Middletown transcript., 1868-11-07
popular GALES.
A STRANGE STORY.

L am an old miner. Not one OF the
now-a-day Washoe and Nevada tribe, but
and old forty-nine California miner, have
been engaged in all descriptions of mining
transactions, except the ncwfangled one of
mining stock in ompanies-''feet" | be-
licve they call it. Among my varied un-
dertakings was one operation in a tunnel,
in which | and my partners engaged in
the summer of 1852.
One afternoon of that year, as was
carrying up bucket of water from the
river to our tent at the top of the bank,
my foot caught under large stone, and
my perpindicular was at once changed to
a horizontal posture, while the water from
the overturned bucket spread itself in va
rious directions. With few expletives
of rather forcible character, quite custom
ary and common in that region and peri
3D. l raised myself to my feet again, and
picking up the bucket, was about to re-
trace my steps to the river, when my at
tontion was attracted by folded paper,
which had been placed under the stone
causing my fall. When my foot tripped,
the stone was overturned, and the paper,
folded in letter form, lay exposed to view
Bending over, | picked it up, and proceed
ed to examine it, 1t was written with a
pencil, in characters very irregular and
stfiy formed, as if made by person with
wounded hand. The contents were as
follows.
eff this letter should fall into the hands
of any pers on, I wish to inform them that
[ have been attacked and mortally wound
ed by my two partners, who wished to OBJ
tain my money. Failing to discover it,
after wounding me, they have fed, leav-
ing me here to die. Whoever gets this
letter will find, buried in ravine at the
foot of a "blazed' tree, twenty-five PAGES
due north of this, bag containing five
thousand dollars in gold dust That il
may prove more fortunate property to hin
than it has to me, is the hope of
ANDREW FOREST.
stood for some minutes after reading
the letter, like one awakened from {
dream. could not convince myself tina
tho letter in my hand was genuine doc,
ument, and read it over and over again
thinking | might get some clue from thu
handwriting to the real author. 1t nigh
be trick got up by my partners, to rais'
laugh at my expense. No: the plac,
where it was found, and purely Academia
discovery, rendered such surmise ver,
improbable. sat down on log, anc
turned the matter over and over In m,
mind for some time. At last ! got up
and pacing off the required distance in tn
direction mentioned in the letter. cam
to large tree. Carefully examining it
| discovered scar, clearly indicating tina
the tree had been ''bazed" at some remot
period. This was confirmation stron
as proof Of Holy Writ" and l immedi
ately went to work. to discover the local.
ty of the ravine. Here l was at fault
Nothing of the kind was to be seen. T
: all appearances, a stream of water neve
had passed in the neighborhood of the tree
This was not encouraging and | sat dow
on the ground and read the letter again
directions. No; was in the right place
but where was the ravine +
A tap on my shoulder aroused me frol
my meditations, and, on looking up,
saw my two partners, who loudly abuse
me for having neglected the preparatio
of their supper. AS an excuse, l Shove
y them the letter, and detailed the mannt
of my finding it, To my surprise, the
were as much excited by its perusal as
had been, and we all looked around pc
l. severingly for the ravine, but without e
feet for some time. At last Jack Nesbi
who had been miner since '48 said,-
le s.I think there has been ravine her
/ !, but it has been filled up by the rains"
!. = On close examination we decided ths
his supposition was correct, after son
consultation we determined that we won
commence digging the next morning.
Morning came, and we repeired to Il
spot with pick and shovel. Jake propos,
4. that we should follow the course of the r
J. vine, which appeared to run into the boz