CALIFORNIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 29, 6 December 1851, Page 4

CALIFORNIA.

From the " Sydney Morning Herald" we extract the latest Californian news, and which are, as usual, a catalogue of the most frightful events : —

A riot had taken place at Colonia, between the adherents of the Mill and Tunnel Companies. Fifteen men were killed, and a great number were seriously wounded. The " Alta California," without expressing the slightest surprise or regret, merely observes, that " the long disputes between the two Companies are said to have occasioned this murderous strife."

A traveller just returned from the northern mines, in giving an account of the sanguinary conflicts between the miners and the Indians, observes, " that the miners always kill the Indians whenever an opportunity presents, but they cannot spend the time necessary to follow them to their strongholds in the mountains, and thus hundreds of the rascals unfortunately escape."

The following extracts show how faithfully this butchery is pursued : —

Shasta, July 6, 1851

Dear Col. — This evening another party of fifteen men, who started out some few days since, commanded by Captain B. F. Harvey, returned from an Indian hunt. Captain Harvey informs me that this morning, about nine o'clock, he made an attack upon some eight hundred Pitt River Indians, on this side of the Sacramento, some twenty miles from this place. A warm fire immediately commenced, and was kept up for some considerable time, during which time some sixty or seventy were killed, and a large number mortally wounded. The party captured and brought in four squaws and one young child about six years old.

P.S. — This morning 150 men, well armed, left for Pitt River, and all other parts of the country where the Indians are to be found.

Shasta, July 15, 1851

Captain Harvey and company returned from an Indian hunt yesterday evening. The Captain informs me, that on the morning of the Ist instant he made an attack on a Rancheria, killing some fifty Indians, and wounding more. He captured and brought in some six or eight prisoners. Our town is nightly infested by these troublesome hombrcs, who, no doubt, are after their wives and children we have as prisoners. — Yours, in haste,

A. French. Shasta, July 16, 1851.

Dear Col. — Some short time since a man was brutally murdered by a digger with an axe. He was in the employ of James Macklay, Esq., cutting hay some sixteen miles from this place. A party of fifteen men was immediately headed by Mr. Macklay, who pursued him to a rancho, where a large body of Indians had collected for the purpose of making an attack upon the whites, upon which a hot fire immediately commenced, and was kept up for some two hours, lulling about twenty of their number, and wounding as many more. The party brought in three captives.

* The gaols were one and all crammed to suffocation, and the " Alta California" adds, that a number of very interesting criminal trials are soon to come off in the District Court and Court of Sessions, which promise rich treats.