, 1870-03-19

The Overland Monthly, for March, furnishes
an interesting article, entitled On the Lower
California Coast" from which We take tho fol-
lowing prospecting" anecdoto:
the lagoons, two ships which had arrived early
from the north, were lying quietly at their an.
chors, theis c1ews feeding on tho bountif,1l
productions Of the bay, and relieving them
selves from the confined and nonotonous Life
on board by making excursions on shore
among the rugged peala of Margarita Island,
OF through the estua1ies that thresd the north
ern shore. Sometimes during those rambles,
one who had the curiosity 70 see the top OF the
Inland, after i fatiguing climb, paused 70 rest,
and take \ survey Of tie objects around him
Knocking about in tue debris, he chanced to
nick up What he believed to be the s'prccious
gold itself" and, hsstening back TO tho chip,
made known the discovery to his Captain. A
second expedition to the place developed tho
supposed gold deposits moro fully, and Arge
number 81 the specimens we're brought 70 .ns .nS
their officers, who pronounced them to be
"purs gold sure enongh-' ...-.
Ono Of the two ships Was among the largest
and beet-appointed in the whole Pacidc heet,
and the Captain Of high reputation, not only Is
much shrewdness. His Judgment generally
bore great reputation With his brother Cap
tains. His decision was listened to with willing
cars, when he addressed Ill hands IN this Wlse:
IL Yes, men, this Is tho real stuff. Now We viii
go TO work and get as much Of It as We w'sh,
Ind let them catch tdovil fah' that want to.
There il powde. for blasting in tho magazine,
iron and all the other materials on board to get
up quito set Of mining implements forge
with plenty Of coal, and good blacksmith INTO
ter" Immediate preparations were made to
commence mining. It VAS now AZ admitted
| fact that all hands were to dig gold and be-
| come immensely neh. But the question arose,
AWho is going to dig gold. on tue one-hun-
dredth or two-hundIcdth lay r This vas
the binding darkness Of the forecastle; for
Captain l. never permitted light to be
burned forward after the regular hours.
| After due deliberation, al the crew came to
the firm conclusion that - they would not dug
cred it, and really they had better claim to
tho mine than the officers" - Dut," said they
ave are willing to allow tho old man y good
price for his grub, the use OF his tools, and
viii charter his ship, Il he says 50. 70 take g. ns :
al hands should go aft and lot the Captain
know what WAS up, as soon as they should be
turned to in the morning. But, who Is to
be Spokesman" asked one; Al pitched on
jim Dow, who. however, declared that he had
man and do the talking"
After eome delay. one Of their number vol.
unteered to be spokesman At the appointee
time in the morning the crew assembled al
and asked to sec the Captain he soon made
determined look that it WAS no time to band,
words. Their speaker respectfully informed
him that the crew thought it was hardly I
fair thing to dig gold on lay"
1.-THE ID yon dont!" replied the Captain.
to cutting your fukes out hero III send tn
whole posse OF you whaling, and precious
little good this gold viii do you when tn
voyage is up! You're . set Of stuPids, from
beginning to end. Why, III give any Of yog
| want Z"
The command was promptly ebeyed, s ans an
obeyed likewise. Night came again, and whet
Ill gathered in the forecastle, the new speculs
ton WAS tho engrossing topic Of conversation
jack Dow said, ''As for my part. ! think th
matter stands about like this: We'vo got tn
'old man and $5o, 900 Oh one side, sure, an
, ! devl-fish, stoyen boats, and greasy Job @
! the other: and goes in for the side what's go
, This speech Satisfied all present. and u
. next day everything went on cheerfuly. DTlit
crow-bal1, and other mining tools were mad
1 as fast Is willing hands could work. and any 9
the sf;ps whaling anst1unncnss tnas ar eoula
5 ated to the new adventure. A kind OF knapsac
!, | was made OF heavy CANVAS, for each man
: transport the precious metal from the mine
d the ship, and this sacdul, delivered on hoare
!. was the Il stint Of each ono daily.
> Every succeeding morning, rs tho sun ros
j. owe, The dark peaks Of the ia1and, might ha,
been sccn train Of men slowly Ploddtns .
y the sleeps with the white eAcks to their back
II sou.ds. s they returned to the nhip and deposi
ed thcir treasure in the strong caeks that b
(. Been originally designed to receive tho swir
ming treasures Of the deep,
q In the meantime, Captain J. anuo,
F1y7Nt ~ M q
litt srstched party, with specimens, to one Of t
I'd 4 cnlf porta, where there WAS m Assaye1.
N few weeks elapsed before his return; but t
Us eapGuine miners, in their excitement, q
doubling the true worth OF the ore, went
btiskly with their work. In due time, ho
ever. The messenger returned with the rep
y iptellisenee iii WITH crushing despair on t
whole party.
ito which thew Already had been in theis own An
W. cipations, to tho poor jacks On board
" whale1! AL felt chAgEined: some aueedhS
on l.uch It OF, others rema1Eing that the
w. w. man had got cold once IN his NE, bat Q
,sg Ia ~ vel own up that they hAd been sold
~ weu .s the CAPTAIN. There is not one OF q
out said he. but has got mora or less of tue 81
.ng slowed away in ally corner, e1Peeuhg 70 y
q sharp xith .he Old t5a m.n f.e On msnV 1ns hoas
appropriated choice nuggets to Private bone
seerettng them u bags betwee9 he TIMBER aosn
the vessel, while othars hid tnen cove
treasures II their beds or carried them q
the e'T The Following morning, anhands Wero Cd
ing. -as ~ Il wake a muster aft," And
as whole ships company immediatsly sssen6
airs about he quarter deck Ine Captain os.l At
In made his appearance lon6 eoe1Ho o1a1
lnx | when raising both bands, No eAGAMeo:
c or 80 r1,y ever diyulRe6 anything AOoHt
aold 1oy 4ea ri r. the deAth Of hin, and ha
IN pas.!o' I'm An ,5s i1d .ssssa ssp haF'
ued got TO be sotue on tAAsn ,..I S n%S -,
ting you'll see some codG epnt' 1ao No1oa
the Already in the buy, Auu the SOONER He A1e
, Of " Thus ended The gold mining On Aszg.
Island. u