lic Cljatljnm Record.
Ck totfem
l)e imtl)aiu lucorfc
II. A. LOXDOA,
EDITOR AND PROPBTETOB.
BATES
Oi'
ADVERTISING
One square, one insertion $100
One squire, two insertions. ... 1.60
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
$1.50 FIR YEAR
St Icily in Advance.
Oiie square, one mouth . 11.58
VOL. XX. PIITSHOUO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N. C, THURSDAY, OCTOHICtt 21, 181)7
NO. 8,
For lurg r a Iveilisriii' nts liberal
witru'-ts w i I 1 1.. n n iit
ROYAL RANGER RALPH-
Tho Waif of the Western Prairies.
DY WZLDON J. COBD.
tnAPTEIJ VllCotittnuert.
Their hands and eyes met Ono
glanco at their resoluto faces to'.d that
Dyke Pespard need havo a rare for hlra
Folf when ihosa two tnon starUul upon
Lis trull.
"liomoinber," spoko tho scout, "this Is
no ni'itliinry venture. "
'I rea l) nnd am ready for It," ro
piled Fnrrol sturdily-
"Already Pospa.d has crossnil thn
dead lini' i-f rivl hatlon and Is amotiK
the I) a I lands to t!i- oast."
"Then wo run fo'low him there."
"Vc-si itnty hn I tvt homo ani among
frlemls, when tho white renegade and
tho red warrior will a Iko bj banded
against us. I'ationt'o. comayje, and craft
can alone ovononio mir enemies. "
"I whl dure it all for tho sako of tho
lm crillu 1 g,rl wo sri'k to save," cried
Parrel. oiithti-.ki-tically. "Hut you ar
111 from tha wound yon recolvod unaoio
to pro cod on tiie trail until you are ro
covered. "
"N't. t so. Parrel," replied tho scout.
'Tho herbs I havo taken ha-e restored
u.y strong h."
"Then wo s.urt
"At o;:eo.u
Ono h.inr later, mounted on two superb
Steeds and fully armed and njuippou
for tho cxpt ilitlun, tin; old scout and his
young lompanlun set forth upon the
iii.i-1 oil una and momentous adventure;
o.' nil the r ovo.itful lives.
(UAl'i'EK VIII.
ON TUB T.UIL.
Tho i.lsh'. was bright as day a liar
lei and I anger Kalph redo from thn
little town at Miners Uuloli toward tno
kills to the east in tho near distinct.
As i! any as p oss-bln, tho form -r In
ft fined lie' scout of the course Pespard
1 a I tai.oti in carry! g away tho reoapt-
.r l mald'-n, 1 nt" f I lacey.
They seen found themwlvcs threading
a ro ky d di!o, a 'on t which thn practical
i ye of the scout discovered eviden 'cj of
ic.t'i.t, travel
''J lit v have coiiio this way," he said
to Dane!.
" J h'-n we may overtake them "
"lt :i i oa-l y us vou think ''
"Why noiv"
''They iiinn a faL- slart of i;s, and
ouco in the maintain it will b difficult
to follow th h- tral ."
Tin; landscape became wild, and nt
t'iu; n mo-t Impassable, as thev pro-
corded on tii lr way. At midnight 'ho
s o it cam to a bait, utterly at fault.
"Wo Hie l'i a quandary now," he re
murk".'l. "I!mv." asko 1 Parrel.
"Hero the c mi's diverges. The out
laws inav have gone down the va ley to
tho wilderness l;ry.uti. a sod through
tho hiVIi inuer to tli.i outlaw country,
m struck dim t through tho h lis for tho
Indians "
l or in u rl v nn hour tliey r 'crnnoitered
a short distance in ca. h direction. Tho
!i:oi:t's face s .owed a satisfied expres
!'.:; ;:S he leinne il to tile head of the
can yi iii
"llii.i' j tut 'earn d anything?" asked
l'arro!, acrlv.
"Ye.-?"
"H I at is it?"
"This "
The sci nt showed a rhihon. which
Darn 1 r 'co;ni'ul as belonging t) the
dter-s worn by Inez Trac 'v
"I'ovou reci trnl o it'" asked Ka'ph.
