Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-11-29
HOW HE FOUND GOLD.
G. W. Davis Tells of the First Discovery
at Rainy Lake.


The story of the discovery of the new
gold field on the islands in rainy lake in
Minnesota not far from the Canadian
boundary is lacking in many of the
elements which gave the early dis
coveries in California their charm of
romance, but it is nevertheless a tale of
more than ordinary adventurous inter-
est, and if the new field develops the
richness that is now anticipated the
narrative will one day possess value as
history.
Ever since the days when the first
white man came into the Northwest
there have been stories of rich gold de-
posits in the lake region far up toward
the border, and there have been many
attempts to discover the precious metal.
There have been many gold excite
ments as well. In 1884 the country
beyond Lake Vermilion was heralded
as the new Ell Dorado, but the only gold
was that which came into the pockets of
the speculato~ who feeced unwary
victims with sailed claims and the eN-
element was short lived.
The honor of the discovery of gold in
the Rainy Lake region Is claimed by q.
w. Davis, who was at the st. Louis hO-
tel last week. His story of the trip
which led to the discovery is an inter
esting one. In substance his story was
as follows:
The first discovery was made on Au-
gust Is after an exploring trip which
extended over a period of six months,
when he came finally to little island
in Rainy Lake about mile from the
Canadian border, and there with pan
familiar to the miners in the old Cali
10 firSt
ever found by this process in Minneso-
ia. In former eNcitements assays of al
legged gold rock had shown rich results,
but chemists can be bought. When the
yellow metal shows in the bottom of the
pan there can he no mistake, and it was
by this test that Mr. Davis proved the
value of his find.
Davis is an old explorer-in expert
ence rather than in years hoWever-and
he first came to Duluth to examine as
an expert into the value of certain iron
lands which were on the market. He
came from Denver to Duluth, after an
experience of nearly fifteen years in the
gold country of Colorado. The close Of
his work in the iron fields came in the
early fall and he decided to spend the
winter in Duluth. Already there were
whispers of the gold to be had near the
bOundry and the spring found him at
Rat Portage ready for his long trip
through the country where it was said
gold could be found.
He left Rat Portage on May %, as
soon as the ice was out of Lake Of the
Woods, and from that time until nearly
the end of August he travelled alone
through the great lake region. For
weeks al time he did not meet a sin
gle human being and when he did come
across his fellow men it was not always
to his advantage. The country was
much Of it unexplored and he was
forced often to trust entirely to the in
stinct of the explorer to find his way
When he left Rat Portage Davis took
with him -four, pork, tea and molasses
enough to last him four months. His
only arms were heavy revolver and q
hunting knife. His goods were packed
away III a canoe weighing 125 pounds
and in this he made his home for nearly
three months.
In making his start Davis followed
what is known as the canoe route to
Rainy Lake, following the line of the
Lake Of the Woods up into Whitefsh
Bay, distance of about fifty miles, and
then went on through a series of little
lakes and connecting streams to Fort
Francis. From the time of leaving
| Whltefish Bay until he arrived at the
Canadian town, distance of eighty
miles, he was compelled to make seven
teen pOrtages and across each one of
these he had to carry unaided his
heavy canoe and his store OF pro-
visions.
But the portages did not offer the
only difficulties In Foot Print lake.
while he was still several days journey
from Fort Francis, his canoe was
wrecked OH a reef IN sudden squat.
Until morning be was compelled to
stand in the cold water to prevent his
provisions being lost and then every
thing he had was soaked. His matches
did not escape and for two days he was
unable to build any fire. During that
time, while he still pressed on, he lived
on raw salt pork and the raw flesh of a
partridge, which he had shot with his re-
YolYer.
Leaving Fort Francis he passed into
Rainy Lake, and had he followed the
south shore of the lake he might have
saved himself several weeks of severe
experience. But he was looking for
the tale slate formation in which he be-
lieved he would find gold, and from all
that he had heard he expected to find
this formation along the north shore
For days he followed along this shore
seeking in every little bay and inlet the
tale slate, but never finding it, while
the islands with their gold bearing rock
was left further and further to the
south and east He followed RAINY
Lake along its whole length, and then
confident that the gold could be found