discovered a cave or grotto of 

 great extent. They found that it contained large 

 quantities of stalactite, and saw evidences of gold. 

 The Indians who accompanied the gentlemen were 

 horror stricken at their audacity, when they entered 

 a cave which tradition said no man returned from 

 alive. The skeleton of a human being was found at 

 some distance from the opening. 



An event has occurred which will no doubt exercise 

 a great influence on California affairs. This is the 

 discovery of the existence of abundance of gold in 

 Oregon territory. The discovery created great ex 

 citement through the various cities and towns of 

 Oregon, and the northern towns of California. That 

 which is exhibited, shows an entirely different charac- 



