American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-23
VOL. XIII.

sparkle OF certain small ODJecLS Scattert
among the gravel at the bottom. A n
ner is ever upon the alert; and so plum
ing his hand into the pc lucid waters,
animation.
ut was gold!
"Yes, there it was, in coarse yello
grains and lumps-richer than dream
He dropped sud lenly to examine the b;
on which he stood; it too, was gorge
with the glittering metal, and he 70.
with a whoop of joy thst made the Woo
echo, and brought Henry running to tt
spet-for he had heard it and recognize
of the little valley. You can in
agine their ecstacy. They had know
poverty all their lives, and there befol
them was wealth-sudden, splendid, e,
haustless. But must not linger. WOri
ing together, they finished the cabin tn;
day. and the next began to gather tn
gold. The labor was not great, and witt
in two weeks time they had heaped togetf
er a marvellous quantity of it, and bega
to contemplate return.
Life was now precious, and, afte
thinking it over and weighing the chance
for and against the practicability of gettin
back unmolested, they were convince
that it was best to remain where the
were until the volunteer forces under Gen
eral Lane, which they knew were ON tn
way. had reached the hostile country an
relieved the hard paths of mountain ira,
ell from the willy foe that lurked upol
every step. Having made an excavation
in the centre of their cabin-f1OOr, the.
lined it carefully with rock, and, in TIN
vault thus formed, deposited their treas
ure, tied up in bags of dried and un
dressed deer-skin. This vas done in cas-
an attack from the Indians should compe
them to flee, when, of course, it would b,
impossible to carry the heavy metal.
But no attack was made, and, after
the lapse of several weeks, they arose on,
morning and agreed that it was time to
be upon the homeward trail. The sheeny
and the fresh air was musica
with the songs of birds, as, fully armed
their horsey which had grown fat and Wig
orOus upon the bountiful pasture.
'The cabin stood near the ssfeam. in
the edge of the wood, and when they had
to within forty yards of it
suddenly a score of rifles crashed upon
them from the bank, followed by the ter
rible war-cry of the Shastas.
Henry. who it happened was in front
of James, leading two of the horses, sank
with deadly groan, his horses rearing
and falling at the same time. The In
dians burst from their cover and sprang
forward with all the echoes of pandemo-
mum. James emptied his rifle with fatal
aim among them, and drew his revolver.
The Indians knew the kind of music they
had to face. and, having neglected to re-
load, dashed back to the cover ofthe bank
The resolute miner saw his salvation in
over the head of the only
horse that remained uninjured, leaped
upon his back, and was out of immediate
Danger in an Misunderstanding down the
valley with the shots of the enemy sing
ing over his head. The war-party being
afoot, he was not followed, and finally
reached the frontier settlements, after a
Journey of incredible hardship.
g As the Indian war continued without
abatement. he took passage for San Fran
cisco, in order to obtain medical advice in
regard to his health, which exposure and
1rivation had badly broken. Then it was
hat he began the correspondence with me.
was in Chicago at the time.
Unexpectedly receiving news of his
leath. in the fall of 1859, fastened to
San Francisco, and received from the
hands of his landlord a little bundle of
papers, among which found this. Read
t; no explanation is required"
He handed me a folded sheet of paper,
ungainly, but still legible hand.
Here it is:
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Oct. &c, 1859.
DEAR COUSIN II had hoped to see you before
dreamed of that cabin in the wilds of oregon,
asst night, and saw poor Harry fall again before
ne cowardly shots of those skulking Shastas
intended to have spoken, and endeavor to give
rou such directions will enable you to find
hi fSE you go mqst pd t. and
course is plain enough start from Jacksonville
nd keep the California road for
Here the hand of death stayed the re-
railing pen, and there remained only a
Hack and shapeless ink-blot, as a fit en-
lem of the mystery that wrapped the
of the lost cabin. | turned
rom the paper and looked at Harper
or such was the name by which he had
himself to me.
'sThat is all know about it, said he,
and here is my proposition: let us joint
y purchase an outfit and spend the sum-
ner in the mountains of southern Orc
,on. With the clue we have, verify be-
ieve that we shall find the cabin
81 am with you;'' and l gave him a
grip.
Harper flushed with pleasure at the
prompt and hearty acquiescence, and we
at talking over the details of our expe-
lition until the gray eye of dawn looked
n, and, with cold and unsympathiZine
tare, admonished us that our sitting had
'een unnaturally protracted.
Ii was the middle of May, when. DEEM
ny the southern mountains clear of snow
nd the rivers passable, our final prepare
ions were completed, and we were ready
Or the road.
My books consisting of a little law,
n calf, and much Patent-O Office, in muslin
were consigned to common grave in
ry-gOOds box, and the key of the Office
resigned to its owner.
We had a saddle-hOrse apiece. two pack
niinals, and provisions for six months.
After several days of uneventful travel,
We reached Jacksonville. TEis point was
he beginning and the end of the written
of James Wilson; and we
DOked wOnderingly toward the south,
vhere a wilderness of mountains, wales
nd rivers-much of it yet untrodden by
he foot of civilized man-stretched away
nder the serene sky.
There was the ink-blot of the unfinished
etter!
We were not to be frownod back,
owever, by the difficulties that stood
a our way; and. after a days rest, we
gain took the California road, with the
ltention of following it for one day long
This brought us to point, where, in all
the party of prospectOrs
eaded by the Wilson's had borne OFF from
he beaten track. into the chartless regions
D the southeast.
Even adopting this general direction as
he axis of exploration, the field to be sur
eyed was almost hopelessly wide. The
wilson party undoubtedly made cOnsid-
rable departure from their intended
curse, in order to avoid the actual thea
er of the Indian war; but, with this soli-
iry concession to prudence, must have
ought to reach that portion OF the coun-
ry which both rumOr and the geological
utlines of the earth's surface indicated as
oil r,,I L..