Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-03-29

the location OF the shaft from q man who
had not the slightest idea Of the use in
tended making Of the information he was
giving me. Three days ago stole out of
Downieville and came up here alone, de-
termined to descend the shaft and examine
the vein for myself.
II was provided with a candle and
matches, and when found the shaft, aft
er long search, l unhesitatingly entered
it and began to descend by means Of
the notched poles. l never once thought
it possible that any accident could happen
to me.
"All went well till l was on the last
ladder from the bottom. was about the
middle Of the pole or ladder when, with
out the least warning, il broke in the Gen.
ter and fell, distance Of about ten feet,
to the bottom of the shaft. was not at
all hurt. The upper part OF the ladder
fell across my thighs but did not hurt me.
/ felt at once that | was completely
trapped. The pole had become quite rot
ten, besides the middle notch had by &C
cident been cut little too deep.
In falling my candle was eXtinguished.
but had good supply of matches, and
soon lighted it again. Holding the can
die alott found to my dsmay that to the
first platform and to the foot of the near
est ladder the distance was nearly twenty
feet. To this height on all sides | >ras
shut in by u smooth and solid wall of
rock.
:" | next looked about the bottom Of the
shaft. The space was about eight feetSin
width by fourteen in length.--it having
been eXcavated in this shape in order to
give room for planting the ladders at
proper angle. Only half the bottom was
dry ground. The east side of the shaft,
into which the vein dipped, had been
sunk about three feet lower than the west
side, and contained over two feet of water
When had made these observations
| again looked aloft and carefully exam.
ined the walls on all sides They afford
ed not chiDk by means of which ! could
hope to climb to the platform abo re. |
planted two pieces of the broken ladder
against the wall, climbed to their top, and
again looked for chinks in the rock in
which | might gain IA hold for my fingers
and toes. All was solid and smooth.
. | then placed one piece OF the ladder
against the wall, and, carrying the other,
climbed up and tried to plant it upon the
first section. | could not make it stand,
and to have attempted to climb it, even
though it had stood, would have been fol-
ly, as it was quite vertical. tried plant.
ing its base in some of the notches in my
first sections, but they were not deep
enough, and | could not make it stand
When stood my first section against the
shat at a smaller angle could plant my
second in the notches, but then it would
not reach higher than within six or eight
feet of the platform | wished to gain
All this time my candle was stuck
into bit Of clay at the bottom of the
shaft. 1t was fast being consumed, which
| could not afford therefore blew it out
and sat down in the dark. My feelings
may perhaps, be imagined, but | cannot
describe them. | wanted to think-to do
some good strong thinking but my
thoughts and my brain seemed to spin
around in "a circle, and all did was to
repeat over and over the one word
Lost! lost! lostr Lost was all | could
say-all could get my brain to compre-
bend.
+" lay down and rocked myself to and
fro on the ground, not remaining still for
a moment, save when | occasionally
paused to gaze at the little square OF light
that marked the top of the shaft. Once
in thus tossing about | struck my head
against the wall of the shaft This gave
me an idea that stopped for moment
to consider; it was that l might at last
dash out my brains against the rock when
there seemed to be nothing else left TO do.
This eid me some good, ana ! began
to think again. n appeared to me that |
had seen something floating in the water
in the OTHER part of the shaft during the
time my candle was burning. | tried to
remember what ii was. There were sew
eral objects. They were not bits of wood
or bark, but something else-just what
l could not recollect This bothered me
So much that determined to light my
candle and see what was in the water /
found two dead rabbts-all bloated and
green--three or four small striped SOUR
rels, one tolerably large gray squirrel
mice.
All these were more or less decayed;
but considered that it might yet become
necessary for me to eat them; therefore |
tshed them out and placed them in cor
ner OF The dry part OF the shaft, where
could find them if my candle was all gone
when the time came that | must eat them
This done | blew out my candle and
again idy uoWH 10 ron ana TOSS, 10 gaze
at the speck OF day tar above me and
groan.
Some one might pass that way and
hear me. The moment this thought came
into my head / arose, and, leaning
against the wall and looking upward, |
began shouting Hour after did no,a
ing but shout | shouted till hoarse and
Till could hardly stand. Finally, com
pletely exhausted, fell asleep.
When | awoke it was all dark above,
and | said it is now dark, no use of shout
ing. When daylight came again Presumed
my shouting, and kept it up until I be-
came very hoarse and weak, when | gave
il up rs worse than useless
II