Idaho semi-weekly world., 1892-03-08
peADLy saospsc4 ns,,.sa.


aesbs - the f,anxer~ Atserdlns 1snvelzne
10 the stcrr4A
As one approaches today the rising
slopes Of tie Sicrras in California. the
nsorc especially sin that portion extend
ing from Nevada county cn tl3c north.
through placer RI Dorado, Cnlnvetna
and Msripnsa counties. on The south,
certain sig.ss nlsd indications arU met
with, tile landmarks, 80 10 Hpeals, *
the pioticefs of 40 .S
rode pretty much all through that
fousltry on horseback some year or 20
tgo. and canic near losing my life ii q
number Of these Landmarks, which
have proven fatal 70 many oilers bc-
fore and yet rcsssain d constant sualrce
of dargcr to tie unwary traveller 10
thai region
! part Of Fl Dorado county lying within
| 4 radius 81 fifty miles of lsi4ccrviIle,
or Hangtown- as il was called n the
Argonaut days. Here b where the
I, greatest rnsl. to the gold diggings took
place. The creeks and In6untain
streams all about contained rieh de-
posits Of gold. and lie gpld hunters
fairly swarnie1 over this portion oS
the country
/ When the yield of the river beds
was exhausted tI.c miners began sink
1 ing prospect hoie~ These varied in
I depth from ten % ONE hEsldtrd fceE
Sometimes when pay gravel" wns
iStruck great streams ~ water would
be called into play. cutting xife
fchasus into the soil and often wash
ing away mountains tllemscIyex
These claims, when abandoned and
when afferward covered with a growth
Of underbrlssh, rendered il dangerous
to travel III their vicinity q night for
fear 81 falling into one of these nrti-
fcia! precipices. which could not b
secn until the very brink was reached
| The prospect holes however, are
another matter. These are met with
| everywhere in the region have de-
Z scribed. often not more than ten fee4
apart They are rarely more than five
feet in diameter and, owing 70 the
growth Of underbrusf. nre veritabie
pitfalls and death traps
Il Many man has started out on 4
prospecting tour and tumbicd head
long into one of these pits. never to be
heard from again. Wild animals 81
oil kinds also are made the victims oi
these deadly prospect holes
Ny first experience in. this regard
taught me q valuable lesson that
needed thereafter. | was walking
through the woods one day with :
rifle. when scared up one Of the Wild
, hogs that are pretty thick in thai
country. made up my mind thai
Mr. Hog would be my meat. Is thes<
animals are very good eating. and q
, started III chase. Owing 70 the tres
: couldn't get good shot
) Well. Chased that hog fer perhaps
hundred yards or so when. TO ny
astonishment. lie suddenly disappeared
as If the earth had swallowed him.
: couldnt make ii Out at all. 50 rushel
|. to the spot as quick as could.
E The iiist thing ! knew felt tn
. ground gire WY beneath ms feet
> and by some happy accident | wn
barely prevented from falling into
hole which. as afterward asccrfainetl
r was eiglty-five feet deep. ! manages
to clutch hold Of projecting bush il
o the nick OF time or should hav
caught that hog with q vengeance.
The hog is probably there get Tn
= hole certainly is, anyhow, and il an.
4 one contenirlates "Trip through Inc
e section Of the country it would b
S we'll for him to besr these facts i
l. mind. New York Herald