| Show THE HE 6 f I 1 li a 1 bauc F I T TAZZ af r arr fa 1 ISM by KIRE kark K MUNROE E ld dy DoddI cad co chapter 1 I 1 off for the land of gold A gray chill in the air with snow f failing allies in a sullen determined way ilay as though in defiance of the spring so near at hand gave to new york and especially to its harbor a peculiarly and dreary aspect on a certain afternoon of karen 11 arab 1849 from ono one of the north river docks a great side wheel steamer ft as about to depagt on a voyage that judging from the excited ahr throngs angs on oil her decks wits was of unusual interest and importance and so it was at that time for the steamer was none other than the facon about to start for the isthmus ol of panama with a list of passengers bound tor for the land of 0 gold on all sides were scattered mining implements patent gold washers force pumps rolls of blankets and india rubber contrivances of every description from boots and mattresses to col boats and bath tubs shouts laughter crying the clink ot of glasses cheers and a hundred other sounds swelled a bedlam of noise that was at once stimulating and deafening A parting cheer accompanied by a volley of snowballs from some mischievous boys on an td Ed jacent wharf and the great ship had bad begun to plow her way over tho the leaden waters through the snow laden air and beneath the ilia cold gray sky shy toward the sunshine of the tropics the news of the wonderful discoveries of gold in Calif california orzia was still received with aith incredulity sn in the states and the fever that was soon to send emigrants to that distant land by tens of thousands was only just beginning to rage when linn halstead decided that lie he was better fitted to be a gold digger than anything else he came naturally ly his roving disposition for his mothers only and idolized broth brother r had gone away at his age as he 7 as now doing and had never since beer heard from the sister had always longed to follow in her brothers footsteps and when at the time her child was five years old she laid down the heavy burden of life as the wife of a new england village tillage cler clergyman gyman it was with joyful anticipations of at last under undertaking tal ing a long journey while young halstead Halste ail had none of 0 the dogged persever ap ar that Is so certain of 0 success in the end he did possess an amount of cf pride and confidence in himself that list stood him in almost as good stead and he resolutely turned his lack upon the shores he was leaving gazing steadfastly ahead through the tailing falling snow with mere of 0 dete determination mi ration in his bis face than it ila laa ever before es cx P pj emed essed although the falcon was wag crowded beyond her capacity and the v weather eather for the first two days out from new york was cold and wet and stormy the high hopes hope of her passengers and their all ab brg topic of thought though t and conversation kept them from licin being as miserable as they might havi have been on the fourth day out the steamer lay off amr C cestou arle to take aboard a mail and a few more fassl passengers agers the next morning found ahem abreast of st augustine in florida that evening ti they ey passed s ed the tall white lighthