Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-02-15

more inclined to go through the motion
Of pouring. l seemed cut up in two
individuals, between whom existed
troublesome and perpiexing difference Of
opinion as to their respective duties and
functions. Such conflict. to all in
tents and purposes. Of two different
minds inside of and acting on one body,
shook it up fearfully and tore it all
to pieces. was as a house divided
against itself and could not stand.
However, at last the physical and men,
tai elements thus warning with each
other inside of ire made up their differ
ences. and the left hand rocked the era
die peacefully while the right hand
poured harmoniously. and the result was
about $3.50 per day. Soon after ! found
my first mining partner. He wandered
to the Bar, a melancholy looking man,
with three dogs accompanying. and was
always in a chronic state Of red BAN
danna and nose wiping. He and joined
forces and went up the river to ''crevice"
among the rocks near the Split Rock
claim. He had all the skill all the ex-
pericnce and all the dogs. and all the
deemed it a great advantage to have thus
secured real "old miner" for a partner
and felt that such man must turn up
gold.
We built ourselves rude brush house
on a shelf of the rocky ledge in can
yon whose sides sloped at an angle Of
forty. five degrees. Even this shelf was
not level. 1t pitched toward the river,
and there was SO little of it that during
the nights repose our legs stuck out of
the house entrance. We were obliged
to "chock" all our supply Of provisions
in their respective packages to prevent
them from rolling out Of our wigwams
over the brink and into the Tuolumnc.
If a potato got loose it ran like "thing
possessed" over the rocks and down into
the muddy, raging current. We were
obliged to peg ourselves at night while
sleeping to prevent like catastrophe.
1t was Il permanent and laborious exist
ence ut an angle Of forty-five. To stand
erect for any length of time was very
tiresomc. More frequently, like Neb-
uchadnezzar. we lived on all tours
"Crevicing" did not prove very profit
able. BY day the bare rocks become
heated by the sun to blistering Ca
pacity.
With pick and sledge and crowbar
and bent bits of hoop iron we pried and
pounded and scraped, and scraped and
pounded and pried all the hot day long,
or else were doubled up in all sorts of
back aching, back breaking, body firing
positions. drawing up at arms length
from some deeper 'pothole" or crevice
spoonful after spoonful of yellow mold.
1t did hold considerable gold, and heavy
gold too But it took SO long to get the
mold. This was in the latter part of
September The termination of the dry
season was reached. The first rain came
1t came at night. 1t drizzled through
our brush house. It sent tiny streams
down the rocky mountains, and some of
these streams founl their way under us.
We had lain and endured the rain from,
above dripping on orr faces and wetting
suit served for niyhtgown. But when
the aqueous enemy undermined our
position we had to turn out.
1t blew gale. How the wind howletl
and tore up the canyon! We tried to
kindle fire. Match after match was
blown out. Finally a blaze WAS attained.
Then the rains descended heavier than
ever and put it out. The chief misery
was. we could not ut night find our way
out of the canyon to any place of shelter.
Nor could we walk at all to keep warm.
There WAS "stanliny room only" All
about us were the steeply inclined rocks,
nodded into every irrcsularity of shape.
We were obliged all through, the night
to stand and take it" as it came. shiver.
ing in our thin summer clothing. With
daylight we made our way to the camp
of the Split Rockers. They gave lis
some gin. 1t was common gin-very
common gin-but the comfortable and
soothing remembrance of that gin after
such n night exists for me even unto
this day. ! wore black cloth cap
The rain hid washed out the dye,
and this dye had coUrscd over my brow
and che,2s il tiny rivuicts of jet.
noticed that | seemed to be more than a
usual object of interest to those about
llc, ANt Not'ttiC>a, WILL - tiitiIi
vistu ne to consult II mirror. l did So
and found my face marked like Il rail
road route map. Such was my inau.
guration in mininS ut Hawkins Bar
! What glorious OIL times they were
What Independence! What freedom
from the trammc.a and conventional
ties OF fashion! Who cared or com.
mcntel if We did turn up the bottoms OF
our pantaloons. or wear. for coolness
sake. our flannel shirts outside the trou
sers? WHO then was SO much better
than anybody else. when any luan might
strike it riu. tomorrow? Who would
beg for wor, or truchlc. and fawn and
curry favor of an employer for the mere
sake OF retaining u situation and heil
that same man to make money. when h.
could shoulder pick. shovel and rocker
50 down 10 tine rivers c;i,c and make
his s. or s. per day? Though even IL,
that ,ine this REPEATED s: was oftene'
$3.50.
Even then reports Of The pairing capa
cities OF claims WCr. as ait To b>