The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-12-21
The Prospector.


setting forth the claims to public esteem Of
the numerous heroes of every age and
cline. The orators, poets, philantrhopists,
statesmen, warriors and others who have
figured more or less conspicuously in the
life drama of nations or localities, and
whose deeds or words have been considered
of sufficient Importance to occupy place
ON the pages of history. But there is a
class of men whose claims to public atten-
tion have hitherto been almost entirely
overlooked, and who, although their en-
frances or exits upon the active scenes of
life have have never been characterized by
that meteoric splendor that is so often seen
in the transit across the social armament
of some favored SON or daughter of fortune
who, through some great achievement of
sword or pen has excited the admiration of
the world, and whose praises have been
sung by ten thousand tongues in words of
burning eloquence, have by their self-sacri-
ficing perseverance, contributed in no small
degree to the wealth of the world and very
largely to that of the Pacific Coast.
The class of which speak is the mining
prospector, that vanguard of civilization
Ola this coast, who has, for the last 90 years,
with steadfast purpose and unfaltering
steps, through summers heat and winters
storms traversed every desert, assembled
every mountain and prospected in every
stream from Caribou to Mexico, and from
the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains
to the Pacific ocean; often contesting the
ground foot by foot with savage occupants,
sometimes vanquishing and sometimes van
quished. But few, if any, who have never
experienced it, can fully realize the hard
ships and privations that many of them
have undergone and are still experiencing in
their struggle to crafty their almost insane
desire to "strike it rich." The true pros
pectors must have q &c well spring of hope
in his soul - for none but those of the most
hopeful disposition can long continue in the
business under the discouraging disappoint-
ments that most of them experience sooner
or later. Many of them after long years
of unrequited toll in their search for the
hidden treasures in natures storehouse
have sueeumbed to the fatal bullet of the
willy savage, the malarious poison of some
miasmatic region, or overcome by hunger
and fatigue have sunk down to die, Gun
wept, unhonored and unsung," on some
dreary desert, far from friends and kindred,
their golden life-dreams still unrealized.
Many of them "have seen better days"
having, perchance, left positions of honor
and profit, and inspired with the hope Of
suddenly acquiring wealth in manner so
strongly tlnctured with romance, have gone
forth determined regardless of the many
suferings and dangers to which they were.
exposed to deserve If they could not win
the smiles of fortunes tickle dame.
Some look with scorn and derision upon
the pr ospector, and consider him visionary
and unpracticable, profigate and reckless;
that there are some such among them none
will deny, but many of them are sober in-
dustrious and practicable men, who have
weighed we'll the chances before embark
ing in the business. And who will censure
them when we see SO many Who have been
raised from poverty to af1uenee by lucky
strike. Imagine for moment the feelings
Of one who after long years of toll and in
Vulnerable disappointments finds himself
suddenly lifted from a life of laborious SER
vitude with it's thousand ills and inconven-
fences, to position of independence, where
he can surround himself with the many
desirable things which wealth alone can
pr oeure; and where he exeites the envy of
the groveling, unambitious plodder who
looks to-day with a frowning sneer upon
the prospector who has returned from an
unsuccessful search after the coveted treas
ure; but tomorrow views him with envious
admiration, when, perehance, well merited
but long deferred success has crowned his
efforts.
On the other hand let us imagine the
feelings of one of an extremely hopeful
and sensitive nature, who after months or
perhaps years of labor spent in prospecting
in a direction where the indications gave
him every reason to hope for most graft
flying success, possibly in some remote and
unfrequented region, finds himself "dead
broke" with dispelled hopes sitting lonely
and detected on the bank OF some mountain
stream, rejecting on the uncertainty of
human events, and fully realizing the fact
that oman proposes but God disposes."
And thinking of the happier scenes of "by
gone days." before the demon, ambition,
took possession of his soul, he reluctantly
comes to the conclusion that "what fates
decree that man must needs abide," and
retires to his meagre couch to seek therein
Temporary oblivion.
But even there the restless brain refuses
to be quiet, and carries the weary dreamer
on the wings of Imagination to scenes OF
splendor, where science vies with art in
contributing to the wants of those who
worship at Mammons's shrine, and he,
for the time, imagines himself "bonanza
king" before whom all the lesser lights n
financial circle bow with fiattering obse-
quiousness; but he awakes in the morning
with a headache, and "stubborn facts and
stern realities staring MIN IN the lace.
To these restless, unsatisfied nomads the
country is indebted for the discovery of
nearly all the valuable mineral deposits
which have in the last 2s years contributed
in so marked degree to the wealth of the
nation and the world. When we reflect
upon the vast amount of wealth that is
being annually taken from the mines on
this coast and put into circulation, the al
most countless number of men to whom it,
both directly and indirectly. gives employ
ment, the stimulus it has given to conf
.merce, and the inealculable benefit this
great specie, producing region was to the
nation In its recent terrible struggle for ex-
istence. and the resulting financial crisis,
NC hava hnt q FAINT conception of the