The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-31

some Of the Dangers Attending Travelling
in the flerrns.


As ono approaches today the rising
slopes OF the Hierras in California, the
more especiailyin that portion extend
ing from Nevada county on the north,
through placer III Dorado Calaveras
and Mariposa counties, on the south,
certain signs and indications are met
with. the landmarks, so to speak, OF
the pioneers Of 40.
rode pretty much all through that
country on horseback some year or 20
ago. and came near losing my life IN q
number of these landmarks, which
have proven fatal ID many others bc-
fore and set remain constant source
Of danger TO the unwary traveller III
that region.
refer now more particularly TO that
part Of El Dorado county lying within
a radius Of fifty miles OF Placeville,
or Hangtown, as it was called IN the
Argonaut days. Here IS where the
greatest rush TO the gold diggings took
piece. The creeks and mountain
streams all about contained rich dc
posts Of gold, and the gold hunters
fairly swarmed OYER this portion OF
the country.
When the yield of the river beds
was exhausted the miners began sink
ing prospect holes. These varied in
depth from ten TO one hundred feet
Sometimes when pay gravel was
struck great streams Of water would
be called into play. cutting wide
chasms into the soil and often wash
ing away mountains themselves
These claims, when abandoned and
when afterward covered with q growth
of underbrush. rendered it dangerous
TO travel in their vicinity at night for
fear of falling into one Of these arti-
fetal precipices, which could not be
seen until the very brink was reached.
The prospect holes, however, are
another matter. These are met with
everywhere in tho region | have de
scribed, often not moro than ten feet
apart They are rarely more than five
feet in diameter and, owing to tho
growth of underbrush, are veriiable
pitfalls and death traps.
Many man has started out Oh "a
prospecting tour and t1mbled head
long into one Of these pits, never TO be
heard from again. Wild ANIMALS Of
all kinds also orc made the victims Of
these deadly prospect holes.
Ny first experience ia this regard
taught me a valuable lesson that !
needed thereafter. / was walking
through the woods ono day with q
Iilie, when / scared up one Of the wild
hogs that arc pretty thick in that
country. | made up my mind that
Mr.. Hog would be my meat, as these
animals arc very good eating, and so
atarted in chase. Owing to the trees
/ couldn't get a good shot.
Well / chased that hog for perhaps
% hundred yards OF so when, 10 my
astonishment, he suddenly disappeared
as il the earth had swallowed him. /
couldn't make it ont at all, 50 ] rushed
10 The spot as quick as / could
The first thing / knew / felt the
ground give way beneath my feet,
and By some happy accident | was
bcrCly prevented from falling into q
hole which, as afteryard ascertained,
was eighty-fve feet deep / managed
to clutch hold Of n projecting bush in
the nick of time or / should have
caught that hog with a vengeance.
The hog is probably there yet. The
hole certainly is, anyhow, and if any
ono contemplates a trip through that
section of the country it would BE-
well for him to bear these facts in
mind. New Yorl. Herald