THE BLAZING-EYE MINE.
In Eastern California there lies a strip of country less than a hundred
miles in length and thirty miles in width--the Gehenna of America--a
basin so defiled that the abomination of the Israelites, the Valley of
Hinnom, was a paradise; Tophet, where the sacrifices of children to
Moloch were made by this Biblical tribe of Hebrews, was at least
habitable. Death Valley lies two hundred and fifty feet lower than the
tide water of the Pacific Ocean. Upon this strip of land grows no
verdure, and within its confines exists no life save the scorpion, the
centipede, the tarantula, the hideous gila monster and rattlesnakes, all
more deadly poisonous than sisters and brothers of the same family found
elsewhere, each species a continual menace to the others in the never
ending battle for life--vindictive conquerors at last being vanquished
by more malignant foes.
The desert is one mass of burning, blighting alkali sand. The heat is
beyond human endurance, and what few pools of water may be found by
digging deep into the earth are so pregnant with disease-breeding,
loathsome germs, that death is but hastened to the poor victim of thirst
who attempts to assuage his sufferings by drinking the polluted reward
of frenzied labor.
At one time the government established an observation station within the
borders of this waste to give scientifically to the world an accurate
account of the perils which await the prospector venturesome enough to
visit this living ossuary--the realm of the dead and habitat of the
uncanny. Records show that the government representative found the heat
so burdensome that clothing was dispensed with, and in nature's
primitive garb the lonely vigils were passed until the station was
abandoned.
Years before, a prospector braved the perils of the desert and returned
more dead than alive, but with golden sand and golden nuggets and tales
of a mine whose splendor out-dazzled the wildest dreams. This prospector
called the mine after himself, "Pegleg." He obtaining his sobriquet from
the fact that one of his legs was a wooden peg. He organized a party and
they entered the valley, never to return. Other parties were formed and
attempted a rescue, only to leave their bones to bleach as monuments of
man's distorted and perverse cupidity.
The government sent a detachment of soldiers, well versed in the
knowledge of all the impending dangers, but none returned save a
corporal, and he a raving maniac, upon a thirst-crazed mule. Thus the
famous "Pegleg" mine became a legend fraught with mystery and weird,
blood-curdling memories.
It was to this mine, "The Blazing-Eye-by-the-Big-Water," that Yamanatz
was to conduct Jack. The Utes in years gone by made the trip from the
mountains to the desert land and returned laden with golden ornaments,
their trappings covered with gold nuggets beaten into fantastic shapes.
It took many moons in their comings and goings, and many fierce battles
were waged with other tribes in the latter's endeavors to wrest the
secret from the wily warriors, who knew of a safe but dangerous
underground river bed, which wound its tortuous way beneath the
sand-covered desert, cutting the wonderful deposit in half. But even
this passage to that mountain of wealth was beset by terrors as
frightful as those above the ground. Reptiles had ingress and egress
from fissures leading to the surface, and one was in constant danger at
every step, not from the trail alone, but from the roof and sides of
that slimy canon, the gloom of which added to the dark hideousness, as
the feeble, flickering torches awakened the lethargic inhabitants of
that abandoned inferno.
The trip from the White River Agency had been made by rail as far as
possible. Every provision had been made that could be devised for
protection against the evils surrounding the dangerous mission. The
nearest station which Jack could in any way "guess" would land them near
a point from whence Yamanatz could find his way was Mojave. The curious
of the little town watched the preparations of the trio as they made
ready to prospect toward the Telescope range. The party consisted of
Yamanatz, Jack and Chiquita, and an old "forty-niner" who was asked to
join them under the promise of good wages and the usual "interest" in
any claims which might be "staked." As they slowly made their way along
the edge of the great Mojave desert, Yamanatz was continually on the
lookout for some familiar sign that would indicate they were in the
locality leading to the mysterious river bed. Finally the fourth day
found them encamped at the edge of a low "bench," or hill, mountains
arising from one side and an undulating, dreary waste of billowy sands
stretching to the horizon on the other.
"It is good," said Yamanatz, continuing, "On the morrow Chiquita will go
with the prospector to the stream where yonder mountain meets the sky.
Chiquita will watch and wait until Jack and Yamanatz shall return. The
prospector will find an old vein of mineral in which is gold. He must
work upon that while Yamanatz and Jack go toward the setting sun, where
the buzzards roost waiting for those who venture into Death Valley."
This satisfied the prospector, who answered, "It is not much thet bird
gets to put inside his 'bone box' sence the fools quit a-goin' ter ther
'Pegleg' mine. Ye hev bin told about thet, I guess, and ye don't look
thet crazy as would attempt even a one hour's ride into thet furnass.
I'll go with the Injun gal, and good luck ter ye."
"We will be gone five sleeps," said Yamanatz.
