Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-03-14

barrel up and found that little fluid
was forthcoming Almost frantically
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 a 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
CROKER, though this fact has never
eeen established. and when he came
In from his trip to the adjacent hills
he 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-
ciou1 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 of 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 sIn 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 l had neglected to be careful.
Turning a 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 SHADE, the most cooling place
in that hell-hole, found large sandy
area and there sank down to rest.
while idly scratching the sand
which seemed coarse and heavy, It's
popularity attracted my closer atten
ton. | got down on my knees and
started to blow the dust away, ant
there before me l 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 tt
Croker"
Arriving at the wagon, Fish wa
forced to wait several hours before BIZ
ssner s-v'Fsd anSsaa,stSsS g
ed to the GOODNESS when he had failed
in finding water The gold stirred lit
-tle excitement in his mind It was 4
case of water, and the nearest lay il
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 ant
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 O
willows They were too tired to rusl
on. Instead, they both lay down ant
rested.
And when they finally did reach i
they did not drink, but dropped into
the cold, swiftly moving water at thu
bank and saturated every pore o
their skins with the life-giving fluid
For Crocker the water had come to-
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 woul,
bring him back to health, and insteat
of returning directly to the mountain
arch, Fish was forced to go to Ehren
berg, where Croker was given medi
cal attention, but despite this he die,
within a week Of reaching there.
It was weeks before Fish recoyere,
from the shock, and three months be
fore he started out by himself to relic
cate his treasure. He thought it lay IL
the Old Woman's mountain range. no
strange, because of the similarity o
1t and the Turtle Range. He faile,
the first. second and third times an,
many other times, until he finally CAV
up his fruitless task, having expende
the small fortune of lifes makini
without finding his one great treas
ure.
The Peg-Lee Mine.
Just about three years ago the grea
Southwest was awakened by the pos
sibiity of the relocation of the widel
known Peg-Leg mine. The Southeri
Pacific railroad was doing considerable
work through Imperial Valley, va
ley which five years previously wa
one of the hottest and most forsakeI
deserts on the American continent
but which through the coming of wa
ter through the extensive irrigatio,
system of the government. ha,
grown to be one ofSthe brightest ga,
den spots of the world
The only humans beinps who 49,.