The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
GOLD DIGGING At CAPE HORN
Information for y Man who Has Thoughts
OF Trying His Luck at IL.

Information for n Man who Has Thoughts
or Trying His at II.
Charles Miller of Petersburg. Ashley county.
Ark, writes to THE SUN for further information
about the Cape Horn gold d~iggings, of which .
description was published. His questions are:
Government of the country in which q man would
How much money ought a man to have to buy an
outnt after he arrives IN punta Arenasf
II man failed in the diggings could he obtain any
kind Of work at which he could earn his passage back
Is knowledge Of the Spanish language a necessity,
What is the best time OF the year for a start from the
Part Of the diggings lie in CHILEAN territory.
but the best now known are in Argentina. The
deposits on New Years Island, off the north
shore Of Staten Island. and those in sloggett
Bay, on the south shore Of TERRA del Fuego. have
the most gold. but they are also the most dan
gerous to work. No arrangement need be made
with the Government for working the placers in
either locality. unless the miner wishes to go at
II with large capital and take up claims for
permanent occupation. In this case he must
begin by stalking his claims as he would do in
the United States, and then he must
go to Buenos Ayres and hire a law
yer TO tell him what to do next. An
entire page of THE SUN would not contain
the laws Of Argentina on the subject OF mines.
But the man with shovel. pick, pan. and lumber
for a single sluice box need not bother with that.
He can work the sand all he pleases and no one
VIII bother him in either locality mentioned, or
matter. Claim jumping Is almost unknown in
S Y.srs rfS Island = t dna H sa for no si oss IT P Bay and a, Nsw
when The SUNS correspondent was there ven-
One man gould buy a sufficient outfit In Punta
Arenas for $3.50, gold. but two men with 5000
each would get a better outfit and have three
even though an experienced sailer OF small boats,
could scarcely manage a sloop in the tumble OF
water he must cross in that region. The per-
centage OF prospecting outfits lost among the
Cape Horn groups Is something frightful, even
the Work. No man should venture there aion 60
One may travel second class in some OF the
steamers take steerage psssensers. A0
II a man failed in the diggings las most of
Arenas: he could readily get work on a sheep
ranch II he knew how to ride a horse. He would
P@%SS sses IN get : rS %SFb r at SGg% Tsm IS I, in e any ! m event,
according TO the ability Of the man. He gets
ms ( f fSaw snd 10 led y tSs p addition :, ,o.
absolutely necessary.
September Is the worst month In the year at
month he will have a-plenty OF time before him
after he arrives there for preparing TO face an
Mr.. Miller adds to his questions the statement
mat he IS AZ years OF age, and says thar, al
were not suitable for any but young men, lie
links that what he lacks in youth he can more
t.ioh max up ny MS experience. lie says, fur-
Lher, that he is married and has a large family,
put cotton growing, in which he has been for
Ien years engaged, does not pay, and that he
must change his occupation to support his fam
~. He would like TO know what THE Sun
links about his wish To seek for gold at Cape
horn under such circumstances.
To this II must be- said that youth Is not
Always = matter OF years. At As many men
Who live correct lives are elastic in muscle,
and hopeful in disposition. and quickly
'ecover from the WEAKNESS and depression OF
'verexertion and prolonged exposure TO hard
Usage. They are. In short, young. Their ex-
Is likely To be OF very great advantage
o them. Mr.. Miller may be physically yOuth-
and mentally mature, but OF all the readers
THE SUN We should think him to be about the
asst who ought To go prospecting at Cape Horn,
No wider leap than that from the sunny cotton
lelds OF Arkansas 10 the 10y quarter deck OF a
hirty-foot sloop in a Cape Horn williwaw can
yell be imagined, nor is there any COM
OF words that will Adequate
] portray to Mr., Miller the condition
a which, he would find himself after
% reached the williwaw. One has TO see the
Iaters OF a stormy sea caught up in a whirling,
column 500 feet high 10 appreciate the
anger OF the cookie shell that lies in its path.
hese dangers, but no experience on shore-not
ven experience in handling the Arkansas white
.ule-will mt q man TO meet such a danger. The
hances that Mr.. Miller would lose his life are
than those of his ever returnAAg 20 his
amily in Arkansas, while the chances OF hia
citing the nuggets at the bottom OF Slogget
where so many experienced fmen have
ailed and have even lost their lives, are well
Ugh intnitesimal.