The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1893-08-25

: : ! .
!. - ON Ia TIL Q 50
bleak and tracltless mountains 81
No, Jim. I'll take nothing but 4
light pick and shovel and some grub. \
replied, passing out.
Near the door were tied cur two deer
hounds, Zip and Keenc, and, a. Il
stoppedl TO pat their heads, both begged
piteously. In dog fashion, to be takcn
along. q :, :
sNo. no, old boys, no hunting To-
day. said. socthingly. And the In
telltgcnt creatures, seeing that / did not
carry gun. soon ceased 70 grumble.
II was the 4th of July, 1869. We
bad been for some time engaged In
silver mining near Argentine Gulch,
ECol., and were living In 4 stout log hut,
ot which, In the absence OF other claim.
ants, we had taken speaceablei posses.
sion. We could not think, however,,
% prosecuting our usual work on the
Fourth; aud Jim, not feeling like ioin-
ing me, had decided to 90 on pros
lpecting alone.
Don't lose yourself, old man. It's q
mighty easy thing to do,r, he called
out, as ] walked away: while the
hounds gavc mo q cheerful send.of In
the shape Of q parting howl.
We'll. no. Jim, I'm not quite so
green as all. that. But II TN not back
Tonight maybe you'll look me mn. q i
laughingly rejoined: the point Of the
Joke lying in the fact that was an old
mountainecr and Jim comparative
tenderfoot, though one OF the best fell
lows in the world.
Prospecting or, indeed, travelling on
foot at all in the heart OF the Rockies,
Is exceedingly hard work, not only be-
cause OF tho physical obstacles, but
also from the unsatisfying nature Of
the highly rnrefed air, of which one IS
Obliged TO inhnle vast quantities In
order TO get oxygen enough 70 sustain
life Hence, after four hours of In.
cessant toll by VIII ich time j had got
above timber line. wus glad TO sit
down'by . little spring to rest.
So far, though making many tests, /
had found no indications Of paying
lead. but i was not going to give MP
hope, and. alter ma king . hearty din
llner rom the bre I'D md cold meat in
my hayersaels ! scaled the heights 70
my right detcrmined 70 find my way
home ~ another route. Twas easier
sad tlzaz1 ddzie 3of, on descending the
ridge, came into an utterly strange
netghborh and shortiy found my
sell wandertng in g Wild labyrinth OF
intricate bowlder-strewn guliies and
frowning precipiees, from which extris
cation seemed hopeless as every at
tempt to travel IN . direct line only
tended 70 confuse me more and more
For TWO nonrs, spent IN desperate ex-
ertton, y tried yainiy TO thread the
mazes, and finally had 70 confess that !
was lost Then ! Thought TO retrace
my steps TO the old trail and take .
fresh start, but this. too. 4 found impos-
sble. had, somehow, got complete
" turned rounds" and, despite all
reasoning 70 the contrary. could not
convince myself that the sun, OF which,
caught occasional ghmpses, was IN the
right place. 8
sPshaw, III get out all rightr I said
aloud. as u arguing the point with .
companion. but can lido 1t this after
noon? II not, Jim wiz have the laugh
on me, md 4 cant stand that. "
+ Atlast, twisting and turning. plnng-
ing, climbing and scrambling into,
around and over rayines and rocks, !
managed 70 get down TO tmber-line
again, but Of how Tar I had come or Of
where ! now was had not the least
idea Two things however, 1 did
know: That the shades OF evening
were coming on and that my chance Of
reaching camp that night was hardly
worth reckoning. -
No glimpse OF sunlight now. The
deep shadows OF the lofty peaks were
all around me, and IN another hour the
gloomy solitude would be wrapped In
darkness. The night too, ut that alti-
tude, would be unpleasantly cold. !
must prepare for 1t in time.
( I had come TO a little valley hedged
In by great pieces Of detached rock,
and there were numerous gnnrled
roots. dry. broken limbs and other
aynilable fuel scattered around. De-
!, Itermining to go no further, com;
tending n Is keep up 3 Big tlre until