The Portland daily press., 1900-10-06
INVOLUNTARY GOLD CURE.
One of the PeriIs of Hunting In q
Gold Mining Region.

Gold Mining Region.
Out IN Colorado there are a great many
rich ores that present the gold in certain
chemical combinations which nothing but
cyanide will break down and iberate the
elemental gold. Under such conditions
the prospector has TO be somewhat more
Of a mineralogist than when his search
is confined to placer, quartz and gravel
gold. In at the back Of Pixies peak there
was a camp Of half a dozen prOspectOrs,
for they had found a good line Of country
rock and were working out in all dlrec-
tiOns. I regret to say that very many Of
these adventurous miners are heavy
drinkers, and the men in this camp were
no exception. What is worse, they had
an abundant supply Of the stuff, and eT-
cry night after their exhausting labOrs
above the line Of 10000 feet Of altitude
they gave a close imitation Of a debauch.
All this time they were feeding on bacon
and salt pork, and canned goods once IN
awhile just by way OF variety. But one
day a member Of the party sighted herd
Of deer, and the next day he took day
off with his rife, saying 1t was about time
the camp had some real meat-some Of
the fresh kind. Well, he brought back
deer that day, and they cooked it and had
it ready for dinner when the others got
back. That veaison went just to the right
spot, and the camp unanimously agreed
to this mans being authorized to keep
them supplied with fresh meat. After
dinner they brought out the demijOhn and
filed up all around. 1t was no difficult
thing for that crowd to pour the stuff
down-the trouble came Immediately aft
erward. One gagged another choked un-
/ til the tears streamed from his eyes-an
were in difficulties.
''Who's been monkeying with this whis-
kyW said one as soon as he could get his
voice.
"First time I ever knew whisky to go
back on me-" said another.
They decided to give it another trial,
but it was no go. When they got it to
their lips, they couldn't get it any far
ther They not only did not want it, but
they had an aversion to it. This went on
for several days, getting worse every day,
and they were getting so beastly sober
that it was like making new acquaint-
ances all around At last they decided to
send one Of the party into Colorado
| Springs to consult q doctor. The way
they figured it out was that as they were
all afflicted in the same way one patient
would be just as good as the bunch, and
when the doctor had found out what was
the matter with him and given him
prescription, all he would have to do
would be to buy six times as much as
was ordered, and then there would be
enough to go around. Just to be sociable
| this fellow packed in one of the deer that
| they had been living on. Well, he came
back without much satisfaction, but plen-
ty of medicine Of one sort or another
at any rate, the druggist told him it was
a good deal better. In a few days who
should come chasing to their camp but
the doctor. The upshot Of the whole mat
ter was that the doctor had found him
self affected the same way, but as he was
an eastern man it didn't so much matter
in his case He did some chemistry on
the Yenison that was left him and found
| the meat jammed full Of gold chlOrides.
/ That made everything plain. Instead Of
venison they had been eating a regular
"jag" cure, and now they couldn't drink.
| But the medicine man had plenty Of
! "savey''-a heap more than the prospect
ors. Under his direction they trailed up
the runway of the deer and finally found
the place where they had their licks-for
you know deer must have something salt
to lick The prospectors had been looking
for sylvanite and the telurides. They had
no idea what gold chlorides looked like,
and they had passed this place a dozen
times as not worth so much as the tap
of a hammer. The deer had been steadily
! licking the outcrop until they were fairly
charged with the gold in its chemical
combination, which passed into the men
who fed upon the venison. Today, l am
glad to say, that is one Of the best min
ing properties in the county.-Forest and
| Stream.