Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-17
THE PROSPECTOR.
Not One in a Thousand Has the Neces-
sary Qualifications.

Not One in a Thousand Has the Neces-
sary Qualifications.
From Ainslee's Magazine.
But If man loves adventure he can find
nothing that will offer so much to satisfy
his passion as life Of mining and pros
pecting. The prospector is the adventurer
par excellence of the Rockies. From the
moment he starts upon his career in the
mountains, leaving behind him the coilec-
ton Of colorless and wind-beaten shanties
known as the city," adventures greet him
at every turn. AS he picks his way through
a wilderness of rocks and fallen trees, hav-
ing left the meager trail far behind, ever
on the lookout for a faint sign of the out
cropping of the precious metal his passage
Is almost sure to be disputed by wild beasts.
But what an excitement there is in seeking
for gold 1t Is stronger and more intense
than that of the gambler at the green table
stalking his last dollar on the turn OF a
card. The proSpector may be pennileSS,
he may have put his last cent into the
grub that is now fastened onto the back
of his borro; yet one stroke OF his pick Is
likely to uncover treasure that will trans
form him into millionaire. He sits down to
a meager meal, cooked over rude fire be-
tween few stones, but all the time he feels
about him the presence of gold. Perhaps
his fire is built on the end of ledge that
ting a rich outcropping that is simply
covered with small stones: perhaps there IS
gold beneath the big tree just across the
ravine. Gold may be everywhere, If he
can only find It, He must find 1t. Surely
his luck is not less than other mems.
And SO he goes on, scaling the Hottest
peaks, where snow lies all the year around
and even his heavy blankets are not sufii-
cient to keep him warm at night, diving
into all sorts of caverns and riffs in the
rock. exploring caves. only perhaps to be
chased cut by wild beast occupants, brav-
ing a thousand dangers that he may find
the means of passing the rest of his days
in
And how does it all end? In most cases
the daring prospector who sets out alone
meets his death miles and miles away from
any human being. How, nobody ever
knows. His bones may never be found.
He disappears as completely as last WIN
ter'S snow.
But should the prospector strike it rich
his adventures will go on as long as he
remains in the Rocky mountains. If his
lind is worth anything as poor mans
claim he will put up a rude cabin and go
to digging, concealng what gold he takes
out in a place secret to himself. But. ne
will have to guard it all the time for
covetous miners who are not so fortunate
would not hesitate to take his life if they
could get possession of his little pile OF
yellow metal His rifle must be his con-
slant companion. and he must be ready to
use 1t at the first sign. AT night he must
SiNNP "AsA oiAS SS e opSii. IL stranger dD-
proaches the cabin he must be ready 10
dispute his right to be there. The few
years man may put in at this Kind OF
life are most wearing, and should the pros
pector conquer all risk and get back to his
native town with a pile" his friends will
look upon him as an old man, though ne IS
still under forty. Only the unknowing ones
will envy his fortune
The man who works in the undeyeIoned
mines Is also having adventurous expe-
riences all the time. The tunnels, shafts
and drifts are liable at any moment to cave
IN and bury the worker under tons of rock;
or perhaps he may be imprisoned without
food or water, and pass many days of hor-
rible suffering in darkness and silence,