The San Francisco call., 1899-05-07
COLD AND A NOTE
IN A ROCK CACHE
Last Message Of an Old
Miner.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LOS ANGELES, May 6.-Relatives or
other heirs of William Bates, formerly
of st. Louis, Will be interested in a
discovery that has just been made in
the mountains beyond BaIlarat, Inyo
County 1t may mean a fortune TO
them, but at least it is a message from
a man who undoubtedly died while in
pursuit of gold somewhere near the
Nevada line. 7. II. Johnson, pros
pector who is now at Ballarat, found
in cache in the mountains tin can
containing specimens Of rich ore and
q Water-stained letter scraWled in pen
ell. The miner evidently did his best
to leave a message that might some
day, in some way, reach his friends.
The man that found the message wrote
to n. d. Birmingham OF West Glendale
and sent with the original letter some
of the ore
The communication is in the form of
d daily journal and tells a tale familiar
to old time prOSpectors, and with cor
rectiOns in punctuation is as follows:
June 2, 1S62-In the mountains south of
Carson Valley, but do not know where.
Have been out TWO months or more. |
have some fears as TO the future. Bob
Brunett and William Bates, which is my
name, started prospecting for silver.
Found some good prospects, but as grub
is about out will try to go for supply.
Think it nearer to Los Angeles than to
Carson. ! will try to come to some coun-
try that has game. have seen nothing
for days, only rough mountains and sand
and little water.
June 4-Struck trail Will follow it
up. Indians, 1 think, but anything is bet
ter than solitude and sand.
June 6-Found an Indian camp and
water They do not talk any lingo can
June ioNStart on tramp again. Indians
say by signs white men eight sleeps from
June Pm crossing mountains I found
a fine ledge of gold ore very rich. VIII
prospect some to-day, as there are water
and grass about three miles from the gold
mine.
probably forty or more ounces. Leave to-
morrow and try to find some camp where
| can get some. supplies. Leave marks to
find mine again if we get out alive, Men
will do much for gold. Have left this in
q pile of rock about one mile south of the
mine. From the spring the mine bears
north by west. Should l not get out Of
this and this is found | would like the
person finding 1t to write to Mary Bates,
| St. Louis, Mo | shall return If l live to
get out / put this in can in pile Of
rock upon q point Of mountain. l leave
some samples of ore in the can with this
l have marked rocks along the route from
the mine with pick marks. Can find way
! back if / get out, but God only knows if
will get out.
June 16-Bob was bitten by rattler and
died to-day. It's terrible. Am rather used
up by this last misfortune. / hope and
pray ! may live to get out of this.
WILLIAM BATES.
Poor Bob, good-by.
The predicament of Bates after his
only companion had met his death can
be appreciated by those who have been
similarly situated. The writer of that
diary evidently did not escape with his
life
Birmingham, who is an old-timer
says he has never yet gone on a search
for the elusive and still lost Pegleg
mine, but he is going to Ballarat and
will try to rediscover the claim Of Will
liam Bates. If anything comes Of it
the surviving heirs of that prospector
Of 1852 will stand a chance of winning