Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-07-22


The pilgrim ran up against experience
good and hard, and by the time he had
acquired a little wisdom the oldtimers
were perfectly willing to stop laughing
long enough to catch their breath.
This information is mine to give
away. / bought it and paid for it.
Forty years ago had the gold fever.
AS a man can't do much gold discover
ing in a months vacation, 1 decided to
test my theories in Ballarat district, as
being within two days journey of Mel
bourne, my home.
didn't lose any time after reaching
Ballarata. Opportunities were going
to waste all around me, felt sure. In
my opinion the diggers who were look
ing for gold in certain geological for
nations were off ON the wrong scent.
I'll just get into the country where
gold Is found, 1 said to myself, and so
to digging in any old place. It's as
likely to be in one spot as another.
AS have said, didn't waste much
time in Ballarat. rustled around and
bought a good looking pony, pack
horse. some picks, shovel, a T-tent
and a camping outfit.
Twenty miles from Ballarat met a
prospector, who advised me to go
round by way of Yellow Greek. A
couple of fellows had struck it rich
over there, he said, and it was a prom
Using locality. Going down from the
divide into Yellow Creek the flank
cinch of my saddle annoyed the pony.
I'm not much of a rider, and so /
failed TO discover it until it had irri-
tated him beyond endurance. A buck
Ing pony should never be admitted to
the companionship of a respectable
prospector. When 1 recovered con-
sciousness the pony was out of sight,
but the pack horse was grazing peace
fully beside me. l was sorry to lose
the saddle, but 1 conceived a sudden
and violent dislike to the pony, and if
ever / had seen him again l fear that
should have been unkind to him.
The pack horse and / went down the
creek to water, and there I made camp.
1t was rather lonely, and the mosqui-
toes were so plentiful that l did not
sleep much. I'm rather superstitious,
too, and it struck me after time that
the pony had deposited me with I'M
necessary violence, to be surel in a
mass Of rock that it might be worth
my while to investigate. l couldn't be
sure that fate had not purposely land
I'd me there, and that my bruises were
not necessary to make me keep the
place in mind.
Next morning / went back to that
spot and made an examination. Sure
enough it was an outcropping of
quartz-a sort of conglomerate of por-
phyry, silica and decomposed granite.
1t didn't look to be of much value, but
started on it with a pick and shovel
When l knocked off for lunch / was SO
tired / could hardly walk, but as
knew that my time was limited
crawled back to the mine" in the af.
ternoon and resumed work. At about
3 o'clock CHANGED to look up and saw
a man sitting on the sandhill watching
me. feared that he might be looking
for chance to jump the claim, so
called him down for parley.
what are you doing?" was his first
question, as he sQuatted on the edge OF
the hole had made.
"Gold digging" 1 said briefly.
''Pshaw! So you are" said he.
Living around here?" 1 asked.
"Just over the HILL" he replied.
"Gold digging?"
mo. Just pottering around. Pros.
pecting q little just now and then"
ANY claim jumpers around here"
Haven't seen any. Haven't laid out
claim, have you?"
"No; I haven't measured it off yet
Waiting to see if it's worth while
Good country here, they tell me-"
Eyes; country's a lot better than
them that's in it."
Next day l decided to measure OFF
and stake my claim, and SO I stepped
in the other. and put up posts at each
corner of the parallelogram. 1 also
wrote out my location notice and
tackled it against tree that stood
conveniently near the discovery hole
Then l breathed easier. That made
the claim mine according to law. AL
had to do was to file a record of the
claim with the clerk of the Minister OF
Mines at Ballarat. In respect to the
manner of its discovery named the
mine the Get OFF Here"
That afternoon 1 turned up a piece oil
rotten quartz that was speckled will
free gold. There was no mistaking the
value of the rock. 1t was rich. Usu
ally l am self contained, but that piece
of quartz was too much for my nerves
/ just jumped up and down and shout
ed. Then / heard some one else shou'
in reply. and my acquaintance of thu
day before strolled leisurely down til,
hill.
Struck it?" he asked. 1t appeared
to me that he was trying to appear un
concerned, and pulled myself togeth
er and initiated him.
Eyes, I've turned up some pretty mic,
rock" said, and l showed it to him
l expected to see. him go up in the ali
as had done, but instead he squattet
comfortably on the edge Of the discov
cry, held the rock in his mouth. blew
upon it, rubbed it upon his sleeve, spa
upon it, tasted it, and finally got on
his knife and whitfield at a pinhead o
gold Then he handed it back to me.
That's good stuff.' he said.
Think it'll run 100 ounces to tn
tor? n asked.
Better than that" he replied, eI'l
60 SOO.'
Then he proceeded to give me SOM
advice. No need to go any deeper. h
said What l ought to do was to I'm
cover the lead to the same depth 70
forty or fifty feet either side Of me t
find how long the chute of ore was
That would enable me to fix its value
I was grateful to him for his advice
~