The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-09-10
KEYEs' DIGGINGS.
The Rich Gold Fields That Lured
Chris. Keyes to His Death in '65
Found in the Little Rockies.
The Evidence OF Work Having Been Done
in the Gulch IN Former Years
Apparent.

published in another column, he ex-
found by Chris. Keyes in 1865, and
about which so much has been heard
and written, the death of this pioneer
prospector leaving his discovery a mys-
terry, have really been found on Beau
champs creek in the Little Rocky
mountains, the diggings that are just
now creating so much excitement.
Near the mouth of the gulch they
found that pit 100 feet wide by $50 feet
long had been sluiced out, having evil
IDENTIFY been done many years ago. This
work is the only evidence that the lost
diggings have been found, but consider
ing the richness of the gulch, as now
shown, it's convenience to the river, and
other facts connected with the story, it
is certainly not an unlikely conclusion
| to draw. AS of interest, then, in this
connection, we reproduce from the Hol-
| iday RIVER PRESS the narrative as told
to us by Mr.. John Lepley, the cattle
king of the Big Sag.
MR.. LEPLEY's STORY.
In 1864 prospector named Chris.
Keyes and myself, as partners, discov-
cred the first gold in Lewis and Clarke
county, on Silver creek. We did not
strike it very rich, but could make six
or seven dollars day very easily. We
worked away for some time at this slow
rate. [ thought We were doing pretty
we'll, but Keyes became impatient and
wanted to move on in search Of some
thing better. He carried in his pocket
at that time three small nuggets of gold
that he picked up in the valleys of the
Bear Paw two years prior while en-
gagged in hunting for the fur company
at Fort Benton), and his constant talk,
night and day, was about prospecting
these mountains expressing his utmost
faith in finding rich diggings. | ad-
| vised him, however, to stick to what he
had, and, to tell the truth, [ was not
| very anxious to invade the Indian coun-
| try at that time, the country down here
| being then alive with hostile red men.
Keyes was too restless to remain ON Sill
yer creek, however, and leaving me in
| charge of the work he started along the
| main range towards the head Of tbs Ma
rias on prospecting tour, with the un-
derstanding that we were to share equal
| ly in whatever he found.
After some months he returned, more
down hearted than ever, and now
fully resolved to no longer delay hfs
trip to the tempting Bear Paw country
and all his persuasive powers were tried
to induce me to accompany him. But
! it was in vain. thought too much of
my scalp to take the risk. He then de-
cided to go alone. was to stay on Sill
yer creek, and if he struck anything
big I was to join him and share in the
| profits, and [ never saw a man so inn
| bued with confidence and with such inn
| plicit faith in the successful issue of his
undertaking.
In February, 1865, we shook hands,
| Keyes starting for Fort Benton, en-
route to what he believed was a glitter
| ing gold field, while I remained in the
gulcla, content to earn my six and seven
dollars day. We had been partners
about year then, and [ had learned to
esteem Keyes highly. was new at the
business of prospecting and mining and
had to rely much upon him-a reliance
that was never misplaced. [ placed
| great confidence i'm his judgment, and
| when he said-the last words he ever
spoke to met will not send for you
unless I find something big" / knew
that he would not
Well, he came on to Fort Benton, and
after securing such an outfit here as he
needed, left for the Bear Paw, and it
was several months before I heard
word from him. Then came the mes
sage:
"Drop everything and come on. You
don t aOa,st any horses or money; aoe can
get oil of the latter that zoe can carry.
Come qusck."
This was enough to make the blood
boil in the veins of a gold hUuter, and
my first impulse was, indeed 10 'sdrop
everything" and strike out. Meantime,
however, our diggings had become of |
some value and others had come into I
the camp. / talked the matter over
with my comrades, who united in their
efforts to dsssuade me from going, repre-
senting that the country was held by