Arizona weekly enterprise., 1889-11-16

on the part of two or three of his spec
 ial confidants to whom he had shown
 his map, and these and Miner claim
 ed that Miner was thrown off his
 track at San Carlos, and blamed the
 governor for it. Miner in his craft
 and cunning, sought to direct atten-
 ton from himself to the governor, and
 thus escape the vengeance talked of
 being meted out to him, as about this
 time a little necktie party was strong | ly talked of. Miner went as far
 as to threaten the governor, but on be-
 ing told if he hurt a hair of his head | his immediate execution would follow, | further trouble of this kind ceased.
 The final result was a split-up, and all
 talk of hanging Miner ended and the general conclusion was that any
 man or set of men that were fools
 enough to believe Miners extravagant
 story about the richness of the mine
 and his mules being lost in sand
 storm, ought to be fooled. If the last
 he could see of the mules was their
 ears sticking out of the sand, the won
 der was how he could stand the fury
 of such storm and in those days to
 be left on the Colorado desert on foot,
 without any means of transporting
 water and grub, how he avoided per
 ish;ng on the desert The more the
 affair was discussed the sillier it ap-
 peared that people should have believ-
 ed him, and so all very good naturedly
 concluded not to molest Miner, so long
 as he behaved himself.
 Before leaving the mountain we
 built monument and christened it
 "Miner's Folly" and felled big pine
 tree to attract attention to it, if any
 one should come after us, in search of
 Miners rich "diggins," to let them
 know they were on the right trail. On
 coming down from the mountain we
 discovered cave of great natural cur
 iosity, to enter which you had to crawl
 on your hands and knees some ten or
 fifteen feet. It then opened into 8
 large chamber, which evidently had
 been used by the Apaches as dance
 hall, for in the center was circle
 about the size of big circus ring.
 There was an east and west wing with
 stalactites hanging from the roofs like
 icicles, together:with stalagmites like
 pillars and posts, that gave it the ap-
 pearance of great natural hall. And
 lower down, on Coon creek, skirting
 the base of the mountain, we discover
 ed a stone building, one side of which ;. was formed by the cliff or rock to
 which it was attached, and inside of this was paint mine, both of yellow
 and red, made useful no doubt by the
 Apaches in beautifying and ornament
 ing their women and furnishing war paint.
 On Coon creek a consultation was held and various propositions consid-
 cred, which failed to produce harmony
 or settle what was to be done. In the meantime Mexican had informed the Prescott party that he could show
 them gold on Pinto creek, but Miner
 hearing of the Mexican interviwed him and endeavored to. have the Mexi , can pilot him there, so if good he , could claim it as his "diggins" and in this way recover his standing The Mexican refused 10 desert his Prescott
 party, who selected ten of their best , men and quietly left camp, crossed
 Salt river and struck out for Pinto
 creek, the Mexican acting as guide , Miner, getting wind of this move, se I lected like number and followed in hot haste in the hope of being able to I reach Pinto creek in advance oi o the other party, "Hunkadora" Holmes . (recently killed by the Apache pris
 oners from Globe), acting as his guide l. The Prescott people, composed of olC Q pioneers and well mounted, were abl' . to keep the lead, with Miner, however '. in close pursuit, and always within . two or three miles. The advance par ty run onto a smallband of Apaches camped in gulch, and immediatel, dismounted and prepared to take tn . Apaches in, and while so engaged anC E before the attack, Miner hove in sight - and prevented the Indians from heinj 7 surprised and slaughtered, to the grea T disappointment of the old time boys T none of whom but had lost friends b, - the Apaches and had many close call s! themselves. Mounting their horses :. steeple chase followed to Pinto creel - the last four miles of which was yer - exciting. Those left behind followe :, as rapidly as possible, Gov. Stafford t bringing up the rear, having beel m n greotly retarded by having on hi = hands wounded man, who acciden ~ ally shot himself while in camp on tn . Sierra Ancha and who had t0 be COT = veyed on litter Safford's care save '1 ot his life and landed him safely in Flo " ence, where he entirely recovered an ,d left without even thanking the goverl M or for his great care and friendship. 99 All finally reached Pinto creek witl l ln out accident except Capt. Rogers Ca 70 terward sheriff of Pinal oounty) wh ,e .e had his mule shot by the Apache ''tt' After prospecting day or two an ,JJ only finding mere color, the entil 7" party broke up and started for hom - having been with Miner fifteen ( na ,u twenty days in a fruitless search fC '5 his placers, which never had an exis ~ ~. ence.
 VI Those from Prescott went nortl h.n h those from Pima and Pinal startC ~ south, leaving only the Salt river pc ~ pie with Miner, about seventy-five , all. On reaching Final camp Ono IF the ranch of Mir. lrion) it was agree " that Miner should take fifteen OF tive " ty men and go back to San Carl 'S. where he claimed to have been misle o' take up his trail, follow it to the "di
 gins" and then return to us. Tn, pr went to the top of Pinal mounta m where Miner with his field glass ne could see San Carlos, and from tf ca point of the lofty Pinal.seiajnaed th ne he could see his mount4fIi Y i1Rr6 tl at gold was found by hiIp, :s ' Is>i E I ,r<l les us on his return (which si.lE 'zE ~ ra- day) that it was 'distaks r'1 ' < th camp only some fourteei< iI1l tn north; and that to get there Is0 TOT where we were, in a direct line, W at- imposs ible, owing to the existence eh certain box canyons, and to reach t I--t T Il l.