Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1894-09-28


earth didn't cover it. / washed IL
IF in the stream. 1t looked sus-
piciously like gold. / looked
where | had been sitting and there
in an oblong rift in the rocks, was
hatfull of jast speh ciods as
held 10 my hand. / had seen mug
gets of gold. but had never heard
of than 10 such quantities as met
my gaze. Hoping it was gold
but not sure. and with thoughts Of
Monte Cristo-like splendor in my
mind, / placed those that were
loose in niche in the bank as high
up as could reach aud made my
way around the point OF rock to
find way back home with the
nuggets securely tied in my dress.
The water was up to my shoulders,
but / succeeded in getting around
then marking my way carefully
with bits of paper, | made mp the
bill and gained the house, much
the worse for wear. / put on a
dry dress, and seeking Miller
showed him my find, asking him
with a calmness l certainly didn't
feel. what it was. He scanned 1t
closely, and said:
"'It's party gold. There'd
you get ii?'
II rather stammered that l had
found it in the creeks bed short
distance from the house. Thoughts
of the treasure, il 1t was one, being
filched from me caused this little
deception. He said farther: It's
pretty well mixed with dirt and
then lsughingly: If yon had a
wheelbarrow full of such bits as
this you could buy farm
"'How much 10 it worth?' | ask
ed.
;" "'Oh, about s25, think
Il thanked him and went to nv
room. To get the rest of the bits
as be called them. from where they
were, and take them safely to a
place where I could dispose OF
them. gave me much to think on !.
| did not care TO trust anybody
with my secret, and | wanted to
know the extent of my fDd.
The next day was putting query
after query to Mr.. Miller about
placer mining. AT night / was as
far from knowing what Its ex-
tent was as could be. After sup
per resolved TO try the Italian,
who had taken some fancy to me |
thought, for having given him sew
eral cast-off garments for his wife.
| found him, secured bis services
for the next day, making a tryst
where he was to meet me, with q
pick, shovel, bags and rope, and on
the way told him what l was
about to do and offered him City
dollars to assist me to the railroad
with what We might secure. He
swore by the Virgin be would
never betray me. We made our
way down the rock, and fixing the
rope firmly, went around, took
the tools from him and then he
came. / asked him what be
knew abopt placer mining. He
knew considerable. | showed him
where | found the nugget, or rath
Ell the clods and we went to work.
at was hard work too; but after
eight OF nine hours OF picking l
came TO the conclusion that L had
got all there was out Of the rough
gutter Of the rock where the stream
trickied through. We had in all
at a rough estimation abont eighty
pounds of the mess of dirt and
gold including the loose bits had
concealed in the niche. / could
not see signs OF any more. There
was no beach except where | had
stood. We looked that all over
and saw no signs of gold. We dug
down and soon struck solid rock,
and we concluded there was moth
ing more than the pocket We.
made two packages Of the dirt, and
with much effort | helped the Itsl-
ian carry them up the hi;i. We
left the tools. That Digbt l went