Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-04-11

where game was plentiful. General
Miles is very fond of angling and kept
the camp we'll supplied with mountain
trout. The ladies, however, wanted
more exciting sport; they wanted big
game and We found it in abundance.
at was while on the Salmon river
that l received the first intimation of
the vast mineral resources of that
country, that is, OF what is now
known as the Thunder Mountain dis
trict. Had l followed up the hunch /
received then, feel confident that
would now be man OF great wealth.
But did not take advantage of the
knowledge then obtained, but intend
to do so on this trip, thinking and
hoping that can 60 almost direct to
the spot or locality where there is
more gold than has yet been found in
all the claims and mines OF that prom.
Using country. While camping on
Salmon river we received visits almost
daily from rowing bands of Indians.
Some of them came to sell trinkets
and wares, while others came through
sheer curiosity. One of them, appar-
emily, occupied a position of distinc-
ton among his people. He held the
rank of chief or medicine man, I
don't know exactly which, but what
ever he said had its weight. I court.
ed his friendship purely for selfish
reasons. l gave him whiskey and to.
bacco and cigars and other articles
which We could spare from our we'll
supplied commissary. Sometime in
the future might need his friendship
and wanted to cement it in q way
that would be lasting. He expressed
his gratitude to me in various ways
and had good reason to believe that
his expressions were sincere and his
declarations Of loyalty genuine. On
two or three occasions he gave me
some gold nuggets, the value of which
he did not seem to appreciate. One
Of them was as large as a walnut
while others were as small as peas.
Many of the Indians over whom he
had control possessed nuggets OF vari.
Gus values, shapes and sizes. But 1
failed to ascertain from whence they
came until We were getting ready to
move. On the last day the old chief
came to say good bye. I gave him
several presents, and among them was
a revolver which 1 never carried and
in fact had no use for. wanted, in.
deed, to get rid of it. Taking me to
one side he assured me OF his friend.
ship and told me where could find
much gold if l would come back some
time, meaning, doubtless, the place
from whence the nuggets came. /
inquired more particularly about the
locality and the way to reach it, at
the same time treating it in manner
which would indicate that did not
place very much reliance in his state
ment or regard it Of much import.
ance.
"Do I believe it nowi Most cer-
tainly I do, and while have no dia-
gram or map Of the locality which he
described, believe that can 60 to it,
and am now on my journey there. 1t
is not in the Thunder Mountain camp.
but not very far removed from it. OF
course you cannot expect me to give
you any positive information or we'll
defined idea in regasd TO it. That
would not be proper or prudent on my
part. But l am going right in there,
and am not going TO wait until the
snow disappears. If find it. shall
return to Spokane for a short time
and then 60 back to remain. II do
not find it, I shall certainly be disap.
pointed"
Mr.. Peterson is not taking any one
with him. He is sanguine that he has
fortune with his grasp, and is not
the man to build castles in the air or
chase bubbles. He is not in search Of
myth. He has never given his story
to the public and will have no knowl-
edge of this until he sees it in print.
He will depart for Thunder Mountain
early in the coming week.