Show THE prospector AND HIS BURRO va it do you know said the prospector to his burro that the subject of lost mines is one that is always interesting to the miner the prospector and to the public at large anyone telling a good lost mine story is always sure of an appreciative audience some of these stories are mythical many are founded on actual facts in coming over from ely to osceola one time the stage driver told me a lost mine story that was of local interest and which had its pathetic side according to the astorp a prospector of middle age was prospecting in the hills thereabouts and found a ledge that was full of native gold some cf the quartz being nearly half in this metal he was tickled to death and decided to tell his valley friends of his fortunate discovery hanging his shovel on a cedar tree to mark the place he lost no time in getting down to one of the ranches near the foot of the mountain returning he could not find the shovel the cedar or the mine for months for years he hunted the mountain over but could never find his lost treasure when feeble old age overtook him he would sit at his cabin door in the valley look for hours at the mountain range that so long had baffled his search and weep over his misfortune finally he died and for years the story of his find his lost mine would be discussed among the inhabitants of the valley until it became to be regarded as a sort of fairy tale one day two horsemen and cow punchers were ranging the same chain of mountains gathering up cattle one unruly steer refused t to go along peaceable and darted from the herd the two boys took after him at breakneck speed and in the chase both noticed a cedar tree suspended from the branches of which there was an old shovel they thought this strange and upon their return to the valley told some of the old timers of the occurrence at once the story of the prospector and his lost mine was revived and a search was again made for the cedar tree and the shovel for months the two cowboys trailed the mountain others joined the expedition but all were baffled it seems strange and yet some day the mine will ue be found for the same cedar tree and the lost shovel must still be there 1 I want to tell you old long ears continued the prospector that there is a great deal of truth in these stories of lost mines you remember the story of the lost bufogle mine do you not well I 1 happen to know the tine story of the bufogle mine as I 1 got it from henry welland of pioche who knew bufogle well and who made one or two attempts to find the lost mine after the death of its discoverer it seems that bufogle By fogle in one of his trips to the mine was taken by indians who not wishing to kill him gashed him fearfully about the knees with a hatchet he wa was s found and taken to vegas ranch where he remained for months in an almost helpless condition when nearly well he went to pioche and wanted walland to help him in his search for the mine by fogle had a poor memory for localities and could hardly recall where he had camped the night before to welland he would say show me a spring on the top of a knoll near a range of mountains and I 1 will show you the mine after the death of bufogle By fogle welland started out to find the lost mine and in his search found a spring on the top of a knoll near a range of mountains rising from ash meadows in lincoln county nevada fronting the meadows the mountain presented a great mass of sandstone but back in the hills according to report the formation was quartzite and lime welland hired two indians to accompany him into the canyon but before reaching it they deserted him telling him it was not safe to proceed further as they would all be killed if they did as this mountain fastness was the retreat of renegade indians and outlaws who had sworn to preserve the secret of the gold treasures of the mountain from the white man twice afterwards welland made an attempt to enter this same canyon and twice again he was warned away and it is now the dream of his life to try again and find if he can the lost bufogle mine the renegade indians are still there they prey upon the stockmen stoc kmen of the valley and rob the unprotected and unsuspecting travelers and prospectors and once in a while they will appear in vegas searchlight and caliente with chunks of quartz that are streaked and seamed with solid gold it is taking a long chance continued the prospector to try and rediscover this lost mine and yet it will be found some day for bufogle was a reality and not a myth and welland is living today at Plo pioche clie |