The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-06
TYPICAL OF TRE HUNT FOR GOLD.
Camp Cooks Story About "a Tree
in an Arizona Desert.

in an Arizona Desert.
From the Los Angeles Times,
During the summer of '95 l had been
on prospecting trip through the des-
erts and mountains of Central and
Western Arizona, which terminated in
Yuma county, where 1 disposed of my
burros, and, accompanying a freighter,
started for Congress Jet via the Bo-
nanza mine in the Harqua Hala Noun
tains, Harrisburg and Cullen's Well.
We had the experiences -eommes to
that country to dry camps and desert
whirlwinds, but nothing that was un-
usual or that particularly attracted
my attention until the last day.
I had been asleep in the bottom of
the freight wagon. but the heat grew
so intense that I was awakened. and
sitting up l noticed the yucca tree with
the letetrs B. T. cut in the bark, and
nearby there was an old camp
ground strewn with rusty tin cans.
The ordinary observer might not have
noticed the tree, but as ] have follow
ed surveying | recognized the yucca
as a bearing tree of some survey.
and was surprised at seeing it, as
supposed the country never had been
surveyed.
On arriving at Congress junction, a
station on the Santa Fe, Prescott and
Phoenix Railroad, ! found the agent to
be a friend, and as at that time there
was no place of accommodation there
but the railroad section house, he in
vited me to share his quarters until
train for Prescott arrived. next morn
ing.
While enjoying cigars after supper
was giving my friend a history of my
trip, and incidentally mentioned haV-
ing seen the bearing tree, when with
an interest greater than he had before
shown, he said:
Did you notice signs of an old
campground anywhere about there?"-
Yes, not more than 100 yards from
the bearing tree. Why?"
Well there were three men here
who were looking for yucca bearing
tree near an old campground. They
spent three weeks in the search, leaV-
ing here with enough water on their
wagon for one nights dry camp ano
returning every second night for wa
ter. After three weeks search with
out finding the tree, they gave 1t uT
and went away, only about month
ago.
"Why were they so anxious to find
that tree?" / said.
'Well. it's like, this my friend re-
piled. "One of the three Inen had beer
a cook with the surveying party who
marked that tree; the other two were
employees of the Wells Fargo Express
Company in San Francisco, whom he
had interested in his tale, and who
were bearing the expenses of the
search. 1t seems that the cook accord
ing to his story, had been with the
surveyors all through their trip. The
Dr Y-fxy q IN naY Y1ar
early every morning and not return
until night, and as the cook had but
little to do during the middle of the
day, he used to prospect around among
the hills, within walking distance OF
camp, and it was while they We're
camped near this bearing tree that he
found the wonderful rich gold mine
and he wanted to find that camr
ground; claiming that, If he could only
have that place as starting point, he
could find the mine"
How rich did he say the mine VASE
| asked.
He knew nothing about mining, but
he said that, with only a case knife
he pried out over $40 worth of gold
from the rock"
Gee whizi" I exclaimed; 'if he found
such bonanza as that, why did he not
locate 1t, or stay with it?"
| well, there were several reasons. To
begin with the cook was green Eng
| lishman, who had only been in the
country a short time, and he was
afraid to tell anything about what he
had found, or to show his gold, fear
ing that the rest of the party would
rob him of both gold and claim; so he
kept the whole matter secret, intend
| ing to come back afterward; but il was
| several years before he got around to
| it. The way he happened to come back
now was this: he had drifted to Sar
Francisco, and was there dead broke
when he happened to mention what he
had found in Arizona to an acquaint-
ance, an express driver, who told the
two men that came down here with
him. He told them that with the bear
ing tree as starter, he could go right
to the ledge, and he had no doubt about
being able to find the bearing tree; but
as I told you, they spent three weeks
looking for it.
Now, if you can only get track OF
| these men," my friend continued
they would probably let you in on it
| If you showed them the lost camp. Dc
you think you could find it again?"
Most assuredly I can"
well, I'll try and reach them. and
let you know"
IHe next uloTHihB lsll lot ETeScolt
When in Congress Junction again !
found that my friend had gone TO Ore
gon or Washington, and l never heard
| from him again. On two occasions
went out to the lost camp, and search
ed the nearest hills for gold though
with no success: and I would greatly
like TO know If the cook really did find
gold as he described, or II he made the
whole tale out OF his Imagination
------s-e- - -
Mrs. Leslie M. Shaw met the Gov