The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-28
A NARROW ESCAPE.
How a Prospacto- 2escued Two
Women from the Daaites

In the spring OF 1871 man reached st.
Louis with some choice specimens OF gold
and silver which he said ne had mined in
Utah. His object was to sell his secret of
the whereabouts OF the mine, but before he
had succeeded in interesting any capital to
speak of, he was one evening knocked down
by a hack as be stepped from street car
and so badly hurt that he died next day.
! / had been employed by a certain
capitalist to pump the stranger regarding
his md. Not that anybody had an idea of
robbing him of his secret, but to put this
and that together and attempt to ascertain
something definite about his affairs. Both
gold and silver had been found in Utah.
but at distances wide apart. If the man
mad taken his specimens from any known
locality, it might be good speculation to
buy his claim. If he told us of an unknown
place, 1t would be like buying cloth blind
folded.
In my last conversation with him, not
two hours before his death, he gave me the
information that he had been prospecting
in the Uintah Mountains, TO the east of Salt
Lake City. This was only general hint
as the range mentioned extends half way
across the Territory and far into Wyoming z
and Colorado. To hunt for the spot from
which he had taken his specimens would be
like searching for a silver dime on the wide
prairies. He realized this as fully as did,
and did not fear that he was giving away
anything.
Instead of the mans desth upsetting all
o1r calculations it only strengthened the
idea in the minds of half dozen capitalists
chat the general hint thrown out should be
acted on. In less than a month / was in
oil 10 rr-I%., ,,Nla - ~f
purchase an outfit, and instructions to
strike the mountains about fifty miles east
of Salt Lake and follow them to the Colo
RADIO line. II met with no success Twas to
pass through Wild Jim Canyon where the
Green River breaks through and return to
the west on the northern side of the mount
aims. If could make the trip before winter
set in, all right; il not, was to Law up in
the mountains and finish my prospecting
another season.
Upon reaching Salt Lake 1 went about
my business in very quiet manner, know
ing that Mormon spies watched every
stranger and made it business to find out
what brought him there. / wanted
thoroughly good horse and strong pack
mule, but in several instances those same
spies prevented my making purchase.
knew that they were dogging my footsteps
day and night, but l dropped no word from
. which they could extract a hint OF my
future plans.
One evening l was accosted on the street
by man whose look and speech proved
him to be Yankee. He was brusque and
to the point.
Stranger" he said, ''you want to make
little trip. You want a sound, fast horse,
and stout mule. Eve got 'em bothn
"And you want to Sell!'
"All-fired bad! l want money.to take me
back TO New England and my Jerusha."
Where can | see the animalSl''
eta,-
you, and would kill the beasts before they'd
3et you buy 'em. Stranger, be squar' with
3 squaI' Old pUmpkin-pie eater from Con-
necticut; Going proSpectingm
''NeS."
That's what these dod-blasted Mormons
suspicion. You've got to slip out o. this ac
quiet as a cat. or the Danites will make
dog-meat of you! Which way!n
East"
"Now you look berel You've cot to
throw these devils off the scent; you kin
do it by seeming TO hold up on your plans.
Tell me when you want to go"
Tomorrow night, if possible
Good Now tell me what you want
bought for your outfit, and let me buy it.
About twenty of us New Eugianders, who
have come this far and got homesick. have
q camp Al the end of this street. We are
trying to sell out everything but team or
two, and are going back to Gods country
and our wives and babies"
l made s bargain for the animals and
gave him list Of what wanted, and had
no fears that he would deceive me. During
the greater parl of the next day l sat
around the hotel seeming TO have aban-
doned all idea Of purchasing horses, and in
conversation with a stranger, whom / sus-
pected OF being spy, l carried the idea
that l should leave for Californis in a day
or two.
That afternoon sent my rife to the New
England camp, and about dusk showed up
there in person. Job Haskell my friend of
the previous evening, had carried out his
instructions to the letter. While l had
brought with me large quantity of fixed
ammunition for rife and revolvers, he had
purchased blankets, medicines, few min
ing tools, provisions and little odds and
ends necessary in a trip of this sort. The
saddle for the horse and the pack-saddle for
the mule were all that could be asked for.
When we had completed our business ar
rangements Job lowered his voice and said
''When it gets fully dark you must be of.
hope you'll get away all safe, but I'm
thinking the cusSed Danites will strike
your trail before morning: If they over
TO shoot first. They hain't got no more
mercy than a wolf, and it will be q pleasure
for them to put a bullet into you"
replied that had had some experience
with the class of men referred to, and
meant to protect my life at all hazards,
them beasts. The hoss has a strain of
Kentucky blood in him, and kin be pushed
hard for twenty miles while the mule will
ssrTy Eve hundred pounds and run like q
deer. II wuss comes to wuss, depend on
the beasts
When it was fully dark Iclimbed into the
saddle and was ready to go. The mule was
packed and nothing had been forgotten.
''Push 'em right up 20 the notch for two
long hours afOre ye halti'' whispered Job.
s'Take it easy after that, but peel yer eyes
when daylight comesP'
We were on the outskirts of the city. I
rode straight to the northeast TO strike the
range as soon as possible, and when came
20 broken ground the mountain lowered
up black, grim. and silent against the star
Lit sky. Then turned to the east and con-
kinued the gallop, and it was certainly two
full hours before drew rein and brought
NV animal to a walk. It had been q lone
some ride. uninterrupted, save by the