Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-10
AN OUTING IN IDAHO.
DeSOlATlON OF WHAT WAS ONCE
RICH GOLD FIELD.

hSii NOLC 'L-IC.
Cnmping Out In the Depths of n Forest
Interview with an Old rrospector-A
Dream of MiIIions-An Unwelcome visi-
tor--A shot.
A journey of about thirty-fve miles
brought us to Boise Basin, trough like val
ley that was at one time the richest gold
field in the world. The small forest set cave
gave up S7,OOOOO0 OF the precious dust in a
single year Where the throng of miners
battled III the strife in those palmy days is
now silent shaded waste, reminding one of
an ancient catacomb The trunks of giant
trees are rotting where they were uprooted
by the hydraulic force that removed noun
tains. The creek that furnished the water to
work the desolation and wash out the gold
still grumhles and sighs and splashes in its
mad rush. 1t winds among the limbs of
trees forty feet above its old bed where it
has been raised by the debris We ioted
along o7er road bed of rock washed bare
by the stream that had been drawn from its
channel hundred times by the changing
sands, till a cooler breath warned us night
was coming on and that We must choose a
camp ground We passed beyond the most
desolate part of the abandoned gold field
There was evidence Of later work in all the
gulches leading up the hill side, where water
could not be conducted from the large
creeks.
We came to a green plat near an old cabin
and decided to camp for the night, We We're
so deep IN the heavy forest that no wind
famed us 1t came to us in a murmur that
added to the solitude The sighng of a
waterfall came up from MOrres creek in
svriis that mingled with the mnsic of the
trees We wondered who could be the occI-
pant OF the tumble down log cabin-who
could have buried himself in such a living
tomb We san learned that it was the home
of Mr. g., we'll known prospector, who had
lived in those .nouEtAins since ~. He came
out and introduced himself. A gray, unkempt
beard and long hair seemed to crowd upward
To the slourhed hat THAT held them in bounds
rs the binders holi loose hay He was
dressed IN soiled canvas clothes, hut he acted
the host with the air of one who knew his
Importance in his element The rude stTuct-
ure he called home WAS pile of round logs,
and so low was the door that we had 70
stoop To pass through We could not resist
his Invitation, however, and soon were be
tween the rough sooty walls A broad fire
place, buiit of stones and dirt set Oft from
one end of the single room A mattress of
pine houghs covered with fur SkiAs and Old
blankets was held in framework to the logs
and was his bed. \ side of bacon hung from
the low rafterS His chair was a block sawed
from ii round log. and it stood on end by q
shelf that was used for table, cupboard
and n pantry,
He told us his claim yielded gold dust
enough in two or three weeks, while the
snow was melting rapidly, to supply his
wants for year The balance of his time
he spent in making prospecting tours far into
the most rugged mountain regions. He
searched for quartz mines exclusively
Every inch of the old house was a cabinet
OF mineral specimens. He ConverSed wisely
OF sulphuretS, copper stains, tgalena and
ledGes with walls and dips, Of assays and OF
various grades Of ore. He told us OF pros
poets on 900 hills that by any process OF
reasoning would have made him ten times q
millionaire. He was So absorbed in his sub
jert-his dream of millions that re-
treated through the doorway before he be
came aware OF our intentions.
The first night out i'll lonely woods, one
cannot sleep soundly That night two ladies
three gentlemen and two small children
who constituted our party, were restless ever
at the still hour of midnight. The ladies' and
the children were in the tent the gentlemen
were tossing about on a hard, improvised
couch under the wagon The slightest NOISE
seemed to be annoylng The horses snorted
restlessly sometimes as though they had
seen some strange object An owl hooted
near by, and hIs doletul notes awakened
answers that came like strange voices from
the other world The fire had not burned
out, and it tiIckered up unsteadIly and made
weird figures on the tent walls Our most
timid friends were 10y that time in a mood to
be easily frightened A stsalthy football was
heard Something was sneaking around the
camp 1t passed between the tent and the
slender shoots of fame, Its shadows came
and went on the canvas 1t was hideouS, il
was monster in proportions So at least
thought the ladies aS they buried their faces
under the quilts Scratch, scratch, was heard
on the tent lightly at first, then it ripped
with loud sound.
scream came from the folds Of bed
clothes The men were reused They could
see some animal, by the light of the uncertain
fire, with half its body through hole in the
side OF the tent 1t was ravenously devour.
ing roast chicken, boiled ham and other deli.
cacies of the larder, A gun was at hand, a
bullet was sent through the intruder \
bn hrt1fp tDll0p-nA tho ~ ~
the gun. 1t sprang forward into the tent
directly upon the ted. The occupants were
dumb with fright In frenzy the animal tore
its wounded side-tore its own vitals from
the bullet hole and nadly shook blood and
filth over the tent, the bed and the clothes
scattered about, and then with cries that
rent the air fell dead 1t was found to he a
Rocky mountain wolverine 1t was as large
as wolf. Roxey Newton in Detroit Free
Press