San Andreas independent., 1857-03-28
Written for the San Andreas Independent. |
Sailing a Claim.


ing with "gresneys,' in search of rich diggings,
which like the ignis yfatuus seemed to be con-
stantly evading their grasp while ever ringing in
their ears was the news that "big strikes" were
being made only few miles further ahead, and
nought but the excitement of gold hunting kept
up their spirits, in the wild chase after rich
leads, big chispas and ounce diggings. During
the best of these flush times, a party, just from
the States, arrived in San Andreas and put up
at the Bella Union, which building, like all
others at that time in this Camp, consisted of
a one-story frame, covered with canvass but
served in turn, the many conveniences of stores,
gambling g-houses, dining rooms and dormitories;
long before the stately brick and stone build
ings, which now adorn the town, were even
dreamed of in the mind of the most sanguine
real-estate enthusiast, or by fertile, poetical
inauguration. When even that rural pastime,
of sailing" mining claims, was in its infancy
But to return to the story
The party having arrived at the only board
ing house in the place, threw down their car
pet sacks and the many bundles which always
distinguished the newly arrived emigrant from
the initiated Californian. The party, as usual
with newcomers, were on the elephants trail; ;
they had seen his tracks in the shape of pros
pecting holes, in almost every ravine and fiat
along the road-they wanted to see the aninsalP ?
Having looked around among the by-standers
to find appearances the most likely to give the
required information, one of the newcomers
approached seedy-looking individual, who
knowingly winked as if embodyng the sought
for knowledge,-but they failed. Finally one
of the loungers, whom we shall call w Whisky Tom
and who was always much fonder of emptying
a demi-John than working long Iom stepped
up and said he could give the required informa-
ton, which point was doubtless settled to the
mutual satisfaction of the parties, as the sequel
will show.
Whisky Tom was famed for being much fond
er of emptying glass, than sinking mining
shaft and of selling worked-out and worthless
mining claims, than honesty or good faith would
justify. /" Tom" was never known to work, yet
he always claimed to claim the best mining
claim around the camp-which his last nights
mistortunes had forced him to sacri6ce-to SELL
They enquired of " Tom = what kind of show
there for getting a claim where they could
make something,-say ten ounces day,-tell-
ing him that they had just came into the coun-
try, and wanted a good claim to go to work on ?
Tom answered about as follows " Wall, Mr..
Strangers, don't know but what can tell yer
whar thar's good claim in which yer can bag
from fifty to a hundred dollars per day, reglar-
shuve as shooten! But which yer will hev to
shell out three hundred dollars for; as | don't
want to stay here any longer, so will sell it to
yer dirt cheap, as that aint half what it's worth;
so if you've mind to go down, this afternoon
l will show you the caim-proper good bargain
must sell-forced to leave next morning"
The strangers announced their inability to
pay such sum for a clam although they said
it was no doubt cheap enough another of the
party, however, who had been listening to the
bargain, (but had taken no part in the CONVEX
sation,) stepped towards Tom and informed him
that although his partners had no money yet
he was not broke, and if the claim suited, per-
haps sale might be effected, at the same time
proffering to accompany him down to the spot
Tom made various excuses, for the present, and
said he would 90 down in the afternoon; to this
the stranger agreed.
Tom was soon afterwards seen slipping out
of the Camp armed with double-barrelled shot
gun, and making his way towards the Willow
Spring Flat now it was generally known that
! T AZ.
worked for some time, but without success,-as
the color could scarcely be got in the dirt
Tom, however, soon returned and put away his
gun. In the course of the afternoon the stran-
ger and Tom seen vending their way
down to the claim; when they arrived at the
claim Tom pointed very mysteriously towards
the spot, and said -" Thar, stranger, is the
claim, you can prospect it to suit yourself |
wouldn't sell it so cheap only that I've got busi-
ness down to Frisco,-Tll go back to Camp and
after you've tried the yearth, I'll see you thar"
The stranger then remarked, g / suppose you
have no objections to my keeping the prospects,
| may get?" "Oh, mol" said Tom, 4" certain
ly not" Tom then returned to his lodgings
and rolled up his blankets as he smilingy made
the remark, to himself, half aloud, "Fve got
him, shure,-shure as shooten!" In about two
hours the stranger returned to the Camp and a
close observer might have seen twinkle in the
corner of his eye, as Tom questioned him as to
whether he was satisfied with the prospects he
had got? at prospccted very well, indeed,
said the stranger, '.but think the claim is very
near worked out, that is, all that aciU pay
shure as shooter /" ''Oh, no" said Tom, a." that
can't be, there is plenty of dirt there yet >
eyes" was the answer, dirt enough but no
more gold as l think have got about all there
was in the bank" he then produced about two
ounces of gold dust, the result of his prospect,
| and while keeninp his eyes firmly fixed ON Tom