Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-25

the much-sought.for Lost Cabin was
neither more nor less than Jeo Sweeney's
old discovery. When Nye learned the
truth-that another man had found the
very same lead before him, and what
was more, had given it up as no good,
he, too, surrendered in disgust, and
went back to Nevada a very badly dis
appointed man. ST
UNPARALLELED HARDWOOD.
About this time the Sitting Bull
troubles came on, and the country
where the Lost Cabin lead was sup
posed to be hid away became alive with
hostile Indians. Old Touka-te-tonka
Sitting Bull), with over n thousand
lodges, had his camp near the junction
OF the two Horn rivers, on the spot
where General Custer afterward found
him and met his death. Notwithstand-
ing the frightful dangers and almost
certain death awaiting any white man
who should have the hardihood to pene-
trate into the country, three white men
did go prospecting up the Big Horn
about this time, and made their way
safely through the hostile regions
travelling night and resting days., fin
ally reaching the headwaters of the
Little Big Horn in safety: Here these
three venturesome spirits came across
a body Of ore so large and so rich that
they could hardly credit the evidence
of their senses. Old miners believe i'm
plicitly that all rich veins in a mineral
country must be emanations from a
backbone or mother lode. Here was
unquestionably the mother lode. If the
mythical Lost Cabin lead really had an
existence, there could be no doubt but
what these hardy prospectors had ac-
tually stumbled upon it, for, from the
description given, it was certainly the
largest body of rich quartz in the known
world.
A SAD SEQUEL.
Blu listen to the sequel. After work.
ing until their tools wore out, the brave
fellows built a boat with which to de-
seem the river, loaded it down with
nuggets and rich specimens (burying
what they could not carry and started
down stream intending to float by night
to the Yellowstone, and thence on by
daylight, and night too, until civiliZa-
ton or a settlement was reached. The
plan was then to return with sufficient
men and supplies to withstand the at
tacks of the red men and to work the
uew mine for all there was in it.
Had they known that the camp which
they intended to steal past at midnight
was the largest ever gathered together
vi VIC NOFbu AluSTlCdl COuUlllcuU,
stretching up and down the river for
more than three miles, and containing
between 5000 and 5000 warriors, it is
probable they would have gone the other
way and gotten out of the country with
all possible haste. Their boat was
discovered by an Indian dog whose
single yelp set 10000 other throats
barking, and in their hurry to push
forward the frail craft was upset in the
rapids of the Little Horn, and the poor
devils were prisoners. Two OF the men
were killed instantly, but the third, in
the darkness of the night, managed to
effect his escape, and after wandering
about for days and days without food
and with little or no clothing, finally
reached a settlement, more dead than
alive. He related his experience, eX-
hibited one or two nuggets of pure vir-
gin gold in proof of his assertion, but
would not give the exact location of the
lode. Through his pr%ivications, suf-
ferings and ponderings owe his i'm
mense wealth his mind became unbal-
anced, and the poor fellow, unhappily,
became insane; and afterwards, when
the country was opened up and Sitting
Bull conquered, it was then too
late to return to 1.-The lead, for the
only survivor who might have pointed
out the doorway to untold millions was
a babbling, senseless fool. His reason
had left him.