In the spring of 1850, fifty men under the leadership of WALTER CROW, undertook a cattle drive from Pike County, Missouri to California. The following is a letter written by a member of that party. The letter was printed in the Monday Morning edition of the Louisiana, Missouri DEMOCRATIC BANNER, on December 30, 1850. Following the death of THOMAS MOORE, SR. in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in 1816, his widow, NANCY ANNE WHALEY MOORE and 11 of their 12 children began their move to Montgomery and Pike Counties in Missouri territory. Several of the people mentioned in this letter are members of that Thomas and Nancy Moore family. JOHN GAZAWAY MOORE and CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MOORE, (grandsons) were the sons of THOMAS MOORE, JR. and MARY BATY/BEATTY MOORE. COLATINUS MOORE (grandson?) was the son of VINCENT MOORE and NANCY HATCHETT MOORE. Uncle Merriman was REV. MERRIMAN MOORE (son). Owens was REV. RICHARD D. OWENS who married MARY "POLLY" MOORE (daughter). The letter was written by S. A. COLVIN who married PERMELIA S. HAYMES. Permelia was the daughter of SARAH "SALLY" MOORE HAYMES (daughter) and DANIEL HAYMES. SARAH A. CORKER whose death is mentioned in the letter was a sister to Permelia Haymes Clovin. The submitters of this letter are great great great grandsons of Thomas and Nancy "Anne" Whaley Moore. They are seeking information on all of the members of the Crow cattle drive. Of special interest is that portion of the letter relating to the trip across the plains, which was omitted from the publication. THE LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA The following interesting letter was received by MRS. S. A. COLVIN of Spencerburg, from her husband who left this county with the Pike train last spring. The news it contains is not the latest, but is of general interest to those of this section of the state who have friends in California, on account of its particularizing names. We omit that portion of it which relates to the trip across the plains. It is dated NEVADA CITY, UPPER CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF YUBA, OCT. 6TH, 1850. I found here a number of my old acquaintances who came out last year; to wit: ROBERT SHAW, DUDLEY PHEARS, HARVEY WILSON, ISAAC and JOEL RIPERDAN, MARCUS OCHELTREE and C. F. KIRTLEY, of Palmyra, Mo. I also saw GEORGE OGLE, D. J. ALMOND, HENRY CROW AND DR. B. F. TODD, who came this year. They were all in good health, except Ogle, who looked quite badly, but he was able to work. George told me he had seen T. FORD a few days before on the Yuba River, he was well, but had had bad luck; he bought some cattle to sell again and had them driven off by Indians. As there are many here who had relations and friends in Pike and adjoining counties, who may be anxious about them, I wish you to send a copy of this to THE BANNER and RECORD, at Louisiana, and have it published, and keep the original yourself. I will tell you their names and places of abode at present, so far as I know: Mr. Crow & Co., are at the mouth of Feather River with their cattle. J. Z. & T. H. JAMESON of Lincoln county, Mo. are on Yuba river, 25 miles distant, Z. W. and ROBERT BROWN, all of the same county, are on Bear river, 15 miles; EPHRAIM CULLOP, DENNIS GRANDFIELE, B.A.WILLIAMS, H. C. REEDS, JOHN F. MCNUTT, WM. COFFEE, GEORGE HAMMOCK AND J. T. MYERS, of Lincoln, on the Yuba. I will now give the names from Pike; J. P. PATTERSON, of Paynesville is here, JOHN WORTHLEY and WILLIAM F. JACOBS, are on Bear River, 15 miles. LEONARD PECK went on with CROW to Mt. Vernon at the mouth of Feather river, also JAMES T. EASTIN, T. C. JOHNSON, WILLIAM DOAKE, and RICHARD FICKLIN. FRANCIS and WILLIAM MCMANAMA, from Scotland county went with CROW. J. W. GILLUM of Lincoln is at Steep Hollow. I sent by express to Sacramento City for letters, but did not get any, nor have I received a single line from anyone since I left home. I concluded not to write till I got news from Sacramento, but being disappointed in getting letters, thought proper not to wait any longer, thinking you would be anxious to hear from me as soon as possible. MARTIN CROW received a letter bearing the sad intelligence of our afflictions in the death of our little babe, and SARAH A. CORKER. I did not see the letter and could not learn the dates of their death. MARCUS OCHELTREE got a letter from home dated in June which contained the news of Sarah's death, but he could not tell me the precise date. I wrote to you giving the names of all who died in our train, but for fear you did not get those, I will inform you in this. We lost five out of fifty. to-wit: --LEVI ARMSTEAD, JOHN MASIER, WM. D. CLARY, GEO. A. GILLUM AND MARKWOOD MERITT. All died of cholera between the 18th and 22nd of June, on Platte River. You and others no doubt, would be glad to know my opinions in relation to California. As to the country at large, I have as yet, no opinion, because I have seen but a very small portion of it myself. The part I have seen is very mountainous, having a barren soil, with timber and water of the best quality. The timber is mostly large pine and fir trees, many of which are more than 250 feet high, the most majestic I ever saw. There are oaks among the pine, and some trees I do not know. As I become more acquainted with the country, I will give such views of it as I think to be truth. As to a man's prospects to make money here, I will inform you that they are dull at present: the season is so far advanced, that soon the rains will set in, and then a man cannot do very much at anything. A great many are very much disappointed and thousands are daily leaving for the states, if the reports from Sacramento be true. -- The vast emigration that came in this season, have found the whole country explored by those here before them, and all the streams worked out, and the best mines owned by claimants in advance of them, so that there is "no show" in the old mining districts. You cannot find a branch, creek, ravine or crevice, that has not been tried for gold. Some made fortunes in a short time, and others, after toiling hard, made nothing. On an average a man can get $5 per day. An old miner can get double: in some cases they board a man, but in most instances, a man has to board himself. Flour sells at 25 cents per lb., pork 35 to 40, beef 25 to 30, onions $1, potatoes 30 to 35, molasses $5 per gallon, vinegar $1 per bottle, coffee 75 cents per lb., sugar 50 to 60, and everything about ten times the prices at home. Board $3 per day. A man can board himself for about $1.50 per day, cook it himself, and sleep on the ground as he can. I expect to remain