The St. Johns herald., 1893-02-09
THE EARLY MINERS.
Gold Found by the Indians or Cal
 iSornia.
Preci ious Nuggets Given by Them to the Pioneer Priests Of the Golden State The Famous Old Silver Bell
 Mine,

Speaking of old mines" said Charles O. Brown to a San Francisco Examiner reporter, ''I have spent great deal of time and money in hunting rp clews. Out in the Silver Beu country 1 can take you to mountain so full of tunnels and shafts that. if they were in good and safe condition you could travel through all day long and not reach the end. A number of old-timers have visited it, and, judging from the vast work done there so long ago, they concluded that a great mine If some kind had existed there, which had likely been worked out. M any times has it been located, and though it's walls. roof and floor were carefully scanned and sampled, the result, while showing some gold, was discouraging, assays showing from trace up to sev- eral dollars per ton.
 ''Many years ago talked with an old Papago Indian about the gold and silver mines. In burst of confidence he told me that great many years ago, when he was very small boy, the Indians at San Xavier del Bac made weekly trips to very rich gold mine. On Saturday night they returned with the product of their toll. The priest in charge of the mission kept a small table in front of the altar, covered with a white cloth, upon which the pious toilers placed their metallic offerings to the church. This table was often covered with golden nuggets, varying in size from pea to ones fist, and it was rich sight After the usual service the priest would descend, and as he picked up each precious piece he would proclaim the name of the donor and afterwards would call them forward to receive the special blessing of heaven. On the fol- lowing Monday they would again take up their march in northwesteriy di- rection for the mines, and for very long time this was repeated, until the priests were driven out of the country, when they abandoned mining entirely.
 z 1.-The old Indian had at one time gone with the miners, who followed a we'll beaten trail, toward the Silver Bell country, and he saw them take out the gold. He agreed to show me the place, and, out of curiosity, sent man with him one day. They went out to the old mine have spoken of in the Silver Bell country, and when they reached certain gulch the Indian pointed to the top of the mountain and said he would find a shaft there, covered with cat claw bushes, out of which the most gold was taken. The man found everything just as the old Indian told him, but long disuse had filled up the shaft until it was nearly full.
 ''I visited the mine afterwards, but the work necessary to clean out the shaft was too great and too expensive to undertake, and it has never been touched.
 1.-The formation is a singular one, and samples of white rocl; sent to California were pronounced an exceedingly fine quality of l1aolin, such as fine procelain ware is made of Through it were streal1s of iron rust, and it is likely the gold was found in them. Whether it will ever pay for the necessary expen- sive exploration and prospecting is quite doubtful, but there is gold to be found there" !"