"Yes""
"Then Hie 1ml an country is nur des
tination. Thev are ( nrry.ui the iirl to
tLeir old-lini" a'il-'s, the Molos. "
Parrel hrokc.i tec;.ly concrned, but
tho scout -feme 1 more en ouraed mid
vigilant tiian ever, and ur-ed his horse
to a more rapid rate ,.f speed
The morn n? ight Lf iujht thorn en
coura.'i!!g ti accs of the or.'ons they
sougi t They were toiling up a steep
ascoiif, when Parrel lo iml a piece of
bridle rein. It evidently bolonirod to
Pospard's band, an I they pressed on.
confident that, thev weie o i tin right
trail.
"JU'.oiid Iito t lie mounta'ns come to
a stop," riuink"( thes tiut.
"And beyond that?"
"i raiiie and forest, and the camping
grounds of the marauding bands of sav
ages. Ha! : iiu-ke:"
As 11 a "g r 1 iilph spoke, his com
I anion d.-cerue.l a slight olume of
emokc emanatiiig from ;ot.o rocks be
yond t hem.
They drove a'cii? as rapidly as tho
broken roadway would admit. At a
turn a scene of wondrous beauty and
extent I'.eid them momentarily spell
bound. The mountain of Mono shot down
sheer a thousand feet perfectly perpen
dicular, and beyond it stretched a wood
id plain far a the eyo could reach.
There venie I no means of reaching it
excel. t. by a toilsome ride to where tliero
was a ni ne giadual descent.
"Lock," spoke the scout suddenly.
Pairel thrilled to keen excitement, as
ho glanced at a point some distanco ba
low them
A body of horsemen were just dlsap
irariivg into a denso ctrevh of timber.
"Pespard and his men!" he cried.
t must bo the iu. ''
"Then they hava escaped us "
"No t en ssariiy, the trail wl'l bo bpt
ter on the lowlands than here. I think
I know Pcspar-l's plans."
"What are they?"
"To lejoin ono of his old allies In stago
robbery and war on the sett eruonts.
"An Indian?"
"Yes. "
"Who is he?"
"Shadow Snake, tho Modoc, warrior
What, is that?"
Directly before them, emanating from
a rocky delile, smoke ascended the same
they had obsened a few minutes previ
ously. "Can it be a party of Indians?" aked
Parro1.
"I think not. It Is probably the do
ee rtcd camp-fire of Pespard's band."
ISotli men halted perp oxi d and bewil
dered, as they traced tho smoke to Its
donrce. At a cave-like a pert urn in the
r cks. a large amount of b .shes and
reeds and leaves were piled. These had
been recently 'gn ted, and dense volumes
of smoke is tied from the lnap.
The two men gazed at olio another In
the trofou;.ilest wonder
What ih e it nn an?" n'ie tho mv-
ti -It'll 1'I.IT.I
"1 d lv kilV'
You think raipnrd's man built tho
flro?"
"Yeg; for thoy must havo recently
passod this spot,"
"I-or what, purpose?"
"That I cannot toll."
"Thoti lot in ascertain."
Thoy dismounted and approachod tho
cavo. lioth started ns a low wall, II ko
that of a person t xhausted by pain,
foomod to Omatiati trout tho tiuoking
cave,
"Do you hear that?" cried Parrel, ex
citedly, "yes."
"f-'omo ono Is In there!"
'Trubobly a wild boast that thoy tried
to smoko out!"
Tho cry was rp-atedacouized, muf
fed, but 8tld p rfectly liistinct.
Parrel Grey turned pain
"It Is a woman's voice," ho g.vp.vl.
wlidly. "Ah! luilph, if it should
be "
"Who?"
"IllOi "
The scout started
"Xo, no; they wouldn't dare to kill tho
girl that way "
"You do not know them No crime is
too deep for these inhuman ghouls
(,'uick! Aid me; I mn.-t know win) Is in
that cave. "
In a moment th-v were at work tear
ing and drasuin : tli" half-l'amlng mast
from the moiitli of the ciuern.
Kven after Ihey had removed It tho
pla o wps so lillod wiili smoko ns to
i hoke and blind them.
Still, Darr I did not dclav. but ibi-hed
rei klessly forward.
Arty of honor and yet nf relic' es
caped his lips as he saw a human form
lying on n pl'eof leaves. It was tliat of
a woman, but it was not Inez Tni'oy.
Instead, tlin dim Unlit of the cave
show ed a fa e dusky, tlicimh In autifu'
the eoutit 'iianee i f an In lian maiden
Mie w a bound baud mid foot alinu-t,
suffocated bv the smoke, exhausted,
dyinz, threaten 'd by a te rib e death
when Parrel loun I iier. lie lifted her
lolly in I, is aims and bore ho: to thn
out, i lo air.
