Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-11-05
The Lost Mine a
Golden Dream

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 5I0 5fII1I1I1 IGIGJ0
Opposite each other, with the camp.
| fire between us, I sat with my mining
partner Sam Davis, at our camp on
Willow creek, in the mountains a
few miles north of Prescott, Arizona.
Luck had been against us. We were
placering with a rocker, and had been
working for couple of weeks in
what from all appearances was virgin
ground: but that very afternoon, after
having with much labor turned the
water out OF its channel and dug
long trench, we found an old rusty tin
can right down on the bed rock. which
proved that the ground had been
worked before; and after washing
number of rockers of dirt and getting
only three or four small colors. we
gave II up as bad job, somewhat dis
Outraged at our loss Of time and labor.
A number of times while Sam and
| had been partners he had dropped
hints of lost mine. giving me the i'm.
preston that he knew something OF
one, and now | said
Sam. II you know anything definite
about that lost mine that I've heard
you speak of, what's the reason that
this wouldn't be a good time to find
IT,"
Find II. | don't have to find It;
already done that more'n two year
ago: all got to do Is Jest to go git It,"
"Well. but see here. sam. IL you
found II more than two years ago,
have you never been back to it,"
No"
"Oh. | see! I guess II isn't worth
much"
That's all you know about it," and
with that Sam shut up as tight as an
oyster, but my curiosity had been
aroused lpossibly my greed also), and
after eating humble pie. and talking
az nice to Sam as I knew how for half
an hour | got him to tell me his expe.
rlence In finding the mine. and got his
promise to take me to It,
How he found the mine will tell In
his words, as near as | can remember
them:
"Three year ago last April I think
II were, went over into New Mexico
an prospected round quite a spell
finally fctchin' up In them dry washin'
grounds out from Cerrillos.
81 tuck In a partner there. an old
Frenchy by the name Of Jean some
thin or other. | never could remember
II; and we dry washed In them dig.
gins, me an him. till We was bout
starved out: an one day | says:
says: 'Frenchy. this place is too hard
o formation for me: I'm goin' back to
Arizony: want to go long,"
ale lowed at he did. an so We
packed our burros and hit the trail;
an, say. pard. bin hittin' the trail
In one way an mother over these ha"
mountains an deserts for several
years. an sometimes II come purity
tough. too, but that there trip. say.
we was up agin II proper from fust
t. last.
Il don't reckon at I'd better tell you
all the tough things we hit on that
trip, cause 'twould take all night, but
III Jest give you few samples. an
y1u can see fer yourself at things
weren't comm any too smooth for nut
side.
One fool thing at happened was
'pt we mighty nigh persisted fer water
on one q them deserts, an had plen.y
canteens, too. Say. pard. wha; dye
think Of two old Westerners like mon
Frenchy startin' out over desert with
empty canteens, huh Well. we did
that very thing. 'ceptin' fer on" each
OF us was carryin', and course We spc
through, er ] wouldn't be telltn you
OF II. but"-and here Sam sank Into
silence. and dropping his chin into
one hand. gaZed into the IRE, lost In
Ietrospection.
Did you have any other troublef'
Did We? Well, ! guess yes. Why,
didn't ! say twas all tough?