Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-16


Christopher Columbus, was anchored oil
the southwestern extremity of the Island
OF Trinidad. Late at alght, Columbus,
1t is related by Washington Irving, sud-
denly saw wall OF water approaching to-
ward the fleet from the south. His own
vessel was lifted so high by the incom-
ing wave that be feared it would be
either submerged or dashed on shore,
while the cable Of one OF the other ships
parted under the strain 10 which it was
subjected. The crews OF the vessels gave
themselves mp for lost, but after a time
the wave, which must have been caused
by an exceptionally large body Of water
coming suddenly down one Of the rivers
flowing into the Gulf Of Haria, ebbed
back again. This sudden rise of the
waters is mentioned by Column
buss son Ferdinand, who adds
that the fleet suffered no damage
save the loss OF one anchor. IL was
this anchor which was found, and,
strangely enough, 1t was dug mp from q
depth OF tiI feet below the surface OF
the around at r spot 372 feet from the
nearest point of the ooast-line. The
land, it Is well known, has gained con-
sdersbly upon the sea along the shores
OF Venezuela, 50 that where once ships
rode at anchor gardens are now planted
The anchor itself was Of simple form
and comparatively rude manufacture,
the stock being eight feet long and
round, with ring Mt one end q foot in
diameter to which 10 make fast the cable,
and with flukes five feet long, tho whole
weighing LOO pounds.
THE NORTH CAROLINA GOLD FIND.
The story Of the discovery of gold in
North Carolina ia somewhat curious.
Near the close OF the last century the
child of poor settler, while roaming
along the banks of a small stream, dis
covered bright yellow stone, which,
with the assistance OF ms piaymates, be
picked up and carried home to his father.
The old man. who had evidently noknow-
ledge OF the appearance OF gold IN its
native state. saw nothing particularly re-
markable in the stone, but, not TO dis
appoint the chld, babe him place 1t near
the cabin door, which 1t would serve 10
keep open or shut at pleasure. As the
stone was quite heavy, weighing nearly
fifteen pounds, It VAS found Of consider
able use for that purpose.
Several years elapsed before any one
thought Of the stones being possibly a
a mineral Of value, although tho owner
often showed it 10 his neighbors, bid
ding them mark its unusual weight.
Finally he was induced by some one to
take it to goldsmith in the neighbor-
Tug town OF Fayetteville, who upon
testing it at once pronounced 1t
to be gold. so simple, however,
and 50 ignorant OF the value Of
the precious metal was the old
farmer that he even then allowed the
dishonest goldsmith to buy the nugget
OF him for the paltry sum Of 81. Its
true value was ascertained 10 be not less
than $1,000, and the locality IN which 1t
was found soon became a rich field for
gold-hunters. This is claimed to have
been the first discovery u gold ever
made in the United States
A DISSATISFIED TBEAsURE-FIYDER.
The history Of the finding of enormous
nuggets Of gold in Australia reads nj
most like romance. The earliest dis
covery of this kind was IL 1881, but a
few months after the opening Of the
mines near Bathurst. This was the cele-
brated Zone hundred-pound lump,
which owed its discovery 10 the follow
ing curious circumstances a native IN
the employ of one DR.. Kerr was loung-
ing along, Ratchet in hand, through
sheep-run, where he had walked
hundred times before. His eyes
caught something yellow upon the sur
face OF beck OF quartz, and q blow
from his Ratchet disclosed a mass OF
gold. He FASTENED back To his master,
who took his horse and rode 10 the spot.
The largest block weighed seyenty-fiye
pounds, ana 10y its side were two frag-
ments, each OF about half It's weight,
which had apparently originally formed
part OF 1t. Lost in amazemeut, the Doc
tor was at loss how TO dispose OF hls
prize. At last he concluded 10 break 1t
up. put it in pair Of saddle-bags, and
convey it home on horseback, ride Of
many hours.
AS he was compelled to stop at some
human habitatlon for refceshment he
would lift the saddle.bags WITH forced
indifference and fling them carelessly
over d rail fence. at seems heavv ~
some suspcious-looking bystander, per-
haps bushranger, would remark interro-
catively. "Oh. yes the Doctor would
answer, endeayonng to allay suspicion
by an apparent lest, " full OF gold, Of
course When tho gigantic nuggets
came to be weighed they were found to
contain a little more than one hundred
pounds of pure gold, worth, as meta,
more than so, 600. ButnOw the thought
flashed upon the Doctor that, had 1t re-
NAMED unbroken, it would have been
worth much more rs q specimen, and
fortune might have been made 10y ex-
hIbitng it. With the usual peryer7ity
of human nature the poor practitioner
began to look upon himself, and to be
looked on 10y his neighbors, not AZ the
lucky man who had made s20, 500 by
single days ride, but as the unfortunate
individual who had lost ten times as
much by few blows OF hatchet.
AUSTRALIAN NUGGETS.
Among several nuggets CT eXtraordi-
nary size found many years later in the
Victoria mines. the most famous Is the
Welcome Stranger" which was I'M
earthed by two Cornishmen named Dee
son and Oates, who had, Tor fifteen
years, known only the harCest OF luck.
On the morning of February >, 1859,
they had reached the very depth Of their
long-continued i'll fortune. or the first
time IN their lives they went hungry to
their work, the storekeeper having re-
fused TO trust them any longer Tor the
necessities of life. But their patience
and perseverance were destined at last
to be amply rewarded. rs with feelings
of gloom and depression they set about
their daily task, the pick of one OF them
suddenly rebounded, having evidently
struck some hard substance. On removing
the surrounding clay there was reveal
ed to their astonished gaze a solid
lump OF gold a foot long and a foot
broad, and SO heavy that their united
strength was scarcely able to move IT.
m. Z, "A. ~, mona buH hapoD,a