Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-05

Captain Charles Baker, formerly res
ident Of st. Louis, and later well known
in Colorado as an indefatigabe and ad-
venturous, but not always. successful,
prospector; George Strobe, also origin
ally from st. Louis; and James White,
formerly of Kenosha, Wisconsin, after
ward gold-miner in California, and du-
ring the rebellion private in the Fifth
California cavalry, serving under General
Conner in Utah--set out from Colorado
City, G. T., 10 prospect for placer gold
on the San Juan river, which empties into
the Colorado in Utah Territory. some
thirty or forty miles below the confluence
Of Green and Grand rivers. They we're
mounted on horses, and drove with them
several animals laden with provisions and
mining implements. After tedious,
toilsome and hazardous journey over a
very rocky and mountainous country,
without so much as an Indian trail to re-
lieve the roughness of the way for much
Of the distance, they reached their des-
tination--a point some miles above San
Juan mountain-about the middle OF
May, and Immediately proceeded to pros
pect, following the river downward, care
fully examining the banks, and especially
the gulches, on either side, and sinking
shafts to the bedrock wherever the indi-
cations seemed to warrant so much labor.
In this manner they consumed nearly
three months and their stock of provi-
sions, meeting meanwhile with but indif-
ferent success, their best prospect being
about two cents to the painful of dirt, OBJ.
tanned from gulch near the base of San
Juan mountain. They were not, how
ever, prepared to altogether abandon
that field. Two cents to the painful, if
not, in miners phrase, big thing" is
still encouraging They discussed the
matter, and resolved to return to Colo
RADIO City, procure a'fresh supply of pro-
visions, and, If possible, few more men,
and, returning to San Juan mountain,
spend the winter at its base. They fur
ther resolved that as some of their ami.
mails were footsore from travelling unshod
over extremely rocky ground, they would
proceed to the mouth of the San Juan
and attempt to construct raft, upon
which to convey themselves and their
animals to Green river, thus avoiding the
worst portion of the route by which they
had come.
The morning of the 25th of August
found the little party encamped near the
mouth OF the San Juan. They had eaten
breakfast, and were collecting their lariats
and pack-ropes with which to lash to-
gether the cottonwood drift-logs, of which
they had found sufficiency for their pur-
pose strewn by foods along the bank of
the Colorado. They were in excellent
spirits, and chatted gayly of the prospect
Of soon meeting old friends amid civil
lied scenes, when suddenly they heard a
savage yell, followed by the crack of
rifles, the whistling Of bullets and the
hurtling of arrows. Captain Baker fell
dead. Strobe and White sprang to their
carbines and fred an Intellectual round
or two; but, finding themselves beset and
in danger of being surrounded by about
forty Utah Indians, they abandoned the
unequal contest, and hastily snatching
up the ropes which they had collected,
and small sack containing perhaps ten
pounds of -four which happened to lie
in their way, fed to the Colorado. The
Indians, being occupied in catching the
animals, plundering the camp and strip.
ping and scalping the dead body of
Captain Baker, did not Immediately
pursue them, and the fugitives were en-
abled to get few logs lashed together,
launch the raft thus hastily constructed,
and pole themselves out of harm way
before their enemies found leisure to
look after them.
The circumstances attending the em.
barkation of our involuntary voyagers
were, to say the least, discouraging In
the unknown wilderness, hundreds of
miles from any civilized hsbitation, they
had suddenly beer despoiled of the
greater part of their means of life and
of reaching their homes, and forced, for
the preservation of their bare lives, to
commit themselves upon frsil raft to
an unknown stream, and float they knew
not whittier. But their sorest loss was
that Of their friend and leader, Captain
Baker, upon whose ssgacious and expe-
rienced counsels they have hitherto de-
pended to extricate them from all diff
culties. Now they must trust to their
own inexperienced guidance, or rather
submit TO be led by blind Fate whittier
soever she would. But the men VITO go
forth to seek new gold.6elds anil ma
ture's wilds are not easily dsunted. Sad
they we're for their friend and leaders
fate, and doubtless a trife anxious for
their own; but they discussed the situa-
ton as calmly as il they had been seated
on the piazza Of the best hotel in Colo
rado City, instead of rude and loosely
constructed cottonwood raft on the Upper
Colorado. At length, as they became
satisfied that they we're not pursued,
they grew cheerful and speculated hope
fully upon the probability Of the speedy
termination of their voyage. They had
little knowledge of the section Of country
they were in; and although they had
heard Of the Grand Canon, they had no
definite idea of either its locality or ex-
tent They knew that Csllville was at
the head OF navigation on the Coloradoi
and as they were floating smoothly along
upon q broad aud deep stream, they
easily persuaded themselves that the head
Of navigation could not be fer distant,
and that they would reach Callville in
two or three days at the furthest Having
settled that matter to their satisfaction,
they fell TO the discussion OF their fur
ther plans; frequently, however, recur-
ring TO the catastrophe Of the morning,
aud referring in terms Of regret or eulogy
70 their murdered eomrade, whom many
good qualities, IS well as long compan-
ionshIp, had greatly endeared 70 them
SO p5Aed the fret day, on the evening
Of which they turned their ratt shoreWard,