The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1898-12-23
in -four sack, and leaving the camn

in -four sack, and leaving the camp
as 1t was, struck out one morning with
the sack containing the samples flung
over his shoulder, homeward bound,
with the intention of returning at once
with provisions and supplies to further
develop his mine. The day was windy,
and while making mis- way through
patch of lodge-pole pines where timber
fire had done it's work several years
previously, the prospector was struck
on the head by falling pole which
rendered him unconscious. How long
he laid there he does not exactly know;
it was night when he recovered, and
he reached home the following day
with his samples of gre.
The strange part Of it, however. is
that he has been unable to find his
mine, although the remainder of the
summer Of 97 and several months of
last summer have been spent entirely
for that purpose. He has retraced his
path time and again to the place where
he was nearly killed by the falling pole,
but farther than that everything is
matter OF conjecture, and he cannot
remember the direction from which he
came on that eventful day. His camp
ing outfit is in tce mountains and his
pick and shovel are at the mine, the
appearance of the surroundings are
clear to him, and he anticipates no diff
ficulty in finding the place if once in
the vicinity.
Snow falls early in that section and
the seasons are short, which limits
prospecting to the summer months
While returning from the mountains
this fall after snow was upon the
ground, he passed through a section of
country which seemed familiar, and he
recognized objects which he believes to
be near his lost mine; but the snow was
too deep to renew his search at that
time. AS a precaution he took his ak
and blazed trees all the way out, wher-
ever that could be done, and as soon as
the snow disappears from the noun
tains next spring he will be found on
the trail, and guided by the blazed
rees, he believes he will have no diff
Guilty in recovering his lost mine.
The horse which strayed from camp
While the owner was at work in his
mine was found on his home rance on
Rock creek when our prospector re-
turned, and has since that time accom-
panied his master on several unsuccess-
ful excursions through the mountains.
This story no doubt has some sem
blance with others that have been told
regarding lost mines and lost cabins
and should be given such consideration
as it merits, but the relater is promi-
nent and reliable citizen Of Rock creek, !
who has no cause or reason for making
up yarn of this nature if there were
no truth in it.
In relating his experience he was
particularly careful not to reveal the
locality o. his much-coveted gold mine,
saying that he intended to locate sufi-
cient ground for himself first before he
let others in on the deal.
1t is an acknowledged fact that a
good deal Of prospecting will be done
in this particular range Of mountains
the coming summer, and several Of the
old timers are anxious for the time to
come when they can depart for the hills.
Judging from the actions of some Of
them one would think that they knew
just where to go, and perhaps all have a
faint idea that they can find the lost
bonanza of this Rock creek miner.
Whether or not this lost gold mine will
be found remains to be seen, but great
mineral wealth is known to exist in this
range of mountains, which forms the
boundary line between Granite and Ra-
valli counties, and the prospector who