Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-06-20
Prospecting.
BY DorNcs.

|
BY DoINGs.
Did you ever go prospecting we
| do MT mean, did You ever take pick
and shovel and scratch gravel half a
mile from YOUR cabin. But did YOU
EVER pack mu e, and I Ike yonr chance
in the Mountains for a season IF you
EYER did, you have seen hsrd times,
and very many peasant ones If you
never did, you'll never know what you
have lost.
Please go back with us to the sum-
mer of 80. And now We will. by a
process altogether unknown t. leger-
domain or Jacobs, save you the wea-
ry toll of weeks, and pl ,re you at nee
IN little valley amid the mountain
peaks. Although morn, it is y dark
but we can distinguish the forms OF
me, moving about, and the campfire
burns cheerfully. The men must be
mlne s, for here lay picks, pans and
shovels, and there cradle; and al
though so early. the camp kettle DO Is
right merrily, and the park IN the Try
pan hisse- and spiutters away in good
earnest S me Of the men are driving
mules into camp, others rolling up
blankets and getting things together,
road, for IA start; this morning they
leave the old camping ground on their
way for-they k ow no where. But
here! who's that down Oil his kne' S
stirring ba ter in such spiteful kind
of a way' Shall describe him and
his dress Ny extreme modesty al
most forpids 1t, but having thus found
h'm, and in su h a picturesque posi-
ton, 'twould be unfair Ia abandon him
and SO iii 90 on and describe those
pants, - pan $ which have been 'den-
tilted with him since his arl est pilgri-
mage to the mines. Originally they
re of good, firm, ribbed satin t, an
boas,ed of their color, VIII ch was a
bright blue, but now, from long ser
vice tuey have turned to gr"ylsh hue,
and ose ribs which once uId show
Id front, have nearly worn away
As he is there upon his knees, the Il ST
att, faction is huge patch OF bed-ti X,
faded and torn; beneath lis taitered
Sheds arpea s another patch OF what
was once white, and occui sied the dig
n fed pos ton OF the family flour bag.
The bat Ell is now of the right Consist
ency, and as b.. has changed his posi-
ton, we have a fair, view Of his knees,
which present SINH ar appearance.
The exremi,ies Of the Il mbs. are much
t rn and worn ANY,. But, for hose
o d pants, torn, ragged, and bad as
taey are, he has an atfec lou, and would
be 10th to part with t'em, for they aie
to him Tx an Old tried fir end, the,
have stood by him in fair weather and
iu .oul, and when til: time comes that
he and they must part, he will feel that
he is parting with good and true old
FREUD, AID twill b.. IN sorrow. The
re ainier of MS dress is in keeping
wi h toe pants His hat round felt,
well sloucned, his boots, beyond s.
CIR pt.on, but we will maze affidavit tn i
he has FIVE toes upon each f OF ; his
hair ny and curly. and his f ce we'll
Drowned We have pictured ourself,
and it was sure that our wardrobe ex
c-eded all the hers, in ,smuch as We
rejoiced III the ownership of an Extra
SHIRT.
Breakfast is over, the mules are
packed, and with one last look at the
old camping ground, the train NOV s
on. Shall we go on with them, up and
down those rugged IN 'unt ms 7 and
limb around thos- overhauging cliffs,
DO d ring up,n preclp'ces frlghtfuI To
only look at? We have not time, W.
will let them travel on. for with these
seven league be is of ours, We can
lily overtake them.
It's NV several DAYS since we part
d with those rough friends of ours,
and many wary mile have they
rramped since then, up and down ste P
mountain sides, tn, ugh deep ravin S,
and imme, Sc patches Of chapparrl, and
through glorious forests of majestic
pines, whose tapering trunks stretch
tar towards the sky. And if hen We
left them, they presented sorry np
D arance, tney are even worse now,
tor ap, ,arel is great enemy to cloth
ing. A. tn ) travel alo 6 i" Indian
| 6;e, thy cast fiirtise glanc. S from thei.
SD dows to he snn, for it is ai,e'no n
and they have travrle.i from early
morn, and now f 81 tired and hungr,
hut they ca mot camp yet, tor there Is
no water here, nos have they seen any
all day. But there must be water
near, tn. mules have quicken d theil
pace, and W. ctn hear the gursling Of
running stream; there Is water be
yond thi< cl # The cliff is past, tn
water is in sight, all tn lights of hun
: ger and of wearied LIMBS are gone. eacl
i eager for a drink from that refresh
+, ing stream But LOOK, there by TIL
stream, and los beside these bushes
is der feeding, feed ng thonghtiuily
t tile tn hiking an enc ny so near
Quick as thought old Bill has throw
I us iAe to h,- shou der, bis finger IS :.
the trigger, his is an unerrIng aIm
Now, far well To salt p.rk vanish a
thoughts Of ok; Tonight well lea.
!. IN veni on, We Il have a glorious time
Pork, gross, fat. rusty pork, farewell