Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-23
LOST MINES OF THE WEST
Tradition Give, Them Gllmour to the
Modern -Alvsntlrer.
SEARCH IS GENERALLY IN VAIN
Romantic story About Desmct, the
Jesuit Missionnry-Tnntni Cos
sip About Hidden Pinccrs-A
Cattle Kings start.


There is not a mining community In the
west, from the Arctic TO Mexico, which has
not an ancient and cherished tradition OF a
lost mine OF fabulous richness. Here in
this northern Montana region. writes a cor
respondent OF the Chicago Inter Ocean from
Kipp, Mont, one hears OF three such mines
One OF them is the Lost Cabin mine.
Frenchman came into Helena many years
ago bringing with him thousands OF dollars
worth of gold dust. He told his friends that
he had found some placer ground richer
than any ever worked. The dust he brought
down had all been pinned out. With sluice
boxes thousands Of dollars could be washed
on. in a day. OF course this news created
the greatest excitement. His friends pre-
pared to accompany him back, but ere the
day for the departure arrived the French
man was taken Ill and died. Just before
his death he managed TO gasp:
"Blackfoot country, two small lakes,
cabin between them / built"
Now this information was very indefinite.
There are two Backfoot countries. One is
that great eNpanse of forest in which rise
the Big Blackfoot river and its tributaries
the other was, in those days, the eastern
slope Of the Rockies from the Missouri to
the Saskat chewan. The miners wondered
which ore he meant. Party after party wos
organized to search for the Lost Cabin
nine. Both countries have been explored
again and again. Year after year has gone
by and parties are still searching for it,
undaunted by the failure OF their pre9eces-
sors, hoping ever that the morrow will re-
veal to them two little lakes nesting in
the depths OF the forest and between, a
rude little cabin long since in ruins per-
faps. but still the evidence OF untold
wealth.
ON THE TRAIL.
One autumn. not many years ago, the
Blackfoot man and the writer went up into
tire mountains to hunt goats and bighorn. We
took an old Indian trail up the Cutbank
stream, crossed the divde-the backbone OF
the world" the Indians say-over a steer
slope OF shell rock resting on cliff thou
sands OF feet high, and pitched our camp sew.
eral miles down the western slope. Early the
next morning we were afoot and climbed 6
high ridge to the south. Reaching the cres
we sat down to rest and get our wind Fal
below us at the foot of the ridge, led by tht
eternal SHOWS on the summit, were two small
lakes. exactly in the center of the broad, deeI
valley. The stream connecting then
meandered through a wide bed of gravel anC
sand.
Lost Cabin mine" cried the Blackfoo
man.
Sure" said, "and Just look at the goat
over on that knoll"
ITO Thunder with Them he replied, ant
fairly flew down the mountain, the write
following closely.
All that day we searched between the tw
lakelets for signs of cabin, and not finding
any We made all sorts OF excuses. An ava
lanche might have carried it away; bi
freshet might have swept it into the lake
Indians might have discovered and burned il
Not, satisfied we returned the next day wit
pick, pan and shovel, prospected the rims @
the bars, creviced the bed rock OF tn
channel, washing pan after pan OF grave
But 1t was labor lost; not a color Of gold nc
a grain of black sand was to be found. S
we gave it up and turned to hunting, wit
fair success.
FATHER DE SMEr.
The List Cross nine is a tradition in whio
the church is mixed up. Many years ag
thero came TO the American Fur company
post on the upper Missouri the Jealous Jesu
missionary, Father De Smet. After laborln
with the Indians in that vicinity several year
he determined to visit the differont tribe
inha5ting the eastern slope of the Rookie
to the north. and from the voyagers. trappel
and hunters surrounding the fort he chos
six to accompany him, all of them Canada
French or mixed FrercA and Indian. gu'
like himself, true Catholics, who believe
the church TO be supreme in all things bot
spiritual cod temporal.
Lowing the fort which was situated at ii
mouth Of the Marjas river. they went up T.
valley OF the Teton until they reached ii
fco'lills CT the mouqtains. and then pr
&C eded northward along the great trail whiC
the tribes had used for Ea.cld centuries
cir wander,rgs north Cod south. The
joarReyei aloGg very slowly, for they hs
onlS the horses they roie-no pack anima
at sll-and occasionally veered from the gre
Trl.l 10 the east or the west, hoping 10 fiji
Indians camped along the valleys of the di
ferCnt streams, but n.ue were found.
fact, they did not encounter n living so
until they rode into Mountain fort on Il
Saskatchewan, one OF the Hudson Bay cor
pany's posts.
GOLD IN THE CAMP.
Somewhere along this route 1t is said tn,
camped by a small stream and boiled a Ike
tie Of fat buffalo ribs, and after the meal W
finished one Of the men. went to the strea
to wesh the vessel. He scooped some Gai
irto 1t and began to scour the greasy side
every now and then throwing out the sal
and water and scooping up clean suppl
When he had about fnished and the wat
remained clear in the pot he noticed sor
yellow gleams among the sand in the be
tome OF the pot, and further eXaminati
proved them to be nuggets OF gold. The
was almost handful OF them and he hu
rie6 back end gave them TO the father. T
voyageurs at once became excited aud pl
posed TO return to The Missouri at once a
procure the necessary tools TO work t
placer But after few minutes of de
thought the father arose and said:
My children, this god has been the eau
o. nearly all the crime and misery the wor
has seen. Think now OF the trouble a
misery you would cause should you start
mine 1t here, In few months this beau
full, peaceful country would be oyerTun wi
wild ard desperate men, They would destr
the great herds of game we see about us
every hand They would fight and murC
the poor savages who would be- sure to
cent the iLyasirn OF their country and /
destruction Of their food supply. and tn
are your people, for YOU are every one