The Elbert County tribune., 1913-03-14


he pulled out the bung. He rolled the
barrel around to the opening and care
fully placed beneath it bucket. Less
than two canteen measures remained
The situation was not entirely new
to veteran in the mountains. but he
at once realized the dilemma that con.
fronted him. He waited for his part
ner, whose name is said to have been
CrQcker. though this fact has never
reen established. and when he came
IN from his trip to the adjacent hills
ne impaired his bad news
Some vegetation showed on the
range near at hand. and 1t was decid-
ed to risk day in search for. the pre-
cious fluid In the gulches and can
yons of the mountains.
ITS our best chance" said Fish to
Crocker after the two had talked over
the matter for hours into the night
So early In the morning. after four
or five hours CT rest they started res
olutely into the hills.
Crocker went up one canyon. while
! took another, the one to the right"
remarked Fish. In the months that
came after when he recounted the
story to friends In San Bernardino.
Cal.
The main canyon deployed into a
gulch on the right and / decided to
follow this through the hot sun and
down among the rocks SO far that not
breath of air seemed to pass
through the cleft.
My feet were tagging. my shins
were barked and aching. for in the
rush / had neglected to be careful.
Turning sudden corner in the gulch.
came to natural bridge that span
ned the canyon. 1t was so odd, SO reg
ular In the outline of an arch that !
could only stand and admire It. Be-
meath Its shaoe. the most cooling place
in that kell-hole, found large sandy
area and there sank down to rest,
While idly scratching the sand.
which seemed coarse and heavy, It's
peculiarity attracted my closer atten-
ton. got down on my knees and
started to blow the dust away. and
there before me had a great pocket
of precious metal. gold that averaged
the size of wheat grains. filled sew
eral pockets with the heavy grains.
and with all thought of thirst forgot
ten. hurried excitedly down the can
you to impart the news of the find to
Crocker"
Arriving at the wagon, Fish was
forced to wait several hours before his
partner arrived, and in that time his
brain had chanced to cool Crocker add
ec to the coolness when he had failed
In finding water. The gold stirred lit
tie excitement in his mind 1t was
case OF water. and the nearest lay in
the Colorado. two days back
Gold dropped its mask of friendli-
ness when the two prospectors started
back In fevered haste and with per-
turbed thoughts as to the outcome.
The blistering sun burned through
their thick flannel shirts; it scared the
very marrow in their bones. Far into
the night with its intense blue sky.
its occasional stars, they plodded
When hope had just expired and
everything seemed gone-the chance
of wealth, the hoard of gold within the
mountains. and. what is more, life It.
self, they saw. away off, the fringe OF
willows. They were too tired to rush
on. Instead. they both lay down and
rested
And when they finally did reach 1T
they did not drink. but dropped into
the cold. swiftly moving water at the
bank and saturated every pore Of
their skins with the life-giving fluid.
For Crocker the water had come too
late. His vitality had been sapped,
his nerve was gone AMI his system de-
pleted of every particle of life. Moth
ing that Fish could do for him would
bring him back to health. and instead
OF returning directly to the mountain
arch. Fish was forced to go to Ehren-
berg. where Crocker was given medi.
cal attention. but despite this he died
within a week of reaching there.
It was weeks before Fish recovered
from the shock and three months be-
fore he started out by himself to relo-
cate his treasure. He thought 1t lay in
the Old Woman's mountain range. not
strange, because of the similarity of
it and the Turtle Range. He failed
the first. second and third times and
many other times, until he finally gave
up his fruitless task. having expended
the small fortune of a lifes making
without finding his one great treas
ure.
The Peg-Leg Mine.
Just about three years ago the great
Southwest was awakened by the pos
sibility of the relocation of the widely
known Peg-Leg mine. The Southern
Pacific railroad was doing considerable
work through Imperial Valley. a val
ley which FIVE years previously was
one of the hottest and most forsaken
deserts ON the American continent.
but which through the coming of wa.
ter through the extensive irrigation
system of the government, had