The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-24
FAITH IN "PEGLEG."
Revival of the Famous Californian
Mining Romance.

SAN DIEGO. Jan. l5.-It seems that
the mysterious "Pegleg" mine has not
been entirely given up as a myth. for
though many prospectors have sought
to locate the scene OF the fabulous finds
and have failed in the ATTEMPT. there
are others who are willing TO endure
all sorts OF hardship in searching for
the mine of the eccentric old cripnle-
Men still believe that the mine win be
re-iocated, and there are those who
hope 20 be the successful searchers.
and that at no distant day.
There is gentleman residing in San
Diego who knew Pegleg Smith and
heard from his lips the story OF his
discovery. Silas Gaskill, who lives at
the corner OF Sixteenth and + streets,
was a neighbor of Smith at weberviIle,
after the latter claimed he had found
his mine. Gaskill's house was not over
100 yards from the cabin of Pegleg. In
the evenings young Gaskill would go
over and listen to his neighbor's thrill
ing tales of his experiences as a hun
uer and a trapper.
Pegleg Smiths deformity was not
confined TO an aosent limb. He had an
ever-present appetite. which was in
ordinately devoted to the fiery liduid.
Silas Gaskill liked to hear the old hun
ter's tales as we'll as the latter liked
the lurid liquor. and was willing 60
make a fair exchange by embellishing
his visits with a pint bOtde OF Hang
town whisky. This amount was am
pie to keep his hosts highly colored
yarns spinning for one ordinary even
ing.
On one of Gaskilrs visits Pegleg told
OF his trip across the desert when he
claimed to have found his mine. He
said he did not follow the regular road
from Yuma, but struck out at an angle
directly toward Temecula. He had
three burros, and when he reached the
hills on the western edge OF the de-
sert. being In need OF water. ne con-
cluded to ascend a hill and take look
over the surroundings for signs OF
''Durro drink"
In front of aim were three hills He
aScended the middle one. which was
higher than the other two. On the
summit he halted 10 see II he could dis
cover a canyon that looked as IL Il
had water. The top OF the hill was COW
cred with black rocks and pebbles He
picked up some OF the pebbles and was
astonished at their weight. They were
covered with a black rustllke coating.
He dropped them into his shot pouch
and continued his search for water.
discovering signs OF water In a canyon,
he went back 20 his train and thought
no more about his find
Some time after reaching his destina-
tion, Smith was cleaning out his shot
pouch and came across the black peb-
bles found on the hill. Their weight
again aroused his curiosity. He placed
one OF them between his teeth and bit
OF a piece of the rust and found he had
a nugget OF almost pure gold.
Mr.. Gasktn vouches for the truth OF
the nuggets being in the possession OF
old Pegleg. He personally saw and
handled them. He Is furthermore
satisfied that the mysterious thine ts
in the bad lands" which Tie directly
on the route Pegleg must have taken.
The reason. he thinks, no one has yet
been able TO find the mine Is that all
who have gone I'm search OF a have
looked for the ordinary Indications OF
gold which ne is satisfied are entirely
absent
The description Mr.. Gaskill gives OF
the location of the mine as given him
by Smith Is borne out in every respect
by an Indian who lives at Mesa Grande.
When a boy this Indian was over I'm
the bad lands" I'm company with his
father. They also picked up some
pieces OF black-cOated metal. which
they afterward learned were nuggets OF
gold. A few months ago the Indian
made an attempt 10 find the place 90
which he had been with his father. He
did not find the Identical spoL. but was
in the neighborhoOd Of Il. and brought
back a very rich chunk OF ore bearing
the black covering. His description OF
the spot visited by him and his father
includes three hills answering the des-
rriptlon OF those told OF by Pegleg