In profound amarm nt Manger
Ka'ph stared at the strain!" figure.
Parrel to eased the bonds that se
cured the Kirl Her wild. haMiled eyes
.-.wept his face for a moment her bos-un
heaved, and she grasped his nrtn I in 'lo;
deepest emotion.
"I'bo Whit- Fawn will iv ver foraet
you!" she uiti -red, in a gasplna cry of
gratlte.do.
"Who is fiie how- cat" .-In here?"
asked thi bewildered Panel.
"Ask In r; sh. ? ea '.is our lansna r it
seems," succest"tl the scout.
Tip) Indian girl sli'-ani ba k at iho
words: she shook her h Mil vehemently.
"The Whit.' l-'aw'i lias her secrets,
and will not fell them. Pit when tho
day comes ,vlien the Thick Crow stands
faco to face with her it'tain, let him b -ware!"
"Pespard!" ehirnl ateil the scour. "It
was he who shut her up in that rave tu
die Seo here, my itirl, we'v helte 1
vou out of a dillieii ty: will you return
th- favor?"
Tho Indian maiden did not dir r: at
lentil n to th runni r, but fixed her eyes
wilh a devoi d lb-tht on the f:t"e of
Panel.
"The White I'liwu w n il die lo serve
tho young ale lace. " . he i d earnestly.
"Then h ad us to the. prairies lo :ow,"
spokn Parrel
Sh" sprang b'fore his hor
"I 'ol!ow!" sli" mi id.
'J hey obeyed l li j r du-k v a uiiie, v, 1: i
lei them from I let soi w-itii the -wilt-ness
und accuracy of one f.imi dar witii
the locality.
Not a word was spt.!.t-i until ilo y
reached the base of th - tle-ceui, to the
plain b low. Th" I road iraitie, w.th
its wooded streti lies. I IV belole then'.
As far as one of th o 1 1 1 "ill a to n
panied tliem. 'I ben she turne I as if to
leave them Suddenly slie paused, in u
liston'm attitude. Then she ped liaht
ly through tlie timber
"She w-iil reiuiM," said Kanaer Kalph
".-lie ll:S li-CO',l'r'. .-Olllel liing, y . 1 1
think?" a-kel Parrel
A minute latir the illho liuuie of
White Fawn re:ii eared.
"A camp of irit-iidly sioux, " slie said,
brielly "Tin : iii-on their way to the
leservatioii. liny are my friends
Thoy go my way. Come: vour I orses
shall be cared for, and you shall bo fed "
Slie led Parrel's lior ; ; by the bridle
ill) 1 1 they reached a (t wh re about
twenty Indians sat around a ramp-lire
The sa ag-'S pici ted I hem in a f ricuuly
manner, and th y remained for an hour
with them, S'curiiig valuable iiii',.'rm:i
tion as to the country u round them
They were lutormed that the. rov'ng
bands nf Indians wciv inas-in:; lhc:r
forces under the ieade.rsbip of a chief nf
the Ne2 l'erces. who was urging tit uu to
a general attack on ih" set cements oi
tho pah; face--.
It was a they were leaving the camp
that While Fawn rl:i-;.e.l tho hand of
Parrel flicy in a war.e, iatni"-l pnv
suro "You have s i veil my life." -h" siitl
"Whit; Fawn never foraels liirnd o.
foe. Take tlii, and in your hour of
danger.it, may serve jou, if you ever
fall into the hand. of Shadow Snake or
his till e."
Slie llitted away ere Parrel could ak
for an e.xpianatioii nf her -tiani'c wi r.ls.
Ho re nle I the singular oniamoa'.
she had given him, a- h' Imr-e siart.-d
away. It was a pin-; of Indian clialk
s one, with some Miunire hai acii-i on
gravetl upon It. and louiiil !tfr,-thcr by a
chain made of the ra'lles of : Mial,
Little did cither of the men dream nf
Its future value to thorn, or nf the clli ct
upon the;r future the my.-te.ry s n round
in I White Fawn was tle.r.urd to t xert
They were now nuiipei ed to exert
cant on In their mo.en.rnt-, und kept to
the timoer as much as nssilile.
Tho Information they had received lei
them t' believe that their enemie- had
gone to .oin tli" savages, massed ,n camp
at the Pueblo liiver, forty miles acmss
tho country.
To reach this they would undoiihlodly
hive to pass through mu h danger, and
it might be Impossible t i fo.low Pes
pard's trail e ns ly.
Several times that, day they saw va
grant arties of Indians in the instance,
but concealed themselves until they were
out of sight.
