The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-07


oil salesman 10 a Newark IN. j., Sunday
Call reporter on Monday as he took of
his rubbers and sat down with his back
toward the steampipes as II he intended
TO stay right where he was until the
snow ceased falling.
'I don't" chorused five who were al
ready seated comfortably to make a full
day of IL.
"I shoveled enough snow one spell TO
give me an excuse for never tossing an
other pound OF the fuzzy" remarked the
telegraph man. Tell you how it was. |
was prospecting up in the Kootenai re-
gion with Dave Salter and Flat Face
Aaron, half breed Nez Perces, who
could smell gold. they said and who
agreed to take US where we could wash
a hundred dollars a day in a horn spoon.
Dave and l were eager 10 get of, because
Flatty was liable TO jabber too much
when his lamp was filled. and he had a
decided liking for the sort of benzine they
sell for whisky in Wardner. where we
Quilted. We hurried him out OF Wardner
on the narrow gauge road, and dropped
off at the n. p. junction without being
followed. The outht consisted OF three
men and six mules. Three OF the mules
were pack animals loaded with grub, tools
and powder. Just as soon as we were
sure that we were not followed we struck
out for the foothills in spite of the warn
ings of several old rheumatics, who told
us we were month too early, and beg
ged us To stop awhile Flatty wanted to
stop but Dave and 1 had the excelsior
bug and insisted upon making start. lt
was all up hill from the beginning, but
there was no snow on the ground for the
first days ride, and the weather was pos
itively hot. 1t turned of cold on the third
day, and we made camp in pine grove
alongside OF the trail, with the thermom-
eter below zero and crust on the snow
that was like solid ice an inch thick. The
trees were cased with ice. showing that
there had been a drizzle the day before.
1--WE built fire on the snow with dead
branches and IL soon made n wide hole
in three feet OF snow. There was no wind
at all, and we crawled into our bags, COW
cred our heads and went TO sleep, after
giving the mules feed Of oats and teth-
ering them TO a line between two trees.
They stamped around a good deal thar
night, but didn't break through that crust
In the morning we had a pow-wow. and
Flatty said that we'd better go back, be-
cause IL the weather came of warm we'd
surely be stalled in some Ave or six feet
deep 1t was a foolhardy thing to do, but
both Dave and 1 decided to go on. The
mercury was below zero and the air was
still as death Ii stayed cold throughout
the day and we made about ten miles be
fore the sun got low, and we began look
ing for a camp site on broad tableland
with hills on both sides. 1t looked like a
mountain pass, and we knew from the
landmarks that we hadn't missed the trail
much Flatty decided upon camping in n
clump of 1rs about a quarter of mile 10
the north. and we put out for IL. Flatty
was i'm the lead. and we were trailing out
! behind him. going at fairly good clip
over the frozen snow, when he suddenly
| stopped and we closed up with him.
big Toms Gulch oughter be here or
! hereabouts,' said Flatty. shading his eyes
| with his hand. Indain fashion. az we were
all huddled together. Just then Dave saw
| something wrong with one of the packs,
! and jumped from his burro to fix 1t. AS
: he hit the crust we heard. crunching
/ sound, and the next thing we knew we
| were all sinking with a rush. Down We
! went into fine powdery snow 30 feet or
more men and miles together, sprawling.
\ choking and kicking and sinking deeper
at every kick | heard Flatty splutter,
Guess we've found. the gulch. and then
! ! dived of sideways into the snow to
| get away from the heels OF my mule. The
/
me- but / managed TO turn right side
/ up. and could see light little bit when
! got the snow out of my eyes. ] plowed
back I'm the direction of the light, and
found Flatty holding one OF the pack
mules. / grabbed another and backed
him OF a third one. which was back down
! I'm the soft snow. Dave came busting out
of the snow and lent hand. and I'm q
few seconds we had all OF the mules on
their feet in q way. although | suppose
they were really resting on their bellies,
\ for we were waist deep.
Near bottom, Flatty?' asked Dave.
! Reckon So said the half-breed. Bad
lob: not going 10 get out of this quick
Wen camp right here. Mules will warm
snow some. and itll pack. III We can dig
up some wood we will make FIRE I'm
standing on windfall. guess. said Dave
who was up TO his belt I'm snow. and
I taking of one OF his gloves. he dived
down ard fetched up piece OF bark
! 'Hurrah! WelFhsve a fire: anyhow" aid
! he. and he dipped again and pulled ur
| another piece of bark We went At ~ IN
earnest then. backing up the snow. and
J Tlatty got shovel from one Of the pack
! mules. while Dave got his axe.
''In less than half an hour we got ur
| bark and stubs enough 90 start a fire ano
we n,irsed ard coaxed ~ untfi we had ths
I tree trunk exposed and burning. The
snow melted away rapidly and the water
| trailed or down the slope ~ was hot
work. but before dark we had Ions
oval pit about % BY 80 feet and steadily
/ growing bigger We found lot more
wood and kent the fire going all night
sleeping two at a time, whilst the othe,
fellow tended the fire. In the morning