The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-02

current mlu.Stream, with aN lnccSSant
vocifcration of contradictory orders to
each other. The result was generally n
lodgment of the "The Ark" quarter
Of mile below itG starting point on tho
opposite side, and suspension OF all
Wang Chu's other business until it was
towed by hand against the current back
again.
All tho wlIita men on tie river were
agreed on one point, that the "Ark y
would drown somebody ere its mission
was ended. On this being told Wang
Chu, rs m additional prccaution he
painted another eye in the stern, sacri-
feed n pig to somo Mongolau marine
deity, burnt more joss-sticks, and ter
minated the ceremonies with another
outpouring Of gin and opium.
In tho summer timo California
mountain river is an attenuatGd, feeble
stream, that one may ford ut every hun
dred yards; IN alienation of rivIllcts,
motionless pools, boulder covered
islands and great granite boulders rear-
ing themselves high out OF the waters.
But when swollen by the long. continued
rains of winter or the melting SHOWS of
the Sierras in the spring, its quiet,
peaceful character vanishes; it becomes
n turbulent, roaring, trcacherous mon
ster; it sets dcath.tnps in every direc-
ton. Here whirling eddy, smooth
enough on its surface and seemingly
harmless yet possessed OF invisible
arms, more powerful than those of the
devil fish, to suck and carry men down
into its lowest depths; there q macl-
strom, raging and roaring over the rocks
hidden beneath. During the freshet
the banks quiver and trcmble rs the i'm
mcnse power whirls and foams past, and
your voice is caught from your lips and
hurled into indistinctncss. From "49"
upward, every ono Of these mountain
gold-bcaring streams has claimed long
list Of victims, and many brave fellow
has been caught in their deadly en-
brace never to be seen aftcrward.
The Stanislaus was "booming" one
spring afternoon at its highest water
mark, when five Cinnamon, oncumbcrcd
with their blankets, bundles, rockers,
jacks, pans and shOvcls, came stringing
down the Park Hill trail. They stopped
and refreshed Themselves for time ut
the stream, Nnd thcn, accompanied by
Wang Chu, placed themselves aud bag.
gage in the boat to be fcrried over.
4 quarter Of n mile below their start
ing place was the Black rock, gigantic
boulder, which for centuries had pittcd
itself against the stream. 1t was not
more than one hundred and fifty yards
from the shore, and the Stanislausat this
point was not more than double that dis
tancc in width. Here the waters sud.
denly narrowed to this compass betwixt
rocky walls, rushed rather in success.
sion OF great waves or bursts than n
regular current. This, in fact, was the
upper entrance of the Big canyon, two
miles in length, and by reason OF the
rocky walls and raging current, no min.
ing could ever bo successfully accom-
plished here at the most favorable sea-
son. Directly opposite tho Black rock,
on 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,
stragglcrs and castaways drifting about
the country. His house and scanty
lnrder were ever open to them. He took
them rs partners, ard trusted them rs
frccly y rs though they had come burden
cd with trunks full OF Endorsements and
testimonials OF good character. Some
times they robbed him; sometimes they
got drunk and made his house n pandc.
monium; sometimes they effected the
same result without tho aid of whisky,
by gradually developing sour, surly,
terocious dispositions. The best of the
lot carried the gross result in gold dust
Of n weeks washing to Columbia for the
purpose OF turning it into coin, and after
i'nlny days waiting therefor, Sims re-
ceiyed n letter from tho delinquent,
sthting that he was overwhelmed with
shame nnd remorsc, but he had given
way to his bosetting sin for gambling,
and the dust had all gone into the nav
of tho tiger" He had not proved an
able workman either. His hands seemed
never before to have grsped pick and
shovel; and after mornings g,lsping
hbor, Sims would often insist that he
should remain at home during the after.
noon and make himself comfortable, for
it was sore distress 70 see man pant
ing and struggling with work to which
it was very clear ho was unaccustomel
you'll get your throat cut one OF
these nights by some OF these chaps
you're always picking up" was the
rough and condcscending advice of jim
Frremantle to Sims. Sims looked rs il
the idea WIS entirely new to him, but the
next straggler coming along was readily
taken in.
1t was about eleven o'clock. Sims and
his co.opemtivo stngglcr had put
through their last run OF twenty-five
buckets; and were washing down" to
sec how it had yielded The sieve and
apron Of the rocker were taken of.
There was great deal of black sand in
the bottom of the apparatus. This Sims
was running Off by means of successive
streams OF water, poured from his long
handled dipper, aided by n peculiar
rapid rocking of the machine. Slowly,
at the upper end, the black sand deposit
assumed the shape OF n point, and near
the apex, ono after another, came out
little run Of golden yellow flakes.
"Takcs Il good deal OF dirt to make
little gold, doesn't It'll" said the strag-
glcr. "Whcn | was on the north fork
of the Tuba, III 81, got six ounces
once out Of twenty-five buckets. Them
was tho times, though"
There's about two hts here, l
guess, said Sims. "Wcl, that's better