The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-09-28
"ON TO THE BIG HORN"
Where Gold Abounds in Streams
and Mountains.
The Evidence Thereof as Given by Those
Who Have Been There-A Hun.
ter's Paradise.

That the Big Horn country abounds
in vast placer and quartz deposits Of
gold cannot be a matter Of doubt. We
have the testimony of veteran pros
pectors, scouts and guides to this effect,
and this region being now thrown open
to exploration and settlement, its vast
mineral will soon be devel-
oped. Gen. Custer, just before his
death, said to a reporter:
1.-THE mining party from Bozeman
that 1 spoke of, set out for that region.
A few persons had contrived in the
past, when the Indians were not trou-
blesome, to enter a portion of it, and
they returned with wonderful stories
of the riches hidden there; and fine
specimens Of gold were shown as
proof. Gen. Sheridan, in his letter to
Gen. Sherman, corroborates this view,
and he thinks that the wealth Of the
Big Horn country will be found to sur
pass that of the Black Hills. Beyond
report nothing positive is known about
it,
Tom Sun, an old mountaineer, who
makes his headquarters at Rawlins,
Wyo., says:
81 have myself seen gold in the pos
session of Indians at Boray's ranch
and at several other places, which they
traded at the posts for goods. But this
is no reason for me to suppose that
they took it from the ground them
selves, and 1 should rather suspect that
they had taken it from miners whom
they had found in the mountains and
killed.
"For game no place in the world can
beat the Big Horn country; there are
any amount of antelope, black and
white tailed deer, Rocky-mountain
sheep, elk and moose, buffalo and
bison, cinnamon, black and grizzly
bear, and Rocky-mountain lion, wild
cats, silver-gray, black and red foxes,
etc. Mountain grouse, sage hens, geese,
ducks and chickens are found in great
abundance. Swarms of trout and other
fish in the streams"
sold Jim Bridger," who for years
has lived among these mountains, says:
"One day after having Travelled a
few days in these regions known as the
Big Horn, L, feeling thirsty, got off my
mule and stopped down at a small
brook containing clear and inviting
water from the snow-capped mountains
to drink, and while so doing my atten-
ton was attracted by the curious APP
pearance of the bottom of the stream.
1t appeared to me like yellow pebbles
of various sizes, from that of the head
of a common pin to a bean and larger.
Though well acquainted with the ap-
pearance Of gold, L was somewhat in
doubt of its being the precious metal,
since it had never occurred to me that
gold could be found in that locality;
but my curiosity being excited, 1
scooped up a handful of the stuff, and
rode up to DIR. Hayden and Captain
Reynolds. Both at once pronounced
it pure gold, and asked me where l
procured it. After 1 had told them
where 1 had found it, Capt. Reynolds
got very much excited, and insisted
that 1 should cast it away, and not tell
any one Of the party of the matter
under any circumstances, he fearing
that a knowledge Of gold in such abun-
dance and of such easy access would
certainly break up his expedition, since
every man would desert to hunt for
gold. 1 very reluctantly complied
with the officers request. Since my
first discovery of gold I have found the
same metal in that country while trad
ing with the Indians, though not in
such abundance as the first"
Gen. P. E. Conner, who led an ex-
petition through this region ten years
ago, says concerning it: 81 did not
have time to examine its mineral re-
sources, but from information derived
from some of my officers and men 1 am
of the opinion that silver and gold will
be found in paying quantities on the
headwaters of Powder, Tongue and Big
Horn rivers and their tributaries"
Frank Grouard, the widely-known
chief scout of Gen. Crooks principal
expeditions, has frequently told of his
knowledge of placer gold in this range,
and of This finding it in fine large nuggets.
In a letter recently received from him
he uses these words: SIN the northern
portion Of the Big Horn mountains
there is plenty of gold that 1 know of
myself" Mr.. Grouard was for six
years a prisoner of Sitting Bull, and in
his rambles with the hostiles had ample
opportunity to make these discoveries.
The question of routes is an impor.
tant one. The one leading from Chey-
enne, while a trifle longer than one OF
two rival routes, is far better in every
way. Along it can be found wood and
water in abundance, save at two camps,
while it ~traverses a military road upon
which troops are stationed and con.