New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-18
NV ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, SUNDAY, NAY IT, 1873.

nroha bili.v. the pa, ~ ofprospectcrs, headed
hv the Wilson's had borne OH from the
main track INTO the clarifies region CT the
southeast.
Even adopting this general direction as
tie axis Of exploration, The fleld I" pe SIT
v+ye u was almost hopeltssly wlde. ue
Wilson party undoubtedly made consi0-
cradle departure from their intended course
in order 20 avoid the actual theatre Of the
Indian war: but with this solitary conces-
sion 70 prudence, must have sought TO reach
that portion Of the county which both
rulrcr ard the geological outlines OF the
"a. this ulface indicated as gold bearing
Careful inquiry had put US in possession OF
these latter facts, and we, 100, turned 10
the southeast, but al no great angie from
tie stage route.
Orr Progress was slow. to.tuous, and, at
times. unutterably diticnl:. HeWng
trail through woven ihickets, fcrambling
over miles Of fallen timber lost ii The tWi-
light OF labyrin;hian canons, stralnlng 70
ward the summit of some rocky divide
where che supMer sunshine burned IKE
tame-ac.oss the turbulent rivers, anc ny
the sill maIg Is 0! unknown lakes, where
the great frs Swallowed themselves II som'
bre solitude, what road 70 fortune.
We were generously armed, and had 10
tribes that had formerly hang upon the
footsteps Of The hunter and gold digge!
here. and Rad disputed The encroachmeIts
Of civilization il the tGig bt valleys far ou1
to our light, mad "ceased from troubling
lOng since, and were Alphabetically at
rest il Jon government reserves.
We knew. towever. that a few VI manage.
able b4n,.s had refused TO accept the arb.
traiion of Christian rifles. and were still
n fhair native EanufE
-trcm klamath 70 the sea-committing
tIett. arson. and an occasional murder. But
cur beaI.s were fred by 1.-The accurseG lust
for gold. and we were not 20 be deferred
Nv luIe feaIs. We were possessed OF a spirit
that toll" could no: txco!eise. nos peril
cnell.
Weary weeks had elapsed. when, one day
We reached the base vi a pIeclpl'ous cham
of mountains. !repGing westward. and d!.
rectly IN our course. 4 few niles to our
left We found al accessible pass: bu. eur.
veyipg the range with our glass for a grea:
distance on either side. cOuid see no e'LeT
depre ssion in its c!ea: Cut hue. The. then,
was the only gateway 20 the southeastern
country. ard through i. the Wilson party
must have passed. without doubt. A: The
entrance OF the pass we found tie din yes
t;ges ct camp fire, and began TO hope thar
We were right. Further on we found where
an AK had been used hare and there. and
we knew that we were in the footsteps a!
White men. Was j: the Wilson trail!
james Wilson. III his letters 20 Harper.
had spoken Of lofty rock, bearing rude
resemblance 70 an hour g lass. a: TIE base OF
which was mineral spring. Ii was there
that the separation had occurred. and the
main party turned back. The western
peaks were crowned with sunset gold. and
our days march was yearly done. when.
unexne ctedly, we halted b. fore a lefty
howlder. shaped like an hour-g'as and AZ
its base. staining the rock over which j:
t,wed. we found d spr!ng-ti.tev with NIL
eral constituents.
By that token the battle was iaif WOE,
anG dismoLntiDg, we uppacked oCr tired
and dispiriteG horses, ard wen: into camp
for two days, in order 80 gather" strength
for the final struggle. Then we were again
in lie saddle, with our faces still TO the
southeast. and tuiling on. The scenery
grew wilder and rore rugged. We were
III the region of volcanic agonits: OF fierce
upheavals and. lava foods. 1ntermiuab!e
difficulties rose before US. but they were
met with heroic resolution. and finally over.
come. Harper became moody and ali.
stracted: ard tie stress OF sustained anxiety
had SO worn upon my spirit that even i'll
s!umter the troubles OF the day were re-
neated. The boundary between my sleep.
ing and waking thoughts ceased TO be
clearly defined. think. and this abnrrma!
con..i:ion OF the IL md may account for VIVA:
is otherwise inexp!icable in what ] am
abol: to relate.
We ha.! ercamprI :or the night. and !.
was near sunset. Harper. overcome by
fatigue. lay asleep. with his head upon
rol! OF blankets. For The hundreG:h time
had draw the unfinished Letter from hey
pocket. aud sa: with my back against
tree. p.lusing il dreamii y-wsih a :eai.
pencil. whicl. had fallen OF: II getting The
letter. also il my hand. remember wish
ing that some spiri: hand would seize the
penc. and complete the letter. when. 80 Inv
infinite surprise. a shadow like that of sud.
den twilight tel. upon a.. things around.
! was somehow conscious OF /. preternaturai
presence. and. looking up. beheii i,pme.
dia;eiy' in from: rft me-. a man. or the
shadow Of a man. tail and muscular. with "a
brown face aId bushy beard. He wore
miners grey flannel shrt-without "a coat
and had a revolver belted to hi. side. ]
seemed TO be utterly withou: the power of
speech or motion. and looked into the sad.
sympathetic eyes. lie turned upoI. me with
d sense of awful fascination.
l could see Harper ,imiv through she
semf-darkness. but the Guie. of slumber
still lay upon his weary face. The nigh:
seemed 70 close down. and awoke with a
start 30 find that the evening had &C vancei.
and that my companion was kindl.ng fire.
| had turned TO look for the paper. and
found it AT the foot of tie tree against
which had reclined: hut what did see
On the blank space. below the ink blot to
which have referred. was rude drawing
IN pencil. IL seemed to represent NO ranges
Of mountains. intersecting each other a:
right angles. In the centre Of the rectan.
guar space on the lower side was small
diagram. resembling the large open one in
shape. ] took it to the fire for closer ex.
amlnatioD: j. was :he repre- seu.a:ien Ut
miner pick.
Who had done this. and what could i:
mean Was It the idle and unmeaIing ira.
Gerry Of my own unconscious hand, or was
II the effort OF some superior power to di.
rect Us in orr search for the lost cabin At
al! events. could make nothir. of this
mysterious symbolism before me--pregnan.
though it might be with precious reyela.
tions-and thosght best not to NE lion the
circumstance 20 Harper.
ia The afternoon OF the next day we were
az The 100: al another mountain wall. spiked
with the gray shafts OF fire .scathed frs. and
with here and there {. rocky peak towering
high IL che smoke tinged atmosphere.
lhIoucn system OF caGoBs heVn in these
mighty rocks We penetrated the range, and
halted for the night Hpon an open spot
where grass was abundant. ard after re.
freshmen: forgot IN The narcotic langors of
tie pipe al! ph, sica! WEAKNESS and mental
strain.
On the morning fol!owin. we climbed a
lofty tnlnence that shot into the sky ike
tie sltire Of some Titanic temple. and with
our Telescopes swept The unknown country
before us. serene and beautiful under the
tattering !ints OF a summer sun. To the
right. and running nearly north and south.
lay another range of mountains, intersect-
ing at right angles that through which we
We're pas-ing-the drawing below the ink
blot. There. apor the great face Of ma
ture. was the realization o: the pencil
sketch. and It's sNm bolis!n vas as clear as