The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-04-16
@@ woR7AMc1oN MINNESOTA. FRIDAY April 10, is75

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yellow metal which took to sbe gold.
My compositions said it was, Ind informed 4
me that they had found gold there before,
and that tue hills had always been IA
nous for their gold: A few days after
that took some nuggets from the bed of.
the Big Horn River which were !
THE FINEST QUALITY OF GOLD. 4
The Sioux informed mo that tho Black
Hills had always been known as abound
ing with gold and other precious metals,
but the ''meuntain of gold" which Gen:
Sheridan refers TO / did not then hear OF,
nor did :afterward, though verysmarvel.
ous stories were told about the gold &found
there. =
knew Father de Smet well, and am
indebted to him more than to any man
who ever lived, ofwhich l wills presently
tell you. I think Father de- Stnet must
have misunderstood the story to some :ex.
tent, rs the Sioux knew the country
thoroughly and knew perfectly the differ.
ence in value between gold and mica.
They believed that rich beds Of metal
lay hidden deep in the soil of the hills,
but there was no belief of mountain of
|gold.
Every tribe has its rude artisans, and
q number of them among the Sioux made
the gold found here into ear aud finger
rings, and for knife handles and orna.
ments for belts.
In the fall of 1888 we left Big Horn
river and penetrated the hills to the east,
frequently travelling over long stretches
OF valley. making our way leisurcly and
killing game, which abounded in great
lprofusion. From what is now known as
the Powder River Hills We turned north,
and travelled in that direction till we
struck the Yellowstone. Two (perhaps
three) years subsequent to this remem.
Der We Travelled through tho hills over
nearly the same route, went north to the
Yellowstone again, and hunted down it
till we came to tho Big Horn, on the
western edges of the hills.
In 184l (about) hunting party Of US
made another long visit to the Black
Hills, this time coming down the Laramie
river and going into the hills from the
south. We Travelled to the Cheyenne
river and camped number of weeks on
the South Fork Of that stream. Here
we saw indications of gold also. Harney's s
Peak is in this vicinity, and is on the
eastern side Of the Cheyenne Hills. There
must be good
ooLD DIGGINGs RIGHT AT HARNEY's PEAK.
The western slope Of the Cheyenne
Hills, on the North Branch Of the Chey-
enne river, near its confluence with the
South Fork, have visited several times
on the route down the main stream, and
gold is plentiful, both in nuggets in the
river bed and in the lodges and sides Of
the hills. Some Of the nuggets which
Father de Smet saw were doubtless taken
from that locality. Further west, and
between the Big Horn and Tongue rivers,
is one Of the highest peaks to be found in
the hills. The Sioux called it the Great
Arrow, from its sharp point Near it
there is gold in rich quantities.
In fact, / am certain gold will be found
in every part Of the Black Hills, and in
many places silver ore in paying quanti.
ties. In the immense ledges Of slate and
Limestone rocks there is
EVERY INDICATION Or PRECIOUS METALS.
Remarkable beds Of gypsum Il did not
then know its use) nearly hundred feet
in thickness can be found there. l
am not metallurgist but q practical
Judge Of what metal or mineral is when
I see it.
The Powder River district furnishes
gold. was on that stream the last time
in 1857, travelling more than one hundred
miles directly up its valley. / do not re.
member to have seen nuggets in that
river, but l observed, as had frequently
before, good signs Of abundant gold.
am certain that gold in paying quan.
titles will be found in the immediate Vi
cinity of Harney's Peak, but believe
General Sheridan's supposition that
IT Is MORE PLENTIFUL IN THE WESTERN
| LIMITS
Of the hills is correct. When I roamed
over that country my object was not gold,
and took comparatively little interest
in such subjects. / was not prospecting
for precious metals, and my observations
were only such as would naturally fall in
my way. Therefore am not prepared to
speak of the relative wealth Of the vari-
GUS Black Hills, but I know in q general
way that
| THEY ALL PRODUCE GOLD.
have never mined for gold, but since
my disconncction from the Sioux 1882
have worked for silver ore in the Camp
Floyd mining district of Utah (rooele
county, and [ am certain that there is
plenty Of silver diggings in the Black
Hills that will assay 250 ounces to the
|ton.''
My informant communicated number
of other facts concerning the rich quail
tics of the Black Hills soil, but all of O
cumulative character, and only tending to
make stronger what he had already made
tapparent-that gold exists there in co.
|pious and remunerative quantities.
The weird and romantic story of Mr.
Caruther's life had piqued my curiosit y
into an abnormal state Of activity, and
could not refrain from propounding . few
Questions to him concerning his past his.
tory, an allusion to which he showed
some disposition to avoid. Concerning
HIS ACQUA1NTANcE WITH FATHER DE sxET.
I found out that he had first met him
more than twenty years ago while tina,
distinguished missionary was living with
the Sioux. Father de Smet made an
early effort to Christianize and recivilize