Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-11-01
THE PR0sPEcToR
Not One in q Thousand Has the Necessary
Qualifications.

Vuaflffcdtf0nS.
Will Sparks writes as follows IN
Ainslee's Magazine:
But if a man loves adventure ne
can find nothing that will offer SO
much to satisfy his passion as life OF
mining and prospecting. The prospec
tor is the adventurer par excellence Oh
the Rockies. From the moment ne
starts upon his career in the noun
tains, leaving behind him the coilec-
ton of colorless and wind-beaten
shanties, known as the city, adyen-
lures greet him at every turn. AS ne
picks his way through wilderness OF
rocks and fallen trees, having left the
meagre trail far behind, ever on the
lookout for a faint sign of the outcrop-
ping 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. ne may
have put his last cent into the grub
that is now fastened onto the back OF
his borro: yet one stroke or ms PICK
is likely to uncover treasure that will
transform him into a millionaire. He
sits down to meagre meal, cooked
over rude fire between few stones,
but all the time feels about him the
presence of gold. Perhaps his fire is
built on the end of a ledge that Is
'chockfull of gold; perhaps he is sit
ting on a rich out-cropping that is sim
ply covered with small stones; per-
haps there is gold beneath the big tree
just across the ravine. Gold may be
everywhere, if he can only find it.
Surely his luck is not less than other
mems.
And so he goes on, scaling the lofti-
est peaks, where snow lies all the
year around, and even his heavy
blankets are not sufficient to keep him
warm at night, diving into all sorts of
caverns and riffs in the rock, exploring
caves, only perhaps to be chased out
by wild beast occupants, Drawing
thousand dangers that he may find the
means of passing the rest of his days
in ease.
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 winters snow.
But should the prospector strike It
rich, his adventures will go on as long
as he remains in the Rocky Noun
tains. If his find is worth anything as
a poor mans claim he will put up
a rude cabin and go to digging, con-
cealing what gold he takes out in
place secret to himself. But he will
have to guard it all the time, for
covetous miners who are not SO for
tunate would not hesitate to take his
life if they could get possession of his
little pile of yellow metal. His rifle
must be his constant companion, and
he must be ready to use it at the first
sign. At night he must sleep with one
eye open. If a stranger approaches
the cabin he must be ready to dispute
his right to be there. The few years
man may put in at this kind of life
are most wearing, and, should the
prospector conquer all risk and get
back to his native town with a pile
his friends will look upon him as an
old man, though he is still under forty.
Only the unknowing ones will envy his
fortune.
''The man who works in the develop
ed mines is also having adventurous
experiences all the time. The tunnels,
shafts and drifts are liable at any mo-
| ment 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 horrible
| suffering in darkness and silence"