The herald., 1896-08-05
A Rich Strike on the MOjave
Desert
APROSPECTOR'S GREAT LUCK
Seeking for Water He Finds Gold
Bearing Ledge
Ore Which Assays Anywhere From $3.50 10
$4,000 Per Ton-Story OF tho
Find

Disco Call. but only the bare bones OF
the romance for it is veritable ro-
mance) have been presented to the pup
lie. The account as previously tele-
graphed was that two prospectors, wan
dering far from settlement or habitation
on the superheated sands of the desert
during the recent hot SPELL when in the
settled valleys deaths from heat were
numerous, and even that tabled individ-
ual, the oldest inhabitant." could not
call to mind another spell of weather,
had by merest accident stumbled upon
a fortune in the shape of ledge OF gold
bearing rock Of almost incredible rich
ness.
These men, Droullard and Pyle by
name, being practically without means
naturally looked about for some meth
cd of recuperating their fortunes. Sto-
ries of the good luck that had befallen
other men situated like themselves, and
who had gone to the desert mining
camps, reached their ears, and they de-
cided that what others had done they al
so could do.
Neither had even the small amount or
wherewithal to obtain the outfit, WIN
out which it were worse than useless 10
venture desertward. a brother OF one
of the partners was consulted, anu
promptly volunteered to do what IS
known as the grub stake act. In oth-
er words he agreed to furnish what was
necessary for the trip, in return Tor an
equal share in whatever discoveries
might be made.
Equipped then for the hardships and
dangers of a desert trip in July the two
partners started for MojaVe, with de-
termination TO exhaust every ehort IL
the search for a paying mine. AS lucA
would have it they started just at tire
commencement of that hot wave when
for three long, weary weeks held the in =
terror valleys in its fiery grasp and sent
to death more human beings and am
mails than the newspapers have cared
to publish
But such a drawback as 125 degrees,
more or less, in the shade and up to Id
in the sun, could not daunt these two
prospectors. They pushed their way out
on to the Mojave desert to the recently
established camps fifty to sixty miles
northeast IF Mojave. Then they began
their inquiries. Had such and such To-
cality been prospected? Yes. and some
good mines found. Well. we don't want
to go there. Another locality? The
same answer. Another? Still the same
reply. Finally, how about that region?
Oh that's been prospected high and low
and never . sign of color found That's
the place for us. That's what We are
looking for-and toward it they headed.
They made camp at the only water III
the region, and then started to prospect
the entire locality thoroughly.
Each day they filled their canteens and
WITH 0ri-re n-'S riCl in hfs / It trte &.
out, hopeful that ere the thrice heated
sun fell below the blue hills il the west
some discovery would reward their eff
forts. The heat was something awful.
Nothing like it had ever been known in
that region, and all who could fed TO
the mountains or the seashore.
But the partners persevered. Two
weeks in this earthly inferno passed ard
still no discovery to reward them. But
this did not cause them to lose heart.
They had gone to the desert with def
mite object and they proposed to accom-
plish that object or die in the attempt.
on the first day of the third week
Drouillard started out alone and in a
different direction from any in which he
had previously gone. Some one who
claimed to be acquainted with the coun-
try told him where there was a spring
in the direction in which he proposed
going where he could find abundance of
water. Very carelessly. but quite natur-
ally, he put faith in these instructions,
took the bearings of the presumed spring
carefully and started out with what he
teen to suffice until the spring could be
reached. Having full faith in the d.
rections given. he did not husband his
supply of water as he might otherwise
have done, but drank freely whenever
thirsty. The result was that his canteen
was empty long before he reached the
spot where he expected to obtain fresh
supply OF water. Some time passed
after the last drink had been taken be-
fore he reached the spot where the spring
was supposed to be. When Druillard
arrived at the hoped-for locality at last
he found where the spring had been.
but not drop of water was there. 1t
had vanished, evaporated completely
ana not SO much as sign of moisture
remained; The unusually hot weather
rad dried up every drop Of what had
been fairly abundant supply.
Now the pan2s of thirst which had
asSalled the prospectOr for the last two
hours were redoubled. The very knoNl-
edge that there was no water to be had
made MIN the more thirsty His parchnd
NOUN became still more paTched, and he
would have given anything il the world
Ipf' q drauSht even Of the most bracItieh
water. He sought in every direction for
another spring. but in vain Not q SIGN
Of water could be found anywhere.
While looking for the precious fuid
haif Blinded With the heat and glare and
nan nad WITH the tbrmenIS Of thirst he
stumbled over some float" which his
experienced eye told him at G glance
was good indication OF the presently
Of ledge Of quartz. Even his thirst IL J
not deprive him of the desire when had
prompted the trip, and. half uncon-
sciously almost, he abandoned the
search for water and followed up the
float, determined t. find it's source. even
If it were the last thing he did. He had
not far to go. Perhaps 800 yards he tray
eled, led on all the while by the increae-
ing quantities of float. and then sudden
ly he came TO the ledge which was its
origin. At the point where he struck il
the soil was nearly level and the quartz
projected perhaps a couple of feet above
the surface. A glance showed him thai
it was beautiful live" rock Then q
blow with his pick and a piece was
broken off and picked up for eXamina-
ton. This was enough; he had found
what he sought.
All across the fracture the bright vel
low metal giittered in the sun, a mass
of wire work held together by a spongy
formation of half decOmposed quartz
dark red in hue and contrasting hand
somely with the treasure in its Grasp
Almost half gold was the fragment OF
rock. Another and yet another piece
was broken off, and all with the same
result. The ledge was followed some
distance, and still the rock whcrevei
broken Off showed up rich with gold
1t was bonanza
To use Droullard's own words: 81