Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-04-08
A Tale In Four Parts.
BY j. cINTo.
PART [.
THE SCURVY DOCTOR.

PART |.
On the 18th day of the blow-hard month of
st. Patrick, in the year of so, ten prospectorS
five Americans and five Irishmen-might have
been seen before the store of Conness & Reed
in the town of Georgetown, El Dorado county,
busily engaged in arranging packs, preparatory
to an adventure in the mountains, which was
supposed would last two or three months, or
longer. Our purchases were made consisting of
flour, bacon, beans, etc., together with all the
paraphanalia of a regular miners outfit from the
above-named firm of Conness & Reed, who very
kindly presented us with about two gallons of
good advice, together with bottle or two of
the same to use occasionally on the way. Our
pack animals consisted of six as fine mules as
ever wore a halter, and another animal who
For ways of his own
And tricks that mean,
was demnation peculiar.
Dutchman, standing by, called him, I believe,
o " shack ass"
Our animals all packed we like the renowned
engineer-piot Jim Bludso, pointed their nozzles
toward what has since been called Secret Ravine
We bid adieu to Georgetown, resolving TO never
again make track in the enchanted place-never
without our piles. AS said our party consisted
of FIVE Americans and five Irishmen, as Jolly and
clever set of men as ever stuck pick in the
ground. However, one of the Irish boys, whom
we dubbed Pat for short, was knotty at times
Now, Pat was the life, the soul and the gizzard
of the party, sober but Pat under the influence
of liquor, was silently voted the intestines.
PART II.
In due time we arrived, prospected some,
found it big built a double log cabin, COM
menced work in earnest and twenty dollars q
day to the rocker was the least that we ever
took out in day, for about eighty days. In
the meantime, however, it was found that living
exclusively upon salt grub, without any vegeta-
bles, that the boys began to show signs of sour
Wy. Blotches would appear here and there on
the surface, appetites failed and signs of debility
amongst the sufferers began to alarm us consid-
erably Among the Americans there was
pretty knowing old gentleman who must have
been over sixty, and it was thought best to con-
suit and advise with him what should be done
in the premises. When approached upon the
subject the old gentleman, looking wise, said
"Now, boys, we all know that this disease is
brought on US for want of vegetation, and as
there is neither vegetables or physician short of
Georgetown l will tell you my idea of cure,
though | never saw it tried, reason teaches me
that the remedy is infallible." (The fact was
that we were making money, and the old man
we'll knew that to go, either for physician or
for vegetables, our hiding place would be found),
but the remedy " Bury the part diseased in
the ground, and the heat and moisture would
draw the disease out"
The boys all thought so, too, and agreed to
try the experiment. Then commenced general
overhauling of the. party, and the result was
that three Americans and three Irishmen were
affected more or less, all over, save their heads
However, the boys were willing to go on with
the treatment-kill or cure. Then commenced
the task of burying the boys-leaving nothing
above the surface but their heads. Amongst
the number was poor Pat. AS l was shoveing
the loose dirt around him, he wanted to " lay
me wager" that shamrock sheIlalah would
grow out of his head foot long in six hours by
the watch. Said /, "Pat, dry up, this looks too
much like funeral" When the burying pro-
cess was completed, cut off six chews of to-
bacco, and placing them in their mouths, we
bid the boys good night and sloped for the cabin.
| PART III.
We were soon locked in the embraces of Old
Morpheus. The night, to us, passed hurredly
away. Morning came. How lovely. All ma