The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-13
THE GOLD MINING TRAnPa or ,ya
ROCKY MOUNT1Iys

rugged highlands. During the summer tbex
tow with heavy rope an obstinate dontov
preferably white, sad faced donkey. or n VIE.
pony, laden with provisions and the tools uso,,
in prospecting for placer mines. During tho
arctic winters they glide over tho surface pr
the deep snow on long. narrow boards. curved
IN front as sled runners. and concave ON tho
under side. old fashioned skates known no
Norwegian snow shoes. visiting their beaver
traps; or they tramp over the barren. wind
swept foothills. searching for the bodies OF
such greedy. crcduous wolves or bears No may
nave eaten OF tho feast OF stryehntne- improp-
mated meat prepared for Thorn.
lhese mon have no families. They nre pos
sessed OF spirit OF unrest. Tho dosirs for
change. the love Of solitude rather than tho
hope OF gain. animates them. They seldom
search for leads indeed. they have q hearty
contempt for hard rock mines and minors.
Ihey Ike to live alone in n rude hut standing
undora spreading pine by the bank of n noun
tain trout brook. They will not work for other
men unless hunger compols them or poverty
has entalled a deqlrth Of cartridges. They tran
they hunt. they placer mine. they prospect.
Thoy undertake long. arduous tours, apparoat-
ly aimlessly wandering through tho forosta
They are always going to tho Snowy Range.
Tney build huts In localities widely separated
On the shore OF Trout Lake, lying behind the
mighty second range, Is one hut. At the base
Of the perpetual snow. where the elk erazs
during the summer. will be another On The
banks of creek where beaver are numerous,
the creek being regarded az private game
preserve. will be another. And In the valloy
where he winters. and which he claims is q.
good meat and wolf ground" will DO an
other hut. In those men the qualities OF
hunter. trapper. gold miner, and tramp
are combined. They know the mountaias
thoroughly and love them. Their earninss
depend on the price Of fur and on the yield OF
their placer mines. Their happiness depends
only on their freedom. Their annual esrntnus
Will probably average about $500 each. know
an instance where they reached So 900; but this
was u winter Of famous beaver catch on n
Montana creek. whore the Jaws OF q trap had
never before snapped. and where the wolyee
were hungry for strychnine. The unlueky. or
1t may be the lazy may not earn more than
enough to buy the cheapest clothing and q
scanty supply Of bacon and -four for the win
ter's use. This they supplement with generous
rations Of elk. deer. antelope. and beaver meat;
indeed. It is on the flesh Of game animals these
men generally depend for food Successful or
unsuccessful in trapping and mining. they entar
upon the winter In about the Same condition.
Of financial bankruptcy. II successful. aieer
selling their furs and gold dust, and buying
supplies for the winters use as they terse-
ly express It. they Go in bald headed
for whiskey." While engaged In the pleasures
Of going In. they are ready TO fght with
anyone who encroaches on their freedom Of per-
sonal action. When SOBER they are an earnest.
quiet people brave Of blood rather than com.
bative. There Is nokinshipbetween sinewy.
Quiet-spoken mountaineer and the buckskin-
clad. long haired. whiskey- bloated fraud who
swaggers around frontier towns. and whose
existence Is q never-ending search for verdans
tenderfeet. 10 whom he talks as the hero Of
q dime novel. hoping to be rewarded BY tho
gift OF drink OF liquor for the recital ae
mythical adventures In killing Indians and
grizzly bears. and the display Of the lying
record Of his prowess notehed on pistol or
rifle stock. the notches having boon cut while
the fraud lay behind q cowshed hiding from u
dunning dry goods clerk who had rashly trusted
him for tho nashy red handkerchief tied around
his whiskey-eroded guet. The former arc
seldom seen by Eastern tourists. The latter
obtrudes himself on them. During the summer
the former are in the mountains. mining in
lonely gulches. or hunting elk inst below tho
snow line. or prospecting for trapping ground
The latter rouse themselves with difficulty
from drunken stupor to swagRer around the
railroad stations whom the passenger trains
arrive. They are prospecting for tendereet.
know OF no moro interesting takers than
these trapper-hunter goldminers. Informal
ton. unobtainable except from them. Is frees
ly given. The habits of game animals their
whereabouts. the reasons for their annual
mgratons from the low to the high lands.
the various methods Of trapping. all arc in
terestingly told. The finding Of quart lead.
cropping out above the bed rock OF their placer
mine Is merely mentioned as gold In nuggets.
found Just below the reef. is displayed. The
killing Of huge bear. whose skin il shown 10
briefly dwelt on. On your expressing a desire
for trout the locality OF a mountain lake small
OF area and hidden In the depths Of the monn-
tains. is revealed to you. A lake where the
trout bite at salt pork
For their thck-headed donkey or i-tem-
pered pony they have curious admiration.
The very traits that make other mon desire TO
kill these animals inspire these mountaneers
with respect and love- The donso stupidity
and obstinacy OF a donkey are tenderiy dwell
upon, as il they were traits Of character tho
possession OF which cnnpblcs a brute. A pony
that. In addition to the tricks common to that
animal. has the dangerous ono OF turning
over backward when mounted by q stranger.
with tho sweet intention Of thrustna the POM
mel of the saddle through his entrails and
merrily grinding the life out Of him. Is greatly
admired. 1t may be that the love Of freedom and
inc ul5llkO Oh Steauy WORK. Wnl6u Is Itlc rdliu2
spirit OF these Unconditional brutes. and
makes them willing to DO beaten to death with
jagged clubs rather than to work for strangers
are qualities that win respect from these men.
The mountaineers are lovers Of nature. They
live in close contact with her. They understand
her. Many Of them are men of good education
who have deliberately chosen the froo HE.
They are. almost without exception. free think
ers; indeed they are generally believers in an
initiation after DEATH They are manly. rhcY
endure hardships without murmur, and with
out Sinking. There is no pretenco OF knnwI-
| edge among them. They lovo the free life they
lead. and will at anytime fight to the death Tor
what they consider their rights. Law passed
by Congress or Territory that encroath IN
the slightest degree on their timo -honored PRIV
eges Of mining. trapping. or timber cutting.
| nre utterly ignored. OF laws that they rons'Pt
Just they are strict observers. For instance no
matter how sorely pressed by hunger they
would not kill a branded steer. have kn9W'1
| OF cattle imprisoned by snow in mountain
| yalDy-catto that were sure to die before WV