The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-05-12

Hardshtps of Pocket and Ledge HUM
tiers fm California.

Hardships of Pocket and Ledge Hun.
tors fn California.
The amount Of prospecting that is being
done in this country is astonishing, and the
number of men engaged in o seemingly tire
less search for hidden wealth can only be
guessed at. The prospector is everywhere.
Wherever there has been placer mining, and
wherever ore of any promise or value has been
discovered, the patientprospector may beseen
climbing the hills laden with pick, shovel
and pan. Every cabin or hut in the min
ing district is occupied, and new ones have
lbeen and are constantly being built. Men
and mules are to be seen daily on the road
laden with mining tools and camping
duffie. Go into the hills in almost any di-
rection and one meets prospector at every
turn, and the click of the pickaxe is heard
in every ravine and gulch-on the hillside,
In shafts and tunnels and cuts. A large
portion of the country has been very rich
in placer mines, and nearly all of the hills
and mountains are scanned with quartz
lodges and ore veins. The discoveries of
rich lodges and bodies of gold and silver
bearing ores, and the activity at present
manifest in several sections, have stimu-
lating effect on the prospector. Lodges are
discovered, tested, and il abandoned by one
party are Immediately reclaimed by another,
who will sink the prospect hole q little
deeper, test the ore little more thoroughly
and then in turn relinquish the claim, to be
followed by yet others indefinitely. Wher-
ever there are quartz lodges or indications,
imaginary or real, of ore deposits there is q
notice on every conspicuous tree, rock or
stump. The hillsides are dotted with piles
Of red dirt and quartz thrown up and out
from shafts and drifts. was recently in
formed by an old prospector who had fol-
lowed prospecting in most of the mining
districts of the State that Shasta county was
more thoroughly prospected than any other
section on the coast.
The life of prospector is hard one,
and to follow 1t man must have patience
and perseverance, and endure many hard.
ships. He is generally on the move, going
from one camp to another, adopting any
vacant cabin he may be fortunate enough
to find, or hurriedly constructing his tenn
porary dwelling place of the simplest kind
from material most convenient. One end
of cabin is almost always monopolized by
huge mud fireplace and chimney. On the
side is door, and opposite window, the
latter generally consisting of a square hole,
provided with wooden slide. A swell
a.. ID Ixolf
with some of the panes actually unbroien
The possessor Of such luxury generally
moves II about with him, and adapts 1t to
various structures In one corner of the
cabin there is bunk generally constructed
of poles, sometimes Of boards; the other
furniture usually consists of n table, stool
or cracker box, a few tin plates, pans, &c.
The prospector Is seldom seen cat home"
except in severe weather, and then his most
comforting solace must be either roaring
Are in the big chimney, his pipe, an almanac
or his hopes of striking il rich ON the NOR
row. According to theory good quartz
prespecfor should be also an nssayer lie
should know in what formations of earth OF
rock 10 expect ore, and then be able to test
it scientifically by FIRE and ncid assays. II
Is reasonable to suppose TINT sdch man
would be most successful, but it appears
hat it is not thus. ANY old prospector will
tell you that scientific fellers mover find
anything. They can't see into the ground,
and 1t is wh9re you find it, not where II
ought TO be, accordin' to theories. Some
greenhorn, tenderfoot or immigrant always
finds the bonanzas." have observed this
to BIO frequently the case.
Indications are often found where weeks
Of panning fail to locate from whence they
have been washed or thrown; and, again,
pockets are found by mere accident that
have thrown no trace to the surface. Agood
prospect may be obtained from every spot
on hillside, and yet nothing be found be-
meath the surface.
Apocket hunter will carry and wash dirt
for days without obtaining color. When
he obtains speck of gold however, and II
II is the rough unwashed pocket metal, his
chance is fair of finding deposit perhaps
fortune The winter season Is the most
favorable for prospecting In this manner,
as every gulch then contains sufficient water
for panning, while during the summer che
prospector must either follow water courses
or carry dirt long distances to springs or
streams and there pan it. There are those
who frequently find pockets, and even
though the deposits are not large they find
them often enough to prosper moderately
well in the uncertain occupation and appear
cheerful, confident and always possessed Of
little money. am inclined to think, how
ever, that, considering the number engag-
ed, the fortunate ones are few, and, for the
amount Of labor performed, am forced to
believe that both prospectors and pocket
hunters are scantily paid.