The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-22
Mseellany.
MURDER WILL OUT.
A GOLD DIGGER's ADVENTURE.

In the year lS5S was one OF party
of six miners who were engaged in dig
ging for the gold, in the gully known
by the euphonius title of Peg Leg, in
her Majesty's colony of Victoria, q pro
vince of that third continent, Austria
lia.t Our {" claim u was pretty wei
worked oIt, and two of our men were
out each day prospecting for new
ground but nothing payable could we
strike, and we were getting tired O
working for our food only, which was
about all our claim had given US fol
for several weeks, though it had. paid
well at first, and we were by no means
hard up" One evening, as we sal
around our fires, smoking and talking
of our homes, and of big finds ~ Of
gold, one of the two who had been
prospecting that day, spoke up, Come
boys, let's get out of this. Peg Legs
played out. Pm going to make q
move for Black Jacks in the morning.
Who says go ?"
The proposition was duly discussed,
and resulted in our striking our tent the
next morning, shouldering our s,cdgs,
| (the digger's term for anything man
carries on his back,) and all hands
starting across the country to Black
Jacks under the guidance of the mover
of the expedition, and a compass. No
thing occurred on the tramp worth
mentioning; and the second day after
leaving Peg Leg, at about ten O'Clock
| in the forenoon, we sat down to have q
rest and smoke.
We were quite near the workings on
Black Jacks, and had passed q num-
Der of prospecting holes T" within the
last mile or two, but had, as yet, met
with no parties at work, nor seen any
indications of men having been actual
ly engaged i'm washing out gold.
"This is likely looking place." said
one of our number; let's open hole
here somewhere"
"Oh," answered another, it's no
use prospecting to-day; we may as well
go in among the shops. Jack, here,
knows all the storekeepers, and, per-
haps, some of them may lay us on
some payable ground"
So it was decided to keep OH for the
stores, without stopping to prospect
Shouldering our swags, we again start
ed on, expecting shortly to reach the
township, which Jack assured us was
not far off; but our leader suddenly
stopped, looked keenly at his feet for a
moment, and then asked, "Do you see
any pegs round here, boys?"
No pegs Tor stakes to mark the boun-
daries of a claim could be seen; and
so we told him.
But why do you ask that ?" said
another.
"Look here" said the first speaker !;
somebody has been prospecting here,
and they've struck it heavy" (mean-
ing that rich gold had been discovered)
they've gone for their mates most
likely, or perhaps for an extended
claim. Right where Pm standing is
where they put down the hole can
see where they threw out the dirt on
that side. Row they never put that
dirt back so carefully, and scattered
these leaves and ferns over it to hide it,
for nothing. So here goes to see what
they got for a prospect. Peg out six
mems ground, boys; I'm going to dig
at once.n ;rE- ErF-
And suiting the action to the word,
he threw down his swag, and COM
menced to shovel out the gravel from
the filled-up hole. E5i' F.tf
We pegged out a claim, and then
gathered about the hole. AS our mate
threw out the loose dirt, it became evil
dent that the hole had been but recent
ly filled up, for the blades of grass and
tree-leaves, thrown out from the depth
of several feet below the surface, were
as fresh and green as those still grow
ing in the vicinity.
"Tell you what, boys" said the
worker, as he rested on his shovel for a
moment; this hole was sunk this
morning. Won't the chaps look when
they find us in it? But I'd have
thought they'd have pegged out their
claim, any way. But they didn't eX-
pect anybody to find it."
"Get out o. that hole, and take a
smoke" said Jack; "let me have go
at the Shovel .-..s
"Hold on a Bit" was the answer; !;
"PH go down a foot or two yet, and
then you can have chance. We
shan't have to sink very deep here,
anyway, not more'n ten or twelve feet.
But what the deuce is that ?'
His shovel had struck piece of
wood, and, scraping off the loose dirt,
he disclosed what we at once knew to
be the handle of pick-aXe.
"That's pick-handle," said he, re-
plying to his own question. What's
it doing here? By jingo, fellers, they
must have got on something good,
when they've buried their tools in the
hole; we're i'm luck this time, boys"
AS he had by this time uncovered
the handle and one point of the pick
axe, he had his shovel out of the hole,
and took hold of the buried tool to re-
move it out of the way but it did not
come easily.
ats fast, somowhat," lie said, TAX
ing hold of it with both hands, and CIV
ing a heavy jerk, which brought it up.
"pve got yOu," said he, apostrOphizing
the pickaxe. "Here, take this up out
of the way, some of you," at the same
time holding its handle up to us who
were on the surface. ....
His face suddenly changed its hope
full expression for one of perpleXity and
distrust, as he looked first at his hand
and then at the pick; then he climbed
hurriedly out of the hole.
"What's the matter?n asked we in
chorus.
Something's the matter-I don't
know what. Look here !" at the same
time extending his hand, on which
were stains of what appeared to be
grease and blood. "What's that p
That's blood, believe; got it off that
pick. and the chisel point of it, the one
that was stuck down i'm the hole, is
warm. There's something wrong,
bOys-there's something here that
won't bear the light. But keep your
eyes lifting; Pm going in that hole
again, TO see what is there"
We kept our eyes lifting" looking
suspiciously through the trees and
into the hole, and recommended throw
ing out the dirt. In a few moments he
ceased shoveling, stood his shovel up
in one corner of the hole, and STOPPING
down, scraped away the gravel with
his hands. ..f-
"Look here, mates" said he, turn
ing up a white face to us; there's
been murder here, and no mistake!-
See this ~ ".
There was mans body in the hole,
and our mate had uncovered the upper
part of his head, revealing frightful
wound, evidently made by the pickaxe,
which must have been driven into his
skull fairly up to the handle. His hair
and the sand nearest his head, We're
wet still with blood; and placing his
hand on the horror which he had un-
covered, our man continued: "And he
is warm yet, mates; the murderer was
not gone long when we came here"
Then, suddenly rising, he reached up
his. hand, saying, "Give me hand up
out of this, boys-I feel sickv'
We gathered in a group and discussed