Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-03-22
ADVENTURES IN UTAH.
PROSPECTING TRIP m THEwAsHoE MINES.
BY De GUILE.
warrrry ron fnE csDAR FALLS oAzErrs.


dull, beg my readers to consider that an
not making story "out Of whole cloth
merely to tickle their fancy; but am cndeav
oring to give true account Of prospecting
expedition on which I actually went, and Of
incidents and accidents which actually trans
pircd, (even to my ducking in the river,) oil
places and scenery that are real, with true
names Of persons, most of whom arc in the
Territory at present Having now placed
myself in position to be as dull as possible,
will proceed with my narrative:
In'pairing off it fell out that Tom and
were to 60 together.
"Now DAM" said Tom, let us go up the
Canon to where it forks, and there take the
large branch which comes in on the left;
saw it last evening and liked the looks Of it,
and it may be that what gold there is in the
main Canon, comes from rich quartz veins
crossed by it,
"All right. Tom but get the pan and a
sack We may want to carry dirt to the water
to pan"
No, there is plenty Of water in the IA.
vino"
!" Arc you sure Of that?"
Yes, as sure as though I had seen it,
for noticed willows growing along it, and ]
never yet saw place in this country where
there was willows but there was water on or
near the surface"
swell, if there is water in the ravine we
will not need a sack without we go into some
Of the dry ravines higher up"
am going to no other place but this one
ravine, if we don't strike it there, there is
nothing; the main branch and all the small
ravines above have been pretty well tried
already, and this is the only one on which
the gold could come in if there is any of any
amount and besides, to tell you the truth,
Dan. my foot pains me internally"
Did you get the thornS all out?"
"No, there's lot Of them broke off that
couldn't get --confound that Pike! Thought
he would have been willing to quit even, as
he agreed"
"You think he put the pear in your boot!"
"Of course do, who else should have
played me such v,llainous trick then to
cut my boot, pretending that my foot was
swelled-blast him y
But you told him to cut it or he would
not have thought Of the like?'
"Ycs, told him, but, just between you
and ], Dan, Teas scared; thought I was
gone in sure, for I'd have staked my life on
there being a scorpion in my boot, and, of
course. when it didn't come off by pulling,
was very willing to have il cut now while
| think Of it he was pulling at my leg all the
time and didn't have hold Of the boot at all. ;"
Do you know, Tom, that he's afraid you
will kill him'"
No, is he such a fool as that?"
:" He feels very uneasy about the way you
act toward him, and hardly knows what to
expect: you know men are killed here for
less things!'
I" don't want to kill any man, but I do
intend to play even on Pike for this; he is
an awful coward, that I am sure OF"
We'll, what them"
Why, will contriyc some plan to fright
en- him out Of his wits, then he can go to
Stockholm
:" He might go now as far as that is con-
cerned, there's plenty of men in the Asylum
with moro wit than he's got"
THAT may all be; but can't you think of
some way for me to play even?"
"That's something you must look out for
yourself, you surely have wit enough to get
even on Pike?"
To this, Tom made no reply, and as We
had now reached the ground we intended to
prospect, we fixed on spot and commenced
. hole. At the depth Of two feet we tried a
pan and got two or three colors. We went
down four feet, tried another pan and got
nothing; and then went on some two feet
more, when VIC struck bedrock with strata
Of fine looking gravel, very much stained
with iron and very compact. We dug pan
Of the best we could get from the crevices,
washed it and got one fine speck. Tom
swore little at our luck, but got another pan |
Of dirt and on washing it got three small
colors-wc washed same half dozen pans
afterwards but never got above three very
fine colors at any one pan. We concluded
it wouldn't pay to dig another hole and went
some distance mp the ravinc examining the |
hills on either side for quartz veins, but we
found tho hills composed Of cement, or species |
Of conglomerate, the true bedrock being in
no place exposed, and turned back down the
ravine; Tom swearing he would get out of
The place as soon as possible. In going down
this ravine discovered great quantity Of
wild fax growing along it's sloping sides
This fax is precisely similar to the cultivated !
variety; and when saw it, was in bloom !
the flower is a beautiful light blue, and Of
precisely the same form as the tame; the
leaves and branches also arc the same; but
this flax comes up year after year from the
old root. and never need be sowed hut once |
tried the fibre of some old weather beaten !
stalks and found it fine, glossy and strong.
also collected some of the flowers and green
stalks This plant attains height Of three |
to three aud a half feet
In going back wc found a natural bridge
or arch some eighty feet in height with a
span or opening so feet w>tlc by 80 high and
set off with spires and turrets,
also cave, but Of no greet size or beauty.
"Wcll. Tom said |, as we walked toward
the camp, shave you made mp your mind as
to what you arc to do with Pike
- No. confound it can think Of nothing
but some such low trick as he played on me,
and that despse'
Well, if you will think Of some nice
gentlemanly trick that we may play on him,
will promise to assist YOU"
II am afraid then, Dan, I shall have to
wait long time for your help"
81 don't know about that, you played him
one to-day that should call gentlemanly
trick"
30, by letting him have the horse well
hardly know why did do that one reason
was, think, that wanted him out of sight,
and an other to puzzle him by acting contrary
to what he had right to eypcct."