Gilpin observer., 1913-05-22
THB PR0SPBCTOR
END HIS BURRO
(salt Lake Mining Review

o0o0oooo998o8&
(sat Lake Mining Review
"ks up to you to make the ante"
said the prospeotor to his burro, ''but
think you had better pass, as your
stack of chips Is running low, and
your mind seems to be so muddlei
that you don't know the difference be
tween a pair and three of kind; all
OF which leads me to the belief that
You would make a very poor pres
pector. or that you would rather take
a chance at the roulette wheel than
to exercise your frazziedl intellect at
a game of poker. OF course l am
aware Of your belief that any old
skate would make a good prcspector,
which belief is on par with your
choice for nourishing provender,
which varies from ham wrappings to
coffee-s stained garbage; a diet which.
If persisted in, would be sure to warp
the Judgment of anyone, whether man
or beast, SO that it would be differ
ent to classify a piece of really good
float from country rock. And, war&
to tell you that a real prospector is
a masterpiece beside whom nov
ice would look like poorly execut-
ed counterfeit. For instance, If you
are really interested in our CONVEX
sation, l would like to call your at
tentioD to the new camp over the
range in Sick Sally canyon.
This canyon" cont.mued the pros
pector, has been gone over and over.
fer many years, by horde of rough
necks and barroom buns, who thought
there should be mineral there, but
who never succeeded in finding any
thing more than stringers. Once in
a while an eastern investor, of the
Wall Street stripe, would be induced
there by the gold-brick type of min
ing man, and these always quit after
making the first payment and after
having the property examined by
mine promoter who had a few wild
cats, in another canyon to dispose of.
And so Sick Sally canyon lay desolate
and uninviting for long period Of
years, before an old pal of mine,
Dick Spindle, happened along and
one night at a spring in
one of the forks of the main gulch.
He was bound for the Skookum Pass
good float the year before, but de-
cided to take rest for few days
so that his two burros, who were
rather jaded and tenderfcoted, night
recuperate whi!e he pro-peoted for
a bit. Not that he expected to find
worth while, fer the canyon
had a bad name for miles around.
Rather than lay about camp, how
ever, he began prospecting around
the spring, and he laughed within
himself when he discovered upon the
measly showings supposedly shrewd
investors had squandered their bund-
les of long green; and wondered,
within himself, why capital could not
just as we'll be interested in some of
the good prospects which aboun1ed
in such profusion throughout the
mountain ranges. He followed the
trails, made in the easy places, by
so-called prospectors of years before,
but noticed that no attempt had been
made to scale the rough places CIR
to investigate the nearly inaccessible
apcts near the mountains crest. The
next day, therefore, with a 'sowbelly'
sandwich in his pocket and canteen
Of water on his back, he started out
bright and early. and by ten had as
cended to the top Of the first rugged
peak. Here he noted a change in the
and the rock, instead Of
of lava flow intermixed
With conglomerate. gave way to a re-
yular brdseye porphwy,. while. high |
,r up, there appeared to be a con-
act With lime. Continuing his tire
some journey upward, he was soon
'ewarded by finding pieces Of good
ooaking float, some Of which we're as
arge as his head, and which, when
,roken open. sparkled with tiny par
dcles Of native gold. By noon, near
he head Of a box canyon. which was
o be seen from below, he came to
he contact and discovered a huge |
,re-cropping that looked like young
Chinese wall in disguise. He knew,
IT first glance. that he had found
ortune; but, he didn't get excited,
ls many a young tenderfoct pros
,ector would have done. No, none
for he merely filled and 1T |
us old cob pipe, and, reclining under
clump Of jumpers, calmly contem-
lated his great discovery. After rest