The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-08-05
tile above Bixel,s Flat. Wang Chu

ties of his countrymen, who, from Tune
to time in their migrations about the
country In search of diggings, might de-
sire to cross the river. 1t was built after
the Chinese style of marine architecture.
It was cumbrous, heavy, lop-sided, and
manageable in the most quiet waters.
One aim in its construction had been to
use as much old lumber as possible.
When Wang Chu had finished "Ihe
Ark" as the miners termed it, he painted
two great eyes In the bows. Thereby
he deemed he had made it rational,
living, seeing creature. When it was
first set afoat there was dedicatory
burning of crackers, joss-sticks, other
pow-wowing, and an increased consump-
ton by Wang Chu and his contempora-
ries of gin and opium. After this the
ill-starred and ungainly craft foated in
its crippled and lop-sided fashion In
little blight of the river. Its passage
over the Stanislaus at the lowest stage
of water was accomplished with vast
amount of outcries and gabbling on the
part of Wang Chu and his crew, who
mingled their frantic padding, when IN
the heaviest current mid-stream, with an
orders to each other. The result was
generally Judgment of the "Ark " a
quarter of mile below its starting point
on the opposite side, and suspension
of all Wang Chu's other business until
it was towed by hand against the cur
rent back again.
All the white men on the river we're
agreed on one point, that the "Ark"
would drown somebody ere its mission
was ended. On this being told Wang
Chu, as an additional precaution he
painted another eye IN the stern, sacri-
feed pig to some Monaghan marine
deity, burnt more joss-stlcks, and ter
minated the ceremonies with another
outpouring of gin and opium.
In the summer time California noun
tain river is an attenuated, feeble stream
that one may ford at every few hundred
Yards; an alienation OF rivULlets, mo-
| tionless pools. bowider covered islands,
and great granite powders, rearing
themselves high out of the waters. But
when swollen by the long continued
rains of winter, or the melting SHOWS OF
Sierras in the spring, its quiet, peaceful
character vanishes; it becomes turbu-
lent, roaring, treacherous monster; itsets
death traps in every direction. Here a
whirling eddy, smooth enough on It's sur
face and seemingly harmless, yet pos
sessed of invisible arms, more powerful
than those of the devil fish, to suck and
carry men down into its lowest depths;
there maelstrom, raging and roaring
over the rocks hidden beneath. Dur
ing the freshet the banks culver and
tremble as the immense power whirls
and foams past, and your voice is caught
from your lips and hurIedin indistinct-
ness. From '''49" upward, every one
of these mountain gold-bearing streams
has claimed a long list of victims, and
many a brave fellow has been caught in
their deadly embrace never to be seen
afterward.
| The Stanislaus was "booming" one
! Spring afternoon at its highest water
mark, when five Cinnamon, encountered
with their blankets, bundles, rockers,
jacks, pans, and shovels, came stringing
down the Park Hill trail They stopped
and refreshed themselves for a time at
the China store, and then, accompanied
by Wang Chu, placed themselves and
baggage in his boat to be ferried over.
A quarter of mile below their start
ing place was Black Rock, gigantic
bowlder, which for centuries had pitted
itself against the stream. It was not
more than $50 yards from the shore, and
the Stanislaus at this point was not more
| than double that distance in width.
Here the waters, suddenly narrowed to
this compass betwixt rocky walls, rushed
rather In a succession of great waves or
bursts than a regular current. This, in
fact, was the upper entrance of the Big
Canon, two miles in length, and by rea-
son of the rocky walls and raging cur
rent, no mining could ever be successful
~ accomplished here at the most favor
able season. Directly opposite the
Black Rock, on a little knoll, was the
cabin of Timid Sims. He, in company
with chance partner, was working on
the bank near by.
Sims was always picking up the waits,
stragglers, and castaways drifting about
the country. His house and scanty lar
der were ever open to them. He took
them as partners, and trusted them as
freely as though they had come bur-
dened with trunks full of endorsements
and testimonials of good character.
Sometimes they robbed him; sometimes
they got drunk and made his house a
pandemonium; sometimes they effected
the same result without the aid of whisky,
by gradually developing sour, surly, fe-
rocious dispositions. The best of the
lot carried the gross result in gold dust
of weeks washing to Columbia for the
purpose of turning it into coin, and after
many days waiting therefore Sims re-
ceived a letter from the delinquent, stat
ing that he was overwhelmed with shame
and remorse, but he had given way to
his besettlng sin for gambling, and the
dust had al gone into the NAV of the
"tiger." He had not proved an able
workman either. His hands seemed
never before to have grasped pick and
Il