The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-30

/ 9luutc anu WdS TtdtlN 10 20. ne mule was
packed and nothing had been forgotten.
Push 'em right up to the notch for two
long hours afore We haltin whispered job
Take it easy after that, but peel yer eyes
when daylight cOmesp
| We were on the outskirts OF the city
rode straight to the northeast to strike the
range as soon as possible, and when | came
to broken ground the mountain lowered
up black, grim. and silent against the star
lit sky. Then | turned to the east and con
tinued the gallop, and it was certainly two
full hours before drew rein and brought
my animal to walk. 1t had been q lone
| some ride, uninterrupted, save by the
sudden tiutter of night bird or the chirp
| of cricket
just as | was about to set off at a gallon
| again the horse entered a wagon road.
got down to examine it, and discovered
| that it was considerably worn by the travel
| of animals and vehicles. As | afterward
| ascertained this road was used by several
| ranchmen located near Cherry Spur in
| going to and coming from the city, and I
! had been within stones throw Of it for
| the last ten miles. The fact of nv dis
mounting probably saved my life While
| l was down on hands and knees examining
| the road heard the hoof beats Of horses at
gallOp. / was sursued. Waitiugon to be
| certain that was not deceived in the sounds
| led the horse sharp to the left. toward the
| mountain, and the mule followed We
! were not two hundred feet from the road
! Wnen q couple OF nOrSemen passed at a mad
| gallop, going to the east on my route. 1t
| was impossible FOR them to distinguish me
| in the darkness, and / knew of their passing
only by the sound of their horses feet.
could no longer keep the road in safety,
| and as | mounted again ] rode straight to
I 4 fees tz-n mi -then- haadad-
to the east II they were seeking to over
haul or waylay me they would, doubtless,
keep to the road through the night. l found
better travelling now, and the animals went
ahead at a canter for the next three hours
! without a rest. When daY broke / was q
good fifty miles from Salt Lake, and now a
strange thing happened | was riding in
close TO the foot hills, and had halted on an
emlnence to scan my trail, when two rider
less horses came into view three miles
away, and made straight for me. AS they
came up | saw fresh blood on both saddles,
and the animals were blown es if they had
had a long run. Rifles, ammunition.
blankets, and small quantity of provisions
were strapped to each saddle, and one pistol
holster had revolver in it.
| Did they belong to the two men who had
passed me in the night? We're those men
Dantes? Had they fallen into an ambush
prepared for them by wandering Indians!
| had not heard any sounds OF conflict, and
this was proof that the affair had occurred
miles away.
[ waited for half an hour to let the horses
blow, and then secured them in single file
behind the pack mule While the find was
of no particular value just then, the horses
would have followed me whether or no.
In about forty hours from the time l left
Salt Lake | had reached a point on the
range directly north of the forks of Green
and White Rivers, and about fifty miles
distant from those streams. | knew that
the rivers united at the western end of
Little Bear Mountain, and that landmark
appeared due south of me, family showing
its head through the blush haze always
hanging overthe mighty hills. The stranger
had not said this was the spot. but / had
somehow got the idea firmly fixed in my
mind that this locality would develop some
| thing. lhad seen nothing more of the Dan
ties, nor encountered other dangers, and
went into camp with strong hopes of being
undisturbed while pursued my laborious
task Of unearthing rich find for those who
| had fitted me out
searched for and found a narrow valley
| breaking into the mountain. | followed it
in for about sixty rods, and lust where it
| made sharp turn 30 the left, and within
two hundred feet of the end, | stalxed out
the animals. The young grass was shoot
| ing up luxuriantly, and no one. unless
| entering the valley could suspect my pres
| ence in the neighborhood.
! On the second day OF my arrival, having
! overhauied my kit and rested from my long
| ride, picked up my tools and proceeded to
| the end of the valley. 1t stopped dead
short against the mountain, running to
! CHI up Wnicu my eye JfdVeleu I'VE nun
dred feet before resting at the top. 1t was
hardly a moment before | discovered the
! mouth of a cavern before me, and around
| its mouth was quantity of fresh earth.
| The place had the appearance of being
| bears den. and l approached it revolver in
hand.
To the left of the opening, as l slowly
crept forward, saw where some prospector
| had been at work with his hammer. He
| had broken from the ledge more than
| hundred pounds OF specimens. and after an
| inspection of five minutes ! knew that
had found the dead mans claim. had
| some of his specimens in my pocket. A
| comparison Of the rock settled all doubts.
| The man lying dead in an unhonored grave
| hundreds Of miles away had stood on this
very spot to gather his specimens. Acct
| dent, good luck, nv guardian angel or
| whatever you please, had guided me across
| valley and hill and plain as straight as the
| finger Of the magnetic needle.
He was prospector only. l was geolo-
| gist and metallurgist as we'll He worked
| on what was in view alone. | could go far
| beyond that. IN less than two hours had
satisfied myself that there wasn't q thou
sand dollars worth of gold or silver ore in
that valley. The man had blundered on a
| strange outcropping of precious metals.
| There is similar one twenty-five miles
| further west, and q third in Wild Jim Can
| yon, and specimens from them may be seen
in the mineral cabinets Of the Smithsonian
| Institute
In my anxiety about the outcrop, for
| got all about the cave and the fear OF wild
animals. ! mad been hammering, testing,
breaking and climbing around for three
| hours, and was standing on a shelf above
the mouth of the cave, when four pumas or
mountain lions left the retreat and skurried
down the valley like so many cats. UTTERED
| several yells, and hurled stone at the hind
most to keep them going at full speed
until obey had passed the horses. The cave
| was lions den, and the lions had been
| driven out. 1t was a matter of little &C
count, but when, an hour before shutdown,
J | got down and took Il look into the cave, I
mt. Inc mons nad been ufEgI11 ~ tho
| further end. What fora would see next
day.
To prevent the lions coming back during
| the night built fire below the horses,
| and likewise tossed blankets and saddles
| about to create objects of suspicion There
was no alarm of any sort during the long
! hours, and soon after breakfast was ready
! to enter the cave As l stood at the mouth
/ fired a shot, thinking to scare out any
| beast which might have crept in: but as
| nothing moved | boldly entered / could
| walk upright to the far END, and when |
| had reached 10 my heart suddenly gave a
! great leap. / could hear a human voice.
! 1t sounded q long, long way OFF, but IL GER
! tainly was the voice of some person. l
! heard II several times, as if some one was
! shouting, and a very queer feeling stole
| over me- Where could it come from2
! Who could be herel BY and by, when /
had listened long time without hearing