Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-02-12
POCKET HUNTERS GRAF ]
Fenta site Description of This
Peculiar Profession.

"In the gold fields of Oregon, as in
the entice west, the pocket-hunter has
found his last "color" and struck his
last trace. The advent of modern
day giants of gold getting, the COM
plete taking up of once free domain,
has forced him to pack his grub kit
and HE into the dim and fading past.
The hunter of pockets, the coyote
miner, the surface scratohor has
passed the day of his usefulness,
There was time when he was
necessity. During the palmy days
Of the age Of gold the pocket-hunter
played an important part; and to his
credit, let it be said, he played it we'll.
He blazed the tBail that led to fields
of gold. His shallow diggings Iwere
indications Of ledge-ribbed mountains,
Of hidden treasures beyond his shovel
handles length, which was his limi-
tation.
In Southern Oregon, where surface
finds were unusually common, the
pocket-hunter, during the pocket hunt
ing days, was a man not much to be
despised. His was vocation an art,
perhaps gained only by years Of ex-
perience. His weather-b beaten face,
his grizzled features, his wearied
eyes, with the crows feet" in their
corners, his horny hands-all those
told of frosty SHOWS, of biting winds
and long journeys over granite hills,
up mountain sleeps.
Hunting gold pockets during those
days was a good business Many
made money by it, and as many more
laid foundations for later fortunes.
The pocket-hunter must not be con-
founded with the ordinary prospector
thar would be breach Of respect to
the latter and dire insult to the
former The prospector was content
with "coior, or even an "indica-
tion, " in any form he found it, but
with the pocket hunter this was not
so. He ignored sulphides and all
other "phides. They were entirely
out Of his category. He wanted moth
ing but the pure articlo-the mono
metal, unalloyed, pure, smooth and
glittering He wanted naught but the
gold and he wanted it punched close.
He wanted pockets.
Ask a professional pocket hunter to
define a pocket and he will do it with
twinkle in his eye, and very simply,
too. His definition will be a picture
Of his ideal in the pocket line. He
will tell you TO imagine a hornets nest
made of clay, any size from that of a
goose egg to a hogshead; fill this with
gold nuggets, set it in the ground, OF
even hang it to a rock, and you have
a pocket
II you ask that same pocket hunter
how the gold accumulated in that
pocket, he will speak up very know
ingly and tell you it grew Ahere
And after you have recovered from
your shock, he will cite an instance.
He will tell you Of a pocket he dis.
covered upon time-a pocket about
the size of "a hornets nest and hang
ling to a jagged piece Of quartz on a
steep mountainside, as a hornets nest
hangs to a limb. lie crept up gently
and peeped in Lot the pocket was
nearly filed with bright and glitter
ing gems! And clinging to the piece
Of quartz, like drop Of water,
quivering with its last desperate hold,
was a tiny, sparkling nugget just on
the verge Of dropping into the pocket
below The pocket hunter will tell
you that he believes that if it were
possible for him to have removed the
nuggets without disturbing the pocket,
he could have returned after many
years and found it filled again.
The pocket hunter left the main
camp regularly every month or so,
leading his pack pony, laden witt
pick, shovel, pan and grub kit Thcs,
were his stock in trade, his imple
monts; mo needed nothing more. Fai
out I'm the mountains he halted anC
struck camp he followed the stream
and panuod the dirt, washing cacl
pan carefully down and eagerly scan
lining the residue for colors of gold
If little string Of yellow FOLLOWED
in the corner OF the pan, close at th,
heels of tho black sand, the grizzlct
features would brighten with a smil,
Of happiness That little string o.
yellow was PARTICLES Of gold, ana thD
lblGck sand TO which it closely huns
was its iuseplmble companion. II
nature tho two are always associated
and the pocket hunter will tell you
that they arc just like Mary and hei
little lamb-whero one goes the othei
is sure 20 follow
/ If the pocket-hunter strikes good
color. he pans again near about thei
pans again and If ho finds the color
| growing better with each pan hl
smiles more happily, for then h.
knows De is on "trace, 10 follow
which correctly viii lead him to
pocket With each pan he pours th