The second day found Jack and the Ute chief inside the well-concealed
stone covered opening which led to the river bed. Armed with horsehair
whips and gnarled pinon torches which blazed and smoked, they made their
way, leading horses and pack mules along the subterranean passage.
Occasionally the swashing of water smote their ears, and at intervals
open fissures extending to the stream far below them were encountered,
whereby cooling drink was obtained by means of a lariat and camp bucket.
It was not difficult to replenish the leathern pouches provided for
water.
The middle of the fourth day they reached the crumbling, disintegrated
mass of quartz, honeycombed with gold. It was necessary to crush the
decayed ore and extract the huge nuggets by washing in a pan.
Occasionally the breaking of some of the rock revealed solid masses of
pure gold, while in pockets of rusty, discolored quartz great handfuls
of gold sand were disclosed. All that day and night Jack worked with a
frenzied fervor, loading saddlebag after saddlebag with the precious
metal. Yamanatz assisted until all their receptacles were filled, then a
couple of hours of rest--sleep was out of the question. The heat and
excitement rendered it useless to attempt it.
Packing the valuable pouches together with the few camp requirements
which had been used on the trip, the return was commenced. The entrance
was reached in less time than it required going; but now it became
necessary to mark a trail by which Jack could find the way back to the
cavern alone. Monuments of stone were erected in triangles, which gave
the needed bearings for future use. More time had been consumed than had
been allowed, and starvation rations for man and beast became necessary.
When the last monument to complete the chain had been erected it was
midnight, and it was decided to attempt the crossing of the desert strip
at an angle. Hour after hour they traveled, yet at daybreak no blue
haze, no lofty peak appeared in that simmering, sweltering, burning
waste. The trail behind them was as water struck with a whip. The sand
in front gave no alluring sign. The ponies labored--the mules were
restive. Silently as a moonbeam falling across the earth the cavalcade
moved. Another midnight, and Jack resorted to his knowledge of astronomy
to guide them from that fearful death which another day would probably
bring. The constellation of Cassiopea seemed to beckon him in her
direction. Again the red copper-colored sun appeared above the horizon;
a faint blue line in front gave hope of relief. The ponies were allowed
free rein to choose their own way.
As the sun rose higher and higher the heat drove the pack animals into a
frenzy. The oscillating motion of those in the saddle was almost
unendurable. Gloomily they looked at each other--the one seeing that
shrunken, skin-drawn, parched, pinched human horror in front, wondering
if he in turn looked the same. Still they lived and hoped. Again hour
succeeded hour until the midnight of another day arrived. Suddenly the
mules gave a joyful whinny and started up a sandy gulch at a brisker
pace than they had been traveling. The last of the water had been
divided that noon and no food had been tasted for three days. In another
hour they came to a rock where a little pool struggled only to lose
itself in the sand. But by scooping away the earth while the animals
were pawing, even biting, the very ground, Jack was at last able to save
a little of the precious fluid and appease their immediate thirst.
A short rest and the march was again resumed. By noon, gaunt and
hidedrawn, two Indian ponies stumbled along the burning sands. Two
horsemen with vacant, stony stare, pitifully reeled in their saddles as
their horses wabbled slowly, painfully into the camp of the "Lone
Fisherman." Pack mules with drooping, lifeless ears, tongues lolling
from their mouths and hoofs cracking from contact with the poisonous
alkaloids of the desert, staggered under their burdens as they toiled
after the silent spectres in the lead. The dust-begrimed, skin-dried,
withered, parched and blighted beings athwart those animated skeletons
were Jack and Yamanatz. The load under which the beasts of burden
tottered was gold. Death Valley had been invaded, and once more
substantial treasure from the "Pegleg" mine gave positive evidence of
the fabulous riches, surpassing the most wonderful opulence of ancient
kings, which was accorded those who survived the horrors of the
health-wrecking, life-destroying journey. A joyous welcome awaited the
returned travelers. Chiquita had determined to get a rescuing party that
day, but a kind Providence directed otherwise. In attempting the short
cut from the last triangle of monuments Jack and Yamanatz had traveled
in a circle.
Jack recovered his normal condition more readily than did Yamanatz.
Before leaving the "Lone Fisherman," which the old prospector found of
value sufficient to pay for working, Yamanatz and Jack again made the
trip to and from the nearest located triangle and Jack had no trouble in
future visits. He soon succeeded in obtaining from the Government a
valid title to the ground.
The nucleus of that fortune was spent in fitting Chiquita for her
college education.
She entered at once upon her studies, under the care of private tutors,
and in two years' time the rapid advancement made placed her far along
toward the goal of learning. Academic courses followed in quick
succession, her wonderful intellectual powers seemingly never to weary
or flag in their grinding evolution from savagery to civilized
enlightenment during her self-imposed task of ten years in the bright
fields of knowledge.