Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-07-09
you are right, senior. .
7 hold ont INV hand


q calm tone; land if it fails we are
lost"
Having completed every arrange
ment for carrying out Manuers plan.
we took our stations to watch the
movements of the savages till night
should give us an opportunity for
action.
1t was not our purpose to wait until
darkness had fully set in, but to carry
our plan into action just at dusk, when
the light would be sufficient to show
the Indians that the horses had riders,
but not enough to reveal the deception.
As the twilight settled over the plain
I could see that the Indians drew
closer together, as if holding a final
council.
Its time now, senor," said Manuel
in low tone.
Keeping in the shadow of the house
we led the two horses to the outside,
then. turning their heads to the north,
we struck them several sharp blows.
They reared violently and plunged
away in the darkness.
At the same moment we threw our
selves in at the door and lay flat upon
the ground.
We held our breaths as the sound of
rapidly retreating hoofs broke the
stiffness. Then rose fierce tumult to
the east and west with succession of
terrific yells from score of savage
Threats. The Apaches had discovered
the two retreating horses and had
gone laundering IN pursuit.
Through the open door could see a
line of dark forms moving to the north
against the eastern horizon, and knew
that our ruse was having the desired
effect.
Come" said Manuel; 1--WE must not
lose a moment. We must be as far
away as possible before they discover
the trick and return to search for us"
Carrying our rifles in our hands,
ready for quick use, we darted from
the cabin and ran with all the speed
we could command to the southwest,
while from the north came the fierce
yells of the Apaches as they swept on
in pursuit of our two flying horses.
We ran for nearly mile, and then.
being almost exhausted by the violent
exercise, and hearing no sound of pur-
suit, we dropped into walk.
We travelled steadily for three hours,
until we found ourselves among a
range of low, sandy hills, and there,
secreting ourselves in patch of mes
quite bushes that grew in small can
yon, we rested for nearly an hour.
Then we resumed our journey, and by
travelling in circuitous route reached
Mason's ranch at sunrise the following
morning.
Thus ended one of the most danger
GUS adventures of my life, and but for
the shrewdness of a Mexican boy
should not be alive now to tell the
story.
Two weeks afterward, as we were
returning to Mutt station, we came up
on the dead bodies of our two horses,
which had been literally hacked to
pieces by the savages so enraged had
they been on discovering the decep-
ton that had been practiced upon
them.-Goldeas Days.
"Rocker" Mining in 40.
The most expensive instrument OF
the early miner was the rocker, which,
though Simple in construction, cost in
the mines from fifty to a hundred
dollars. In general appearance it was
not unlike a baby's cradle as used by
our grandmothers and as still seen on
the frontier. 1t consisted of flat
bottom with two sides that 1ared out
ward, and an end board at the head.
while the foot was open save rifle
about an inch and a half high at the
bottom to catch the gold that might
pass another rifle across the bottom
near the middle. At the head of the
cradle was a hopper about eighteen
inches square with perforated sheet
iron bottom or wire screen. Under
this was an apron, or board, sloping
downward towards the head. Two
substantial rockers under the whole
completed the simple machine which
gave to the world millions of dollars.
The modus operamdi may be de-
scribed as follows: Two sticks of
wood hewn on the upper side were
imbedded at the rivers brink, one
four inches lower thar. the other, on
which the rockers were to rest, thus
securing a grade in the machine to
facilitate the outward flow of the
water and sand. Two miners usually
worked together as partners. One
|
while the other, seated on boulder or
block of wood, dipped the water from
the river and poured it upon the earth
in the hopper with one hand. all the
time rocking with the other. When the
earth was thoroughly washed. he rose,
lifted the hopper from its place, threw
out the stones and gravel. replaced it,
and thus the work went on. As the
GROUND about the rocker became ex-
hausted to the bedrock, recourse was
had to the bucket and the earth was
carried sometimes few rods, making
laborous work for the miner. 10 keep
the rocker going another hand would
be employed to carry the earth. and
each would carry two buckets at a
time.
Hard work of this kind suggested
improvements in mining. At noon
the gold and black sand collected
above the rifles were taken up on a
scraper and thrown into the pan. which
was carried to the river and and care