"There are two points for us to remem
ber," said the scout that evening at
dusk.
"What are they?" asked Parrel.
"Firsi, to aitempf the i-escec' of Inez
and remove her to a place of safety."
"And the other?"
To reach Walferd the Keelnse, to
whom Inez's faUi ! left her fortune, be
fore Pespard learns where he is. We are
likely to eiicouni! r many dangers ere xve
ucfompli-h M, ami must he wary, for we
may come upon nor enemie- at any lini
ment. "
-llisf"
T hev bad come to tho bauka of tho I
jlver an4 wo.ro waiting while tho horses
drank, (sheltered l y a llttlo clump o(
trees they nu d soon tho stream without
he ng oh orvoj.
Parrel had uttorcd tho warning w rd
as ho saw a cttnoo coining down th)
tCO-tlll.
"An Ind'on," breathed the scout. "'1
lctico, till ho passos "
They remained pcrfrctly stlil a. the
canoa noarc thorn. Just as the Imat
camo opposite them one of tho hois s
hoofs guvo way under the soft turf
friui'lng tho stroam His foot cimo
down with a splash into tho water.
Tho Indian In tho canoe started,
glanced toward tho th'ckot and evident
ly taw his ambushed foei. With ono
wild yell ho abandoned tho c?noo and
sprang Into the water.
Instantly the cry was answered by a
score of voices both up and down the
stream 'ihey teome.l to accompany
their owners toward tho very spot
where Pairel and the scout were nt that
moment
"t ross the stream," spoke Hanger
Kalph utiiikly. "We n o surioiimle 1
and that is our only means of ova;.,e "
II Al l I I! I .V.
Tin; moiioi s.
Kair.'i r Kalph directed his horse ncro.-s
tin- river and Parte! (ir-y followed
closely after him. '1 be nr.im wa- very
deep at its center, but the hoi ses breaste I
the wilt current and landed them safety
on the opposite bank
"P.ish sua ght .ih"ad." shouted the
scout: -I' i t our only i hanee. "
"No, nn! look, I'alph; there is n camp
lire in our paili."
Tie' ranger brought his horse to its
liauuche. and gla .ceil iiileklv and ron
cerm d y about lit m. Pchind theni und
on both s lies tin woods se nu il tilled
with ye iing Indians. They had been
aura led to the spot by the warning
cry of t he J itdian in the t aiioe.
I mmeiliately afcr discovering th"
strangers, the sivage h id disappeared,
an I ilonlit ess reached his companions
who were hastening to th thicket.
"Pismoir.it!" ordered the s-out, in a
In w tone. "We are in a s-rape and
must m.iko the be.-i of it. "
'Sha I we abandon the horses?"
ipieried Parrel.
l-'nr the lime being, yes," replied the
s'-nut "The Indians are coming We
had better sepaiate. "
llan .'er Kalph suddenly swung liitri so f
up by Hi -i brain-lies of an immense tl--
nn b-r which tli" hm-ses st- o l.
Parn l (irey sought to follow liiscxi -P
e, but. bewildered by the excitement
of the ov ini-ioii, ilclayed a moment to
iim:.
Three stalwart savages ud'!only ctmo
nt iew.
'I hat they had discovered him. the
yells of iho Indians instantly iu'orn ei
li i in Ho Martcd for th ; river and ran
down its f.anks swiftly.
A cry of concern broke from Parrel's
lips a-'h glanced ahead Several other
Indians were running in an opposite ili
reeiion. lie wa- c ouplet -ly h 'inni 'd in. and
ih r -seen e I i.o means of o--ape rxeep:
a wi'd tla-li Inland, whit li action won d
expose him to the li e of li s nieiiiics
lie iv t one quirk gla' ce ai the tree
line I stream, and d 'termined to iru-t
li mself to tlrj water. Then l'arrcl
dropped out of view and began lo wade
oni into tho sw ift central current of the
river.
lie ei.iild hear the s iva ;es talking e
citellv, ami apparently inakin.' tliicr
way t ivvanl him Near the diore the
dro''pii.g wl lovv- iieor l d a slieil r from
Hie r lying I'ji'S, I ill that lie wuuld li I
long b' saie there In- fu Iv realized
II" thrill-l in a new id-,i of safety as
li" saw nu ob e t filiating near hiai.
It was li.e canoe that (lie linlian had
il-.-t ml'i.it and il was up.-id" down.
h.sia 'tly Par. -el cii .ccived a daring
i-lan of cinduig his eioonies. nl b'a--l
I mi e. a i' ly.
