Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-12-19

U~nsaecessfnI search for meBrSs1,
and Sears.
The party which left this c,ty on tn
LIST of November in search of VIM. Nc
Broom and c. C. Sears, returned las
evening. having discovered no trace o
those unfortunate men. The searching
party, consisting Of eleven men, was organ
lied by County Recorder Davis, and LEFT
on their perilous and fatiguing journey or
the first Of November, under command o,
Captain Geo. w. Wilson, an experienced
frontiersman and Indian fighter. Mr.. A,
A. Simonds, who. with Mr. Gearhart, had
been with the lost men on o prospecting
tour, returned to guide the party and
assist in the search. On the irstday they
travelled to Blue Springs, q distance ol
forty miles, and on the fifth day reached
Silver Peak, one hundred and fifty miles
from Austin. Thirty miles south Of Silver
Peak is Ida Valley. containing excellent
wood and water. Here the company re-
manned one day to rest and recruit their
animals, which were showing signs Of
fatigue from six days continuous travel,
with scanty feed. From Ida Valley the
trail passes over some low hills and enters
a wash, leading into an old river bed. which
it follows for about seventy miles into
Death Valley. Il was in this valley where
Gearhart, Simonds, McBroom and Sears
were camped when the two latter were
enticed away by some Indians under
promise Of showing them some rich gold
and silver veins. It will be remembered
that the two remaining at the camp wait
ing for the return of their companions
were on the morning of the fifth day after
the others had left, attacked by the 1ndi-
ans, and narrowly escaped by a well con-
Quoted retreat, keeping the savages at bay
with their guns, the Indians being armed
only with bows and arrows; but having
two revolvers, which they used very
poorly. This is called Gearhart's Camp,
or Camp Retreat. 1t is situated about
south of Austin, and at q distance by the
route travelled Of about three hundred
miles, and is without doubt in Tulare
county, California. The road from Aus
tin to Death Valley is very good for wag-
ons, being nearly level throughout, or
with but one or two low ranges Of hills to
cross. There Is considerable mezquit
timber, but grass and water are scarce.
although the latter appeared to be easy to
obtain by digging, as under Capt. Wilson's
instructions several wells were dug. and
good water found. At Camp Retreat and
in the neighborhood, the company re-
manned ten days, sending out parties in
all directions, searching for the lost ones,
or any trace that might lead to a discov-
cry Of their fate. Previous to their arri-
val ut this place on the l4th of November,
there had fallen a very heavy rain, oblit-
Grating all tracks, and rendering the search
much more difficult than it otherwise
would have been. Parties Of three or four
would 60 out. carrying blankets and pro-
visions, and being gone for several days,
would make a thorough search for many
miles distant from camp. After ten days
spent in such expeditions, and finding no
trace Of the lost men, nor even a sign Of
Indians, Capt. Wilson decided to abandon
the search, and on the 26th started on
their return march. Before leaving camp,
it was found necessary to kill one Of their
horses, it being too tired to stand the
home trip. This singular valley is Of
great extent, and according to barometri-
cal observations Of the California boundary
survey, lies more than four hundred feet
below the level of the sea. 1t is certainly
much below the level Of the general sur
face Of Nevada, but that it is below the
level Of the sea is doubted by those who
have visited it. In it are vast fields Of
salt, and large quantities OF soda, of a very
pure quality and beautifully white, are
found. The climate there is very warm,
and its general characteristics are those of
the deserts of Southern California and
Arizona. The Indians are far superior to
the Shoshones, being tall and quite well
dressed only in breech-clout, and
with bows and arrows. They call
themselves Indianas, as a tribe by them
and speak some Spanish. They
arc the same who massaLred the men at
the Amargosa mines, and burned the mill,
a year or so ago. This tribe is but little
but is supposed to number several
hundred men. They will constitute a
obstacle to the prospecting OF the
southern portion of our State. Captain
Wilson's party on their return prospected
a little for silver or gold bearing rock,
and made some very good discoveries. but
made no locations, as they intend to 90
again. prepared for mining. Some speci-
mems they brought back with them prove
the existence of rich silver mines in the
they have visited. The company
have had a very fatiguing trip-sufering
from both heat and cold; but return in
good condition. They all unite in saying
tina. the others are bully fellows, and the
Captain says he could not ask for q better
and he tenders them all his
thanks.