Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-08
TYPICAL OF THE HUNT FOR GOLD.
A Camp Cooks Story About a Tree
In an Arizona Desert.

Camp Cooks Story About q Tree
In an Arizona Desert.
During the summer Of '95 had been
on a prospecting trip through the
deserts and mountains of central and
western Arizona, which terminated in
Yuma county, where I disposed Of my
burros, and accompanying freighter,
started for Congress Junction via the
Bonanza mine in the Harqua Hela
mountains, Harrisburg and Cullen's
Well, we had the experiences common
to that country Of dry camps and des-
ert whirlwinds, but nothing that was
unusual 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 sit
ting up I noticed the yucca tree with
letters B. T. cut in the bark, and near
by there was an old camp ground
strewn with rusty tin cans. The ordi-
nary observer might not have noticed
the tree, but as have followed survey
ing I recognized the yucca as "bear-
ing tree" of some survey, and was sur
prised at seeing 1t, as supposed the
country never had been surveyed.
On arriving at Congress Junction, a
station on the Santa Fee. Prescott &
Phoenix railroad, I found the agent
to be 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
the train for Prescott arrived, next
morning.
While enjoying cigars after supper I
was giving my friends history Of my
trip, and incidentally mentioned having
seen the bearing tree, when with an in
terest greater than he had before
shown, he said:
did you notice signs Of an old camp
ground anywhere about there?"
"Yes, not more than 100 yards from
the bearing tree. Why?"
We'll, there were three men here who
were looking for yucca bearing tree
near an old camp-ground. They spent
three weeks in the search, leaving here
with enough water on their wagon for
one nights dry camp and returning
every second night for water After
three weeks search without finding the
tree, they gave 1t up and went away.
only about a month ago.
why were they SO anxious to find
that tree?" I said.
"Well, it's like this" my friend re-
piled. lone Of the three men had been
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 sur
veyors all through their trip. The
party were accustomed to leave camp
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 were
camped near this bearing tree that he
found the wonderful rich gold mine,
and he wanted to find that camp
ground; claiming that, II he could only
have that place as starting point, he
could find the mine."
How rich did he say the mine was?"
I 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 whiz!" I exclaimed; IF he
found such a bonanza as that, why did
he not locate it, or stay with it?"
"Well, there were several reasons.
To begin with the cook was a green
Englishman, who had only been in the
country short time. and he was afraid
to tell anything about what he had
found, or to show his gold, fearing that
the rest Of the party would rob him OF
both gold and claim; so he kept the
whole matter secret, intending to come
back afterward; but it was seVeraf
years before he got around to 1t. The
way he happened to come back now
was this: he had drifted to San Fran
cisco, and was there dead broke, when
he happened to mention what he had
found in Arizona to an acquaintance,
an express driver, who told the two
men that came down here with him.
He told them that, with the bearing
tree as a starter he could go right to
the ledge, and he had no doubt about
being able to find the bearing tree; but
as 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 1t,
If you showed them the lost camp. Do
YOU think you could find 1t again?"
Most assuredly I can"
The next morning / left for Pres
colt.
When in Congress Junction again, 1
found that my friend had gone to Ore
gon or Washington, and I 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 1 would greatly
like to know If the cook really did fnd
gold as he described, or IL he made the
whole tale out of his imagination.-Los
Angeles Times.