Ie dn Igi-d down and came up with his
head ire'er the came Then lie stood
ill I he vva:er pei fci tl motionles:.
'J'I.e savages rame down In tli" eilgo
of the stream and b-gan se irrliiug for
liim
lie in'iid d. scorn that Ihey were mak
inr, a thonniuii i.ins:, and tha' ina.ly
they divi led and proceeded up and down
tli stream.
When a 1 was ;ilent he ventured to
withdraw Id lie.i I from tic canoe and
. I'Uer about him No mio was in sight;
in his i;e.u- v ciniiy.
". f 1 in u!d locate the tree vv Ir ie Kalph
li d hi n-e f I would rejoin him," ,,
s .li o ,ni e l.
.Iu t then, however, a he glanced a'
th" t.pi'o; t" shore, liis eves met a visit -:i
that la tied ;ui I eiit haiiie I him.
A camp-tiro had been built, and a
large iiumli r of Indians were busy put
ting up sonic teals
Near tue tile ston',1 a savage, evidently
lh"i: t hie!', dir. cling ' heir movements.
There were two vili men near li i tu.
an I tli y vv i " i onv ersin r vv it ii lom
Can't I staricd a- l.e lciMgnbed t'lem!
hie waspike P. snard: the oilier was
his in rninphre, .I nu I'linO'ii. Kv-ll as
he watched tli he saw their two mn
rades nf th - previous day pass, lend r.g
I h. ir lmr-es
tin i ne was M'.ati d a gir i-ii forni.
Tic heart of the young -tout Ibrd'ed
to wild eiimlion as lie . aught sight i.f the
belo'.e I lac" nf ,r Tra"! y
-.-he i- in tie i amp, a pri-oner. " ho
breath 'd. "I vvid rescue her. or di" iu
I lie ill lempt "
II " liiitlgeil iliiwn ag.i n a", a o ust i.-
the li-jht. he made out a sava.'e form
roining down the ba'ikst'f th" strenui
lu a u onit-ut I'iinel wa- I l his old ;o-i-tion
under tho b at
He Pel cvi d he w as as -nf' a U.-Toiv.
but h learm-d lis error a moment "an r
The I oat was suddenly pulled toward
the shore, and ho knew that the Indian
h" had si e i was it former occuiiani.
Parrel quickly romp oh ti led t he sit u
ation. P dging down under the water,
he remit ned there for a iu m -nt 'I hen
he raised himself Pi .vvly.
The savage was ad listing the t-anoo a
few feet away. Panel crept cautiously
toward him. A brilliant itlea, 1 1 enirr
the Indian ramp in disguise, had rnlered
bis in n I
Seizing a heavy stone be dealt the
savage a terrific blow The hitter fell
to the grou ,d with a croan.
Vlrtorv!" miitrered Pane1, excitedly.
"I will yet res: lie' the imperilled Inez!"
:T,I UC I ONTIM-..H. I
I.lKlitnhis-l'i-n r.
Women who are afraid of thunder
storms are having their rhalrs and In -tl-te
ds made wilh glass feet to serve a
itisnPit.irs Wlcit U the lender w;th
th goo lold-'a-h oned feather-bed wheit j
ad tli won ,o i no I children of the lam- 1
I v look refuge iii a t iiniidcrstnrni? (it'
the dark closet where the pie-crvesweic
ke pi? Perhaps tho gia-s jars mad" tli it J
secure, but no power on ea fa ever saved
Ujo proi-trvtM. 1
1 PLACER MINING
) IN THE KLONDIKE, e
(Oi ,, (0)
(O A Fu,t Description of the Way the Precious Dust is Taken
Out of the Earth.
fio f.u all tho mining that has been I to shorten it where it was to be carried
doiio iu the Klondike country has beeu on to any extent.
what is known ns placer mining;. This j The first step in advance iu placer
is tho Funinleut and oldest form of j mining; ia tho use of the "rocker."
miniuj?, ami is usually adopted in new The mcker looks like ono of the nhl
pold iields. In its crudest form, : era. lies wo liii'l mice in a whilo in tho
placer mining is simply the picking up j allie nf snme old house up in the conn
of a panful of dirt from tho bed of a ti y. It is n box about three feet lung,
stream where .'old is supposed to ex- inni two feet vv ido, placed mi rockers
ist, the washing away of tho dirt ami j just like a cradle. A part nf the box
pebbles ami the gathering of the gold, j is covered with it piece nf heavy sheet
which, because nf its weight, sinks to , iron, -duecd it few inches below the
the bottom of i he pan. ! top and punched full of holes about a
l or example, let us follow a pros-
peetor on some stream in our rstern
gold Ileitis, where tho complicatimi nf
eternnlly frozen ground docs not enlev
into tho question. After traveling
porhnp.i ninny weary tlaj-s ho comes
on n stream coming down some moun
tain gorge that looks "likely." as he
says, to his practiced eye. Ho stops
and examines the pebbles on tho bot
tom, ami funis n good ninny of them
are of quartz.
