Gilpin observer., 1913-07-10
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I THE PRosPEcToR :
Z AND HIS sURRo f.
(salt Lake Mining Review

Il see," said the prospector to
his burro, that people are being
Stricken down in the east, with the
heat, and are whiting like a corn
Held suffering for wafer, or a poker
player who has been caught with an
nearer home, the heat in the east
Where the SUN has full sway and the
tariff agitation has added an extra
degree to the Temperature, is about
ats torrid as that to be found on an
Arizona desert where the chuck-a-
whllas only come out in the might
time to make their astronomical OBJ
servations, ard where the prospec-
tor generally gets his unless pro-
vtced with a ibountiful supply of wat
er. Why, even a camel would hest
tate to cross these dreary wastes
unless lit had life insurance policy
-ucked away in some deposit vault;
apd you can see, therefore. how seri-
Gus 1t would be fer a tenderfoot TO
venture cut into such dangerous re-
gions in search for tine rich gold de
posts which abound in Che occasional
mountain rarges characteristic of this
desert country.
You say" continued the prospec-
tor, that ycu do not see how any
man, tOughened prosrectcr or YER
dam tenderfoot, would think of going
inieo such prohibit,o on country when
there are such inviting places TO loaf
| in as Mike Kelly's saloon and dance
hall,or when anyone can spread their
legs cut by the little stream that
waters your favor.te grassy patch be-
lew the mill; but, all men are not
roughnecks or bar-room buns, and the
chap of the proper sort is always
Willing to take a chance so that he
can go home to Mary with good
sized bankroll; SO that he can take
her to church and Joss a pink chip
into the contribution box, and so that
he can get her hat that looks Like
a flower garden on spree; while,
as for himself, he can nearly choke
himself to death with a starched col
lar and pull up his trousers, when
he sits down, so that they Will nL-
bag at the knees or spoil the crease.
a man of this kind has ambition
ro. even when it is making a bee
ZINE for the barley sack, and it was
a man of this type that came very
nearly losing his life, last summer,
when out on a prospecting trip in
the Lost Hope section of the Mo-
have desert. This young fellow. Hen
ry Norman by name, had been out
in the mining regions of the west for
year or more, and had been dazzl-
ed by campfire stories he had heard
Of lost mines and deposits OF almost
pure gold which had been found in
the section | have referred to; out
which for climatic reasons. had new
er benefited the di5coverer. So, al
though warned Of the danger, he de
and claim as his very own some OF
the Monte Cristo wealth which had
been denied the hardy adventurers
who had per,shed in a similar at
tempt or who had returned to CIV
iliza.ion mere wrecks of their former
selves.
This man, Norman continued the
prospector, was of sturdy stock and
an all-arcund athlete. and as brave
as a lion; so he started out on his
perilous trip as light-hearted as II
he were taking his girl to luncheon
at soda water fourtain. For the
first two or three days out. he god
along nicely, for he had not yei
reached the rim of the desert, from
which pcint the enchanted inlant
mountain could be seen in the dis
tance. looming up like ship in {
fcg. Camping by water hole fol
the night, i'm order to rest his bur
ro. he loaded up. in the morning with
two ten-gallon kegs Of water. Hid.
outfit was hight, consisting of a few
supplies, a pick, shovel and ak, ant
a canteen. 1t was little cloud!
and the final start was made an hou
before sunrise. Norman. who full.
expected to experience the severe ef
fects of the heat the first two o
three miles out. according to all pre-
cedent, began to feel somewhat elat
ed after the first hour. and stopped
: to take a drink. When the sun be
gan TO beat down on the barrel
waste, however. he began to 'se,
things and wdthin another hour he b
came quite waIbbly in his under-pin
ming. Still he was not alarmed, or il