The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-10-18
TlMID SIMS.

"Timid SIMS" as he was called, was
held in very interior repute among the
boys at Texas Bar, because he had
backed down before a siX-shooter. A
man on Texas Bar might be lacking in
many qualities, but If he had "the sand"
it covered multitude of sins. "Sand"
was the jOcular translation for "grit."
Sand, In locality possessing but little
law and less order. was an absolute es-
sential to a good standing in Texas Bar.
Sims had one merit. He was an inde-
fatigable prospector, and at last struck
gravel diggings on BfxePs Fiat. Had he
been ''smart he might have monopo-
lized the entire lead. He contented him.
self with modest slice at one end. Then
down came the able bodied cutting and
shooting men OF Texas Bar. Jim Free
mantle had worked a bank Claim facing
the fat two years previously, without
suspecting the diggings which existed
an eighth Of mile back. No matter.
| On the plea of possessing prior claim
| on Bixe's, he and his compeers argued
that they had the right OF ''running the
first boundary lines" Sims had already
run his own, which included, SO far as
he could judge by external indications,
a fair slice OF the lead supposed TO exist
underneath. This Freemantle d Co.
coveted. So they ran their lines, which
clashed with those OF Sims. Sims found
FL eemantle's notices posted in the heart
If his claim. He eXpostulated with him.
He renewed his own notices, which had
been torn down. These were again
snatched off, and his boundary stakes
kicked over. This was accompanied by a
threat from the proprietors OF the Soon
quer We Musp claim, that "any more OF
| mat sort OF thing would lead to bullets.'
So Sims "took water" and was Obliged
to take up with the fragment OF the
ground he had discovered.
Wang Chu kept China store little
above Bixeps Flat. Wang Chu dealt
plnc pally in gin, salt fish, tea and
Iopium, In his leisure hours he had con.
structed boat for transporting parties
of his country men, who from time to time
lin their migraJions about the country il
their search of dIggings, might desire tC
cross the river. II was built after the
IChinese style of marine architecture. i
was eumbrous, heavy, lop-sided and un
manageable in tile most quiet waters
One ann in its construction had been tt
use as much old timber as possible
When Wang Chu had finished "Tht
Ark" as the miners termed 1t, he painted
two great eyes in the bows. Thereby ht
had deemed he had made it rational
living, seeing creature.
All the white men. on the river wer,
; agreed on one point, that the "Ark'
would drown somebody ere it's mission
: was ended. On this being told Wan
Chu. as an additional precaution h.
painted another eye in the stern, sacri
iced pig to some Mongoiian marine de
. lity. burnt more joss-sticks, and termi
mated the ceremonies with another out
: pouring of gin and opium.
The Stanislaus was "boeming" on
: spring afternoon at its highest water
mark, when five Cinnamon, encumberet
r with their blankets, bundles, rockers
lacks, pans and shoyels, came s&ingin
down the ParkIHill trail. They stoppei
and refreshed themselves for time a
the China stare, and then, accompanie
by Wang Chu, placed themselves an
; baggage in the boat TO be ferried over.
A quarter Of d mile below their start
| ling place was the Black Rock, a giganti
bowlder, which for centuries had pitte
( Itself against the stream. 1t was nc
more than one hundred and fifty yard
: from the shore, and the Stanislaus q
| this point was not more than doubl
. that distance In Width. Here the wi
ters, suddenly narrowed to this con
/; pass betwixt rocky walls, rushed rathe
+ In a succession of great waves or burst
I. than q regular current. This, in fac
was the upper entrance of the Big Canoi
/; two miles in length, and by reason OF I'll
rocky walls and raging current, Il
o mining could ever be successfully a
conpiished here at the most iavorabl
O season. Directly opposite the Blae
|, | Rock, on "a little knoll, was the cabin