This, although not in itself an imli-
cation nt gold, is a good sign, so the
prospector scrapes away tho earth and
stone nt the bottom of the stream to
tho depth nf n loot or so, ami then
takes out a panful nf dirt. The pan,
by tho way, is nothing hut a broad,
shallow dish of strong sheet isoti.
Having done this, lie puts in enough
water to make the panful semi-liquid,
and then gives it u rapid, tniriing mo
tion. This causes tlie gold, if there is
TWO TVPICAL KT.ONPt ilr.fCS IX FUI.I. Dr.llSS
any, to sink to the bottom nf tlie pan. ! Roes nut and prospects until he limls
Then the gravel and sand are carefully u claim where the "colors" in his pan
washed out until only the heavy if si'- j encourage him to locate. If he should
due remains in the pan. This residue j happen to ho early on a new Held he
is carefully examined to sco how- many i would probably stake out a claim next
"colors'1 there are in il. "Colors" is ' to one that was already paying iu the
tho term miners give to the particles 1 hope that his would pay, too, A
or nuggets, if there me any, of gold Klondike claim is supposed tu bo laid
that can be seen nt tin) bottom of tlie out ."on I'cct b'Mg parallel with the
pan. 1 general direction nf the creel;, and
Put gold is not the only thing Unit liihi feet crossw ise. the itlea being to
sinks to the bottom of tho pan. A!-; give each locution the width of the
most alw ays there is t'ouud with gold a 1 gravel from rim rock to rim rock,
lino black sand, which is magnetic iron Most of the creeks up there have a
ore, and from this the gold Inn to be 1 slight fall with wide bottoms, l'.od
ecparatcd. Of course, if the gold is i rock is anywhere from four to twenty
iu nuggets of any sie this is a simple feet below the surface and pay dirt is
process, but if it is in lino dust, as is apt to extend clear down to bediock.
generally tho case, tho mercury pro-j )f course, tlie great dilliculty thai
cess is employed. j thd minor has to contend with is the
In this tho residue iu tho pan is fact that the ground is frozen solid
placed in a barrel wilh some wa'cr and t about all the year, and even iu summcr
SI.UCIXO AT A RICH ftAIM IN THE KLONDIKE.
(From this mine S0P0 was taken from n piece ot ground 21 by 14 feet in plane diinea.
sii-iti". It Is officially tlesigiuutHl us "No, 2. Jielmv," lloiiauza.l
merenry. The gold, when it touches
the mercury, forms an amalgam. After
a quantity of gold has been put iu the
barrel the mercury is taken out,
squeezed through a buckskin bag, and
what remains in the bag is heated,
cither iu a retort or in some other
Way, until what mercury is left is va
porized, inni the gold remains, ucarly
pure.
This is placer mining in its mosl
primitive form, but it is slow work, and
long ago various methods were devised j
(0)
; qimrter of an inch iu diameter. The
botttitii of the rest of the box slants
t'Wnrtls tho lower cml and is covered
with n piece of woolen blanket. To
wards tiio end of the box slats are
placed across, with mercury behind
them, to calch what gold gets by
above.
The miner si ts up his rocker near
the stream ami piles his gravel on the
the sheet iron, keeping it wet all the
while mi l keeping the rocker in motion.
The tine gold and sand sift through to
, the blanket, while nuggets of any size
j remain on thn iron. The liner' gold
settles on the blanket and the dust is
caught by tho mercury behind the
sluts. The blanket is frequently rinsed
in a barrel of water with mercury at the
bottom, ami this mercury, together
with that behind t he slats, is ''roasted''
as in the other method.
