etting a crew.
The coasters are giving 100 dollars per month. All the ships at San
Francisco have stripped and laid up. The Flora, of New London, is at
San Francisco; all left. You probably have heard of the situation of
things here. A sailor will be up at the mines for two months, work on
his own account, and come down with from two to three thousand dollars,
and those that go in parties do much better. I have been offered 20
dollars per day to go, by one of the first men here, and work one year.
It is impossible for me to give you any idea of the gold that is got
here. Yours respectfully,

"CHRISTOPHER ALLEN,
Captain of the ship Isaac Walton."

Another letter dated St. Francisco, September 1st, contains the
following:--

"A day or two ago the Flora, Captain Potter, of New London, anchored in
Whaleman's Harbour, on the opposite side of the Bay. Yesterday the
captain, fearing he would lose all his men, weighed anchor, intending
to go to sea. After getting under weigh, the crew, finding the ship was
heading out, refused to do duty, and the captain was forced to return
and anchor here. Last night nine of the crew gagged the watch, lowered
one of the boats, and rowed off. They have not been heard of since, and
are now probably half way to the gold region. The Flora is twenty-six
months out, with only 750 bbls. of oil. Every vessel that comes in here
now is sure to lose her crew, and this state of things must continue
until the squadron arrives, when, if the men-o'-war-men do not run off
too, merchant-men may retain their crews.

"The whale-ship Euphrates, of New Bedford, left here a few weeks since,
for the United States, to touch on the coast of Chili to recruit. The
Minerva, Captain Perry, of New Bedford, has abandoned the whaling
business, and is now on his way hence to Valparaiso for a cargo of
merchandise. Although two large ships, four barks, and eight or ten
brigs and schooners have arrived here since my return from the mineral
country, about four weeks since, with large cargoes of merchandise,
their entire invoices have been sold. Vessels are daily arriving from
the islands and ports upon the coast, laden with goods and passengers,
the latter destined for the gold-washings.

"Much sickness prevails among the gold-diggers; many have left the
ground sick, and many more have discontinued their labours for the
present, and gone into more healthy portions of the country, intending
to return after the sickly sea