The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-17
THE GONGOSC0 MINE.

4 q
SILK knit undershirt, black in color.
We shook hands and closed before
| was aware of Ii. i was down in less
time than two minutes. He had given
me toe cadker under the inner side of
my left ankle. Ten minutes rest, then
at 1t again. OF course this time I was
on my guard against any surprises.
We had it up and down for about 30
minutes. when l got my lock on him
and hipped him, giving him a fair fall
and myself remaining standing. Time
80 minutes. After recovering his breath
and feet Mac exclaims, My, that was
! a brave fall" The third bout 1 deter
| mined on desperate measure. All
wrestlers are aware that to fall de-
| hberately backwards. pulling your an
| tagonist with you, Is a desperate move.
| Yet this is what 1 DONE taking firm
, hold of beth collar and elbow, 1 drew
him towards me, and as 1 was about
to lose my balance 1 locked and turned
him, falling heavily upon him. Time
| five minutes.
This ended the match and the vic
tory was for me. 1 will say here that
never were two men more evenly
matched. OF course 1 was the lion of
the club the balance of the evening.
The next evening Blackwell and Nc
Lehman called on me at my hotel over
bottle of wine McLennan informed
me that he wished to add a rigging
loft to his shipyard; that 1T was just
as easy to get the complete contract
to make a ship ready for sea as to only
do half of it; that invariably the crews
deserted the vessel at the first oppor-
tunity, leaving the work to be done by
half-drunken, beach-combers and de-
tanning the vessel sometimes months
in port. He made me this proposition:
That he would furnish the shipyard for
rope walk Also the use of sheds also,
orders for all material such as ropes,
MARINE tar, ETC., / to furnish the nee
essary men for the work. He would be
paymaster for the first job throughout,
win or lose, when completed, to
square up, and If there was a balance
divide Ii, then start afreSh, but tale
no new jobs until 1t was positiN civ
known what there was in it, Tine next
night he Informed me that he had
taken the contract to repair the Fore
and mizzen of the great American
clipper ship Sea Serpent, and for me to
bid on the rigging of her up, ready for
sea. / went aboard of her next day,
sized up the job, then made my bid.
OF course 1t was accepted, as there
was no opposition. 1 then went on
board again and hired the ships own
crew from the captain at the rate of
SIS per month, the ships wages being
$40. / also made a subrosa bargain,
whereby he was to boss the men and
let me live on board, If so desired, for
500. This was no written agreement,
but just between ourselves. My con-
tract price was $1,000. At this end of
six weeks all the work was done and
in seamanship manner. 1t has cost
McLennan $2,S75 the rest was profit.
Here l was with s1,100 in my pocket
and a splendi reputation as a first
class rigger, while in fact, it was the
captain of the Sea Serpent that de-
serves the praise.
There were three other vessels that
/ helped to rig out, clearing about
thousand dollars out of the three.
Work becoming slack and having now,
as l thought, money enough for my
purpose, / applied TO the American
consul, Mr.. Webb, for a passport to
visit the interior on account of the
manner in which had shipped on the
bark Leighton, at New Orleans. My
name, as first officer, not being en-
tered on the ships articles, but only
shown on the log book, he could do
nothing for me himself, but made me
acquainted with Rio police commits
sioner, who fitted me out with papers
so that / never had any trouble after
that go where / might. Mr.. Black
we'll, during our four months ac-
quaintance, had so thoroughly posted
me about the mine and the way to get
there that / felt that / knew the way.
So | took a steamer for Pernambuco,
which is at least a thousand miles
north of Rio, and one of Brazil's most
important ports. At Pernambuco in
troduced myself to a banking firm.
Gomez & Co., showed them my Rio
papers and told them that / had been
sent there by a California company to
go into the interior and inspect the
Gongosco mine. They were highly
pleased with the news. as the old COM
pany had done business with them.
/ stated my reason to them for max
ing their acquaintance was that /
might get reliable guides and also to
have some responsible person at that
place posted about my adventure. /
deposited with them 81 900, took the
certificate and put it in an envelope,
directed it to party in New York,
then pinned slip of paper to the en-
velope, which read, IF not heard from
in 80 days. forward this envelope. leav-
ing il at the bank"
The next day they found me two
parties who had worked at the mine;
said they were as honest as the aver
age native, but to never make and dis
play of money while with them.
had the bank hire them for me and
pay them upon our return, two days
afterwards. l started on my trip, on
a small mule, the parties on foot. We
Travelled a little south of east for %
days, when the abandoned works hove
in sight. Everything had a deserted
look and even the country itself looked
more like a desert than anything 1
had seen before in Brazil The works
were at the foot of a Butte. shaped
like the top of Derby hat, covering,
l should Judge. about 10 acres of
ground, was void of trees or grass or
any green thing; in fact looked nike
an immense burnt brick.
1t is not part of this story to de-
scribe the mill and buildings, so shall
confine myself to the mine. i had the |
forethought to bring candles with me,
and as nothing in the shape of tools |
were taken away. l readily found all |
that / wanted, except a gold pan. This |
we overcome by using a box and finish
ing with a horn. Nothing but pole |
picks and gads had ever been used in |
taking out the dirt, yet go where l |