Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-07-24
THE PRosPECrOR.
latest Picture of Him from an Art
coma Standpoint.

The interior mining papers have pretty
much all tried their hands In picturfng
the prospector. The latest effort in this
liue comes from Arizona, and is as follows:
The prospector is OF many phases and
moods, bat in all he bears his distinctive
features and personality. To be seen in
his native element. human hsbitations
mus. be abandoned and the remote ravines
and the rugged gorges Of the mountains
penetrated. There, Invested Of all the
adornments and superfuities Of c~iviliza-
ton, he stands q creature sui generis,
without prototype or counterpart. Brave
he is and must be, for only q stout heart
can cope with the dangers through which
Its path must lead. Hopeful, too, for that
and a few beans and bacon are oftentimes
all his ~sustenance. Solitude has made
him self-reliant and sometimes cynical,
but never misanthropical. knowledge OF
books may not be his, but he reads the
pages OF Natures varied volume and 10
content. Each rock Is o revelation, and
the surface tells him the secrets OF the in
terror. Natures wrath and human hatred
he holds rs naught, and with heroic devo-
ton TO his purpose he moves on like a
demi-god. Reckless Of his wealth, for the
occasional windfalls that come in his way
are nothing to that which the light of
Hope shows him in the distance. Too Of
ten he likes whisky, reyels in the fascina-
tions OF the gaming table. and yields to
the Establishments Of the cyprian, but
these do not corrupt his heart. The
breezes Of the mountain side, the gentle
dews OF heaven purify and wash away the
dross accumulated by association with his
fellow men. Time and space are to him
annihilated. With his scanty outfit packed
upon a little burro, IL he has 100 pounds
Of" grub he is an Alexander looking for a
world to conquer. The frozen banks OF
the Caribou have a. little terror to him as
the dreary wastes Of Arizona, and the
whisper OF a new strike draws him on foot
and alone, across a thousand miles as
..twere but q mornings stroll. To-day his
hammer 10 ringing among the rocks OF
silver land, tomorrow his shovel strikes
bedrock in some PARKWAY placer. The
profits Of his toll are meagre but he spends
them like a nabob. He finds a fortune,
but his patience does not allow him to
await the realization. For o grub-stake he
parts with untold millions, has q brief
spell OF wild debauchery, again cuts him
aloof from his kind and crosses o space
that would tire the eagles wing. scales
cliffs that makes life q burden to the
mountain sheep. and his little campfire
shines in many an untrodden spot as o ray
OF that star Of civilization whose light
shall soon penetrate to every recess Of the
continent. Prospecting finally becomes
chronic and the pursuit born Of avarice
becomes blended with his very nature.
Home. friends and hopes OF future ease
becomes but faint pictures in the gallery
OF his soul. Eyes. that In the years gone
by wept at his departure have gone dry in
~tearless despair OF his return. Alllthat he
once hoped for has been denied him, and
brought before the stern bar Of his own
Judgment he is fain to confess that life lie
a failure. The threads Of silver he SO
eagerly searched for are in his own un-
kempt locks, but still the fierce spirit
sconrges him on, until at last he 4" strikes
u rich " In a newer land, and his last claim
on earth Is staked six by four.