Hut even this method is not used
when "sluicing'' is possible, as it is
ihrit the stream has sufficient full. In
sluicing a number nf long boxes are i
mu lo which lit into each other like a ;
stovepipe. Across these boxes shits I
I are placed with mercury behind them,
I or sometimes the bottoms are bored full i
of holes, and mercury placed under-
I neath. A lung line nf these boxes is
placed at a considerable slant and the
miner shovels his gravel in at the up
per end, lets the water run down the
sluice and the gold, if in nuggets, sinks
nuil is held by tho slat, or, if line, in
t aught by the mercury. Three times
a-; much pold can be washed out in
this way as by a rocker, because three
limes us much dirt can bo washed.
Aiitl nftrr tlie boxes lire nil dune with
they in-i: burned nn I the ashes washed
for the gold held by the wood.
These are the various methods of
placer mining und thus they are prac
tised i'i the Klondike region, hampered
only by the iialiirnl conditions of the
country. Let us now- look lor a mo
ment ut what these conditions compel
the Klondike miner to do.
Let us suppose the gnbl-lninter has
passed through the ililiieult journey
1 and urrived nt the gnld Iields. He first
' thaws only a few inches. This makes
j it necessary to thnvv the gruitud arti
i licially, and this is done by "buvu-
Fires are built on tho surface and
the ground thawed a little ways. This
is then dug out: another tiro is built
! in tiie hole, ami this process is eou
I tinned until bedrock is reached. Then
! tires are built hgaitist the nido of the
shaft, and drifts nnd tunnels me
t haw ed out
All the dirt thus taken out is jjUeii
I
onP-ido until the Mieani open in the
spring. Then the sluice boxes are set
up ami the winter's diggings washed
out. Thus ii miner is eiuibli.tl to keep
busy about nil the yt nr.
This lio thoil ni burning nut a shaft
and tunnels is by no memis. new. for it
has been curried nu for many venrs in
the basins nf tin; Amnor ami Lena
l'.ivcrs in Siberia, where I lie conditions
are very fiuiilar to tho-u.' iu the Klon
dike legion.
Placer mining in Alaska iliiYrrs from
placer mining in wa -mrr climates only
in that the dirt l a to be thawed out,
and that water fur washing can lie ob
tained th-.-ro only a mouth ur Co in
each year.
Anil even when Led; nek is reached
it is in many cases iilled will; cracks
and seams which ure rich iu gold and
well worth tin digging nut. As to tli"
value nt' explosives iu this fmeii soil
aulhorilics ilii'l'iT. The Mining and
Scientific Press .aid receuily that they
an be used eli'cclivrly, while (he Miu
iugaii'l Kngi Herring .Itmrual, in speak
ing nf the Siberian mines, where the
cunilitinus are similar, sax- their effect
is simply to unit the grmui.l together
harder. For this snni" i-i-n---m, says
the latter juiirnal. tho ground ennnm
be dug with a pick and shnvi-1 until
thawed out.
Lumber, by the way, iu the Klon
dike country, tit fur sluice boxes, co-ds
from s!:jii t " Sb "if a thou-nud feet.
St) far most of the ;:.r!,l found in
placer mining iu the Klondike region
- V i "' I" -
. '4'V';-:"S
- -i,v vc v:"-yv
:'. W
'C-r A
a r.j.riiT rox.
has been coarse, nnd many of tin; nug
gets have born bum 1 attached to
quart. This, neeiudii.g t" experts,
indicates that the veins from which if
originate.! are nut far di --'.Hit from the
alluvial deposits, l'laot r gold is lib
crated by the erosive agencies i,f ice,
rocks and w alcr l'r, on !;! luck nnit.ix
iu whi -h il i-. In hi. P i ioii.:uti- than
the rod; which ho!..- it and rc-ists
ahlY.sinn l.'iliir. Pi;iwi::;;iu iuti if arc
from oilier regions v.'nt-re pnevr gold
has been ffit'i I in large qr.aiil ii ii s, il
is reasonable t i rxpcel the! ill the
Yukon oouiiliy rich .Id lodes will bo
found.
And this brings us tu the subject nf
quartz mining in Aln-d.a. for the gold
bearing region up there 1.- by no means
confined ft) I lie Klondike country. Ac
cording lo the receuily published
baud-book on 'Klondike," written by
L. A. CVoIidge. nf Washington, there
ure in smif hea-dem Alaska gold mines
which have been worked for the past
twelve years, ami which in IS. hi aided
over .'.(lilil.llt) 1 tu l ho gold surplus of
the world. Of this mining region
Juneau is the centre, and ils discovery
is shared by Kiclnird Harris and
Joseph Juneau, l i H-h) these two
men started out from Sitka --it was in
the summer and in August discov
ered gold in u si, -en a which tlu-y
named Hold Creek. Later tlu-y ex
plored this stream to its sinuce inn
mountain valley, which thev minted
Silver Pnvv Kasin. Then a to v u site
win established nt the uui.it It nf ( iold
Creek, which vvaj at liial uuued JJ-W-
i. tiiawisv, orx Tin: piut. 2. pnniiNa am nryiriNt:.
i
risbitrg. Later it was clinn ;o i VM
Kockvvt'll nuil then t .1 iia. :i'i. which
nuint) it still holds. This last christen,
iug took piiiiw in 18S1.