here till the rainy season sets in and perhaps during the winter. I do not expect to be able to accomplish much this fall. If I can get a supply of provisions for winter, I shall continue to try my luck in California until next December, when I will come home, whether I shall have made anything or not. You will see that I have paged this letter, as I did not have room to finish on one sheet. I would be very glad, if it were possible, to see you, but as I cannot, I would like to hear from you at least once a month. I have written home some 8 or 9 times, but do not know that you received any of my letters, the facilities for getting them being very uncertain. JOHN G. MOORE, CHRISTOPHER C. MOORE and myself, are in very good health at this time. In fact I am heavier now than when I left home. I had no sickness to lay me up on the whole trip. I bought a set of mining tools for which I paid $20, consisting of a pickaxe, shovel and cradle. Gold is obtained at these mines (Nevada), by digging down from 12 to 150 feet under the ground, and then drifting in a horizontal direction. The work is very hard and requires capital to operate to advantage; - there are, however mines in ravines and crevice, and on bars in streams, that can be worked easier, but they are not so profitable. The mining business is overstocked this year--many are not able to procure money enough in this land of gold to defray their necessary expenses, --others, by singular good luck, make fortunes in a short time and spend them again in speculation gambling, &c. I will now tell you something of this city. Early last spring, there was only one store in the place, it was kept by A. C. STEWART of Danville, Montgomery County, Mo., now there are more than a hundred. Business is brisk --houses being put up in rapid succession. In fact, it looks like some fairy work, or like Aladin and his magic lamp--you pass along today and see a vacant lot, tomorrow you pass again, there is a house up and goods in it, and men crowding in to buy what they want. Yet it is sometimes very difficult to obtain word of any kind--John, Columbus and myself, have been working for $6 per day, and board ourselves, though we do not get constant employment. When not employed, we are "prospecting", searching for gold. I have found a place where I think I can make something next summer, if I should live and have my health, but it cannot be worked now because it is under the water, and before we could drain it, perhaps the rainy season might set in, and all our labor be in vain. We had a heavy rain a few days ago, which swelled the streams considerably, so much that they will not be apt to be very low again this fall. DR. B. F. TODD has located in this city, and intends to build a hospital. There are a number of doctors here. When I arrived here it was night, I went along the street till I came to a house that was illuminated very brightly, and was the finest house I had seen. I concluded to go in and see what was going on. I went, and behold! it was a gambling house on a large scale. - Here lay thousands in heaps, piled on tables, and men sitting round betting, Sunday as it was. I left it and went on my way out of the city, laid down on the ground under a tree and staid till morning. When I awoke I heard the crowing of chickens, the first for many months--it sounded like home, I tho't of thee, of our children, of friends and of home, and no wonder I should feel sad. COLATINUS MOORE is here, though I have not seen him-John and Columbus saw him. I am sorely greived in not getting any letters from home, but I do not believe it is your fault; I believe there is great negligence in the postmasters somewhere. I hope you will write to me as soon as you get this--write all the news you can, about crops, health, births, deaths, marriages, &c. &c., and anything else of interest. We received the news of General Taylor's death about the 12th of September--of the admission of California, and elections in Missouri, Oct. 1st. There is an election here for several state officers, but I know nothing as yet on the rights of electors in the state, never having seen the constitution of California. If we get anything to read here, say a newspaper we have to pay 25 cents for it. How I like California, I do not as yet feel able to say, situated as I am; but for a man of capital, this is the country for him to operate in to make money fast, but a man without means, labors under many disadvantages. As to my advice in relation to this country, I will only say that those having good, comfortable homes, and enough to live on, had better stay at home, and expecially men having families. Many no doubt, are looking anxiously to this country for news from their friends, and with high hopes of future prosperity, but many are doomed to sad disappointment, and if I am even capable of giving advice, I would say, listen to the voice of our old friends in preference to the voice of the press. This is strongly illustrated by a circumstance that took place in my presence at a store. The store keeper was weighing some gold for a man to pay for some flour-- he remarked to the man, "Now you can see what you came to California for. You bring me your gold to buy provisions, I take it to the city to buy my supplies, they send it to the states for provisions, and in this way perhaps, a million of dollars is collected. It looks big, but nothing is said about the hundreds of poor devils who are toiling in the mines for a bare subsistance". Still for all this, there are yet chances to make something, if they do not give up too soon and become discouraged and quit work. Some work a long time without being successful, others keep trying, and finally succeed and do well. But he who comes to this country with the expectation of picking up a pile of gold in a moment, will, in almost all cases be disappointed. I have walked over hills, hollows, creeks and ravines, and dug in a thousand places, but without success. JOHN WORTHLY and WILLIAM F. JACOBS are doing better than any of us. They struck a prospect which pays them about $12 each, per day. I have now written all the news of interest I can think of, and must bring my scattered remarks to a close, by requesting you to give my respects to all your relations at home--to Mr. Corker, to Uncle Merriman, Owens, and to my father's family, and to all inquiring friends. John and Columbus join me in sending their love and respects to you all. When you write, again direct to Nevada City, Yuba County, Upper California. With every hope for your happiness and comfort, I now close. Remember me, your devoted and affectionate husband. S. A. COLVIN