The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-26

mountain guide, have missed him from
his usual haunts- There were rllmors
! that Pete had been lost in a snow storm
IN the mountains, says the Leadville
Herdid-DemOcrat, but the boys who knew
the old man said that this could not be
true as there was not a snow storm in
tne Rockies severe enough to get Pete
Of the trail. Much to his friends joy,
the old man turned up yesterday safe
and sound, but looking as though he had
not been faring very well, and with a
decidedly peaked expression about the
face, as though he had not been enjoy
ing his rationS regularly three times a
day.
questioned regarding his adventures,
Pete was not inclined to talk. but the
cordial influence of glass of the rale
aud STUFF warmed him up bit. and he
tod the following interesting story of
his adventures:
quito range, beyond Empire gulch. He
had located several claims there and it
was necessary to look after them, as he
had heat it rumored that some Granite
strapped a big gun about his waist and
resolved TO make the man or men who
had taken his ground take a walk for
their health, or he would know the rea-
son why. 1t took two days of hard
climbing before Pete arrived on the
ground, but while he found no person
there, he saw evidences of visitors. So
he cleared away the snow which covered
his location stakes, and posted an ad-
ditional notice as follows: Pete Fitz-
gerald, His Claim. Keep off the grass
or Vi get hurted- A skull and cross
bones. with an artistic design of a re-
volver, completed the significant warn
ing.
The next day he started home, but
concluded that it was easier to go to
Granite and convey his warning person
ally to the trespassers, he having a very
good idea who the men were. Just be-
tore. dark, he reached the brow of the
rr1faFV
from the east There is a long declevity
here, and as it was covered with snow,
Pete, who is an expert snowshoer, re-
solved to enjoy a little sport. He
down. All went merrily for about ten
minutes. But he now saw that the
ground was much sleeper than at first,
and at the bottom was a deep gorge.
That's all right, remarked Pete, Il kin
clear the gorge wild wan jump wild the
sthart olive got But just as he was
congratulating himself on this. he glanced
across the narrow gorge and saw a sight
that made his hair raise on his head. A
huge mountain lion was standing just
on the other side. 1t looked lean and
hungry, too. and while Pete would not
nave made very large meal, still he
was no doubt better than nothing at this
time Here was a dilemma, indeed. If
he leaped, he would fall right into the
lions mouth, and Pete did not relish be-
ing the principal feature of a bill of fare
Tor a hungry mountain lion. If he went
into the gorge he would most likely be
dashed to pieces on the rocks To stop
was impossible. 1t required only few
seconds for Pete to make up his mind.
1t was the gorge or nothing. With
mighty heave he threw himself backward,
and sailed on, in a sitting posture, right
wagged its tail axpectantly, but Pete
shot over the brink of the chasm and
down to the depths below. The drop was
not more than 100 feet, into bank of
in i0l1 he oil lon dad
up to his ears. For a time he laid there
stunned by the shock, but not hurt to
any serious extent Then he began to
look about him. The chaSm was dark,
closed at both ends. He was almost
smothered under the snow, but by dint
OF hard work struggled to a little niche
in the rock, where he could collect his
breath and decide on d course of action.
Happening to glance upwards. he saw
the mountain lion, craning its neck over
the chasm. evidently wondering what
had become of the meal. Ye'l be afther
maxim me spind a night in this dom hole,
will YEP" growled Pete, drawing his re-
volver. He took careful aim, and before
the reverberations had died away. the
body of the panther came crashing down,
burying itself in the snow.
The sun had set, and the chasm was as
dark as a cavern. 1t was, fortunately,
not very cold, so Pete made up his mind,
as he was on a little shelf on the rocks,
to stay there all night. 1t wasn't a par
ticularly soft bed. but the old man had
slept on the downy side of a rock be-
fore, so he did not mind it particularly,
especially as he had d bit of bread and
cheese in his pocket to make d scant
meal on.
Next morning Pete began an explora
ton. There was narrow shelf of rock
along which he could walk. but it seemed
as though the chaSm walls met about 400
to 800 yards away, and that he was
prisoner in a living tomb. But the only
thing was to keep on, until the walls
came so close together that he could
touch both sides. A CLINT of light ahead
opening. The rock on WI ich he walked
seemed to be getting rather soft. and
Pete. with the instincts of an old pros
Dector, proceeded to examine it. 1t was
much decomposed and broken up, and
had every appearance of vein. He ex-
amined the walls closer, and was at last
satisfied that he was between the walls
of a washed-out vein. The vein matter
now showed itself much more distinctly,
material entirely choking the chasm.
This seemed about 20 feet high. and he
found no difnculty in climbing over it. In
the mass he picked out what appeared
to be fine pieces or ore, and from what
he could judge there must have been
thousands of tons of the stuff Reaching
the top. Pete found himself safely out of
the chasm and looking down into deep
gulch. WithoutAmuch difficulty he made
his way down the mountain side and was
soon in Low pass.
Yesterday Pete showed the specimens
to some friends. He will in d few days
go to the place again and make a location
and he proposes to call the new claim
the Leap for Life lode.