Tho next year both placer nipl
quart jS mines were di.-eovcl u.l on ibcig
Inn Island, iilmiit four mile- from
Juneau. These lire now the famous
Treadwell mines, having been bought
by Jul in Trcinlwell in Issl, nml, says
.'!-. Cicj'.i'lge, "from these enough urn
has been taken mil tvi pay the ptirchasn
money of Alaska and more." Tlie tniv
ol'tliese mines iiveingc only Vuni P'J.od
to j? ! a tun, but owing to I lie cimi-uiuus
scale on which tlu-y ere worked mill
tho low cost of extracting the ute
: there is n large profit in working them.
: All nroitu 1 Juneau and. fur that inn--j
ter, all along the Alaskan coast, gold-
IVkN .V i x-v' tl
Mix i:i! risriMi oi: vv c.
bearing i fou.i I, itci i'i .-Liany
places is being proi'tn - y urked.
There seems to be iittlc . I utbl nuiuiig
mining experts that extrusive quarL;
mines will be located :u this Yukoa
country beftiro long. T:tis .11 mrii'i
the introduction inio t i r country of
all soils of improved lei";'"-'-.' mac! iu
cry, ruck drill-, sl.iiun imiis and m tf.
List what uic'h id will be employed to
extract the ure from the rod. will de
pend nil vv ha! kind nf u'f is it. und. II
may only have to be ciui-in d. and
separate I by mercury. Ii may be rr
I fiaclory ore and have lo go tiirmugii
s-c.ne one of the various processes now
j in use fur separating su-h nie.
j As soon ns the oiiiu-. are found
i means uf tr.-t'ispui-ti.m t he ni.tchiiii r;.
! will bo lirovidiil ami t lie in i in -s v i!l le
i s.artcu. Mines m roel;, uf coin--.', v. il!
' not be delaye 1 by the we.uher con-!i
i lifts which liiii'ie pla -cr miniug so I i ; -!
licuil in licit conn; ry. Lock tin .-'it
frecc und t iie tie. jit.i' ti-iwu I he n.im.s
go tiie warmer it will gel. mi pel hips
this kind of mining v ill In' the pleas
tiuter of the two
I'.o.u- 1. i Kt- 11 ift ISa-l.it-.
t'urimis boats which 1 ol. like big
! ba-kcts are used in l!:i;-r.iii. the Vt-n-'
ice uf Turkish Arabia. A - ,-i motlei of
fact, they are praclicaliy i ki's, be
: ing liunle of w iekei-wnrk. p!n iered tt
I kt't p nut the waler. They are knuwii
i as guphi'i's, and the liuroj eiiii who
boards thcui feels himself to be much
Mike the three men of (iutham vh'i
I went to sea in n bowl, l ulil ciminnra-
tivily rccr'it times a boat - oinei hilig
i simihii in shape mil n.g ! with Iho
I same lii.ilerinl. ca'lcl c.";!-'" ,!, were
I u-ed by lisheiuu-u mi m.t.l'V of Iho
I turbulent st. -t , i'us in Wale Xnuthei
' foi in uf a hi nl cuiihl In ) to curvivo
til ' Iiavigaliou if thu.-i' s.' ii '.i l
r2
. te-lv .
S&J&x -, ' v ) - - ,
V fi x i iJt'Sa
WICKEIl ltUATS UP Tt IIK1-.II ': VI.I.V.
biunpiiig against bowlders ninl drop,
ping nver small rutiuacts iu ihem i i, I
them no material ilauuige.
Tn China certain literary degrees can
be purchased of tin: ( iovcriiiiienl for
about S"o. 'Taking a Ivaidnge of tie;'
fact, mime unpi iiiciph d e; -on has
lately hoaxed the I'rli stink, by - dint!;
them what purported In bo iiiploi.iut
which would le ing the hohb ; und' r
tlie jiirisdictiou uf furtijjii coiisuhir
ullicca,
1 1. - i