Year: 1876




some little sense in this, yet I had no
desire to go to the shaft alone it might
be trick to get me ont to murder or
maltreat me. Again there was no rea-
son for trying to entice me to any par
ticular spot, as was living quite alone
at my cabin aud might easily be caught
there or at my claim at any tina.


Being unable to arrive at any satisfac-
tory conclusion in regard to the mystic
rious affair, made up my mind to see
some of the "boys" on the river and
lay the matter before them.


Having got four or five of my neigh
bors together, produced the note, told
them where found it, and asked them
what they thought of the "business.
After much talk we all concluded that
there was in it trick Of some kind
however, we would see it out.
We determined to visit the shaft
named, the whereabouts of which was
we'll known to us all, we having seen it
scores If times. 1t was decided that
each man should be armed with q six
shooter and that we should take with us
two or three candles and long rope; also
a canteen of water and aome brandy.
Happen what would might, we thorough
ly examine the shaft.


About three o'clock in the afternoon
all was in readiness, and we set out t-set
out on what seemed one of the widest
of wild-goose chases.


The Maldanado shaft is situated on
the sharp ridge of high and steep hill,
nearly a mile south of the north fork of
the Yuba ; also it was about half mile
above where my own cabin stood. Tho
shaft was sunk by Gabriel Maldanado, q
man well known to all the early miners
of the Comstock lode, but now some
years dead. The shaft was sunk on
rich vein of gold bearing quartz. The
ore extracted was taken down to the
river on the backs of pack mules over a
long zigzag trail, and was there worked
in arastras. The shaft at the
mine was sunk after the old Mexican
fashion. 1t was about eight feet by
fourteen in size, and its ladders Of
notched poles were used instead of rope
and windlass or hoisting apparatus, the
miners walking up and down the poles
and carrying the orc poised on their
heads in rawhido sacks. The poles
were placed in the shaft in such
position that they formed zigzag line,
like worm fence, from top to bottom,
there being little platforms on which
rested the foot of one ladder and. the
top of the next below. Thus, in descend
ing the shaft, one passed from platform
to platform, aud side to side of the open
ing, until the bottom was reached. When
the news of the discovery of silver in
Washoe reached Maldanado he nban-
don"d this mine-which was hardly
paying expenses at the time-and cross.
ing the Sierra Nevada mountains came
to the Comstock lode.


The nearer our little party came to
the shaft the more certain we all felt
that we were on fools errand for
how was man in the bottom of that
shaft to send note stating tho fact to
place full half mile away It was
nonsense to think of such thing yet
there we were toiling up the steep face
OF the mountain for the purpose of find.
ing tho man-the man calling himself
Jacob Pritchard. Several times we
halted and laughed at the ridiculous
ness Of our mission.


Arrived at the top of the hill and at
the mouth of the shaft, one of the men
said: "Well, here we are ! Now to
make known our presence to the man in
the shaft-to Jacob Pritchard !"


"Well, call down to him." said an
other, laughing for, now that we stood
at the mouth of the shaft, We felt quite
silly, and half expected to see some one
peep ont from behind tree or rock aud
"raise the laugh" on us.


The man who had first spoken stopped
over the shaft and shouted: "Jncob,
are you down there2"


Almost instantly there came up from
the shaft a faint cry that was half moan,
half shout. We all heard it, and were
thrilled and startled.


Most of the faces about the shaft sud
denly grew pale. We all stood silent
for seconds, when some one said "Sure
as fate there is man down there r'


60 Who are you2 Who is down there9"
again called out our spokesman, stoop-
ing close down to the dark mouth of
the shaft.


Jacob Pritchard p was the answer
that came up the shaft. The name was
SO distinctly uttered that all heard it,
and hearing it, tnrned q shade paler
than before.


alt beats all, )" said one of the men,
breaking 8 mewhat protracted silence.
THAT was tho name signed on the note,
and there is the fellow still in the shaft


"Ask him about the note" said one
of our party.


"Did you-write note-and send it
out-askiug for helpS" cried our
spokesman.


"I did," was the prompt response
from the bottom of the shaft, and
again we all gazed at one another in
amaZement.


How-could you-send out-a let
ter ?" asked Bill.


"Get me ont. I can't tell now I"
came from the dark, in a vexed and
gasping voice.


GO He is right" said Bill; eve ought
to be ashamed to stand here questioning