The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-06-16
EVER sPR0SPECT?"
WHAT BETTER OUTING?

The following glowing rhapsody of
the glory of the hills is from the pen
Of we'll known lady residing in Sal
mon, who upon one occasion took to
the life of 4 prospector.
Let F. E. Nj. tell the story herself:
What a tale an old gold pan could
tell, were its lips unmuted. Did you
ever prospect? If not, try it. Pros
pect for grains of gold in creek bel.
Prospect most bleakly bare and riven
peaks for mountain sheep and noun
tain goats-fit habitants of wildly
fitting places. Prospect the green
and sitting gold of lowlands, the
language of streams. Prospect 3
country dripping honey, rich and
sweet in all natures wonderful assets,
and see if in the dented old gold pan
you do not find lost happiness, right
living.
To ride by day, to camp by night, to
listen 20 the mellow toned camp bell,
the satisfied sigh of tired horses, to
breathe deeply the bruised earthly
odor as they crop the rich bunch grass
and sunfiower stalks, to feed on red
specks freshly caught and Drowned
ty camp fires long after day mas fad
ed into night, to drift to sleep wrap
ped in the freshness of al lout-doors,
the myriad voiced stream, the soft
clash of overhead hosts whispering
welcome" in ones ears, evoklng
memories, invoking hopes; aye, pros
pecting is great.
Did you ever take an old gold pan
of creek bottom, sand and gravel,
hold it beneath the water and with
gentle oscillating movement wash it,
watching absorbedly the waste and
muddy water disappear until only a
black line of sand remained, and then
carefully, SO carefully, CLEAN that
down until knowing yellow specks
wink back at you from the very be-
neathness? Gold!
Into the Thunder Mountain district
and the land beyond, on horse train
ed in the art of mountain travel, max
ing no misstep, but moving lightly
with swinging gait over trail that
was, at times, mere outline against
sheer wall, or breasting with spirit
of surety roaring current that
swept over horse and rider and un-
fortunate pack alike, rode, prospect
ing.
G.. A. M. was not only an exceeding
Ily compania5le pail but an expert at
throwing a diamond hitch, building
camp fires and wrangling 'hosses.'
He also stretched a tarp for shelter
and built unlerstandingly deep
soft, sweet smelling bed of overlap
ring fir boughs. Neither believed ir
burdensome equipment, therefore
our kitchen, pair of alforjas, con-
tanned ample provision tied securely
in space saving individual canvas
lbags-tea, coffee, salt, sugar, -four
rice, bacon, beans-all the essentials
of good living in the open; tin cups
and plates, light and satisfactory
compact pots and frying pan, with all
necessary odds of the kitchen clan
Just how much can be stored away in
an alforjas is a marvel. One slung
on each sic the heavy leather appar-
| ito for even balance and on top the
/ bag of extra clothing, the soft blan-
ket roll, ami over all the tarp. Lastly
an AK, pick and shovel and gold pan
are criss-crossed under the topmost
lashing of the famous diamond hitch,
Sounds simple. 1t is, and yet
What better, cheaper vacation? TIC
loiter through ones best loved hills
prospecting. To rent an outfit might
including grub" cost thirty dollars
for the week. With us it would be
about ten. We own the outfit. We
were not moon hunting but honey
incoming. Some day we are going
over that same ground again. There
is always prospecting, there is waste
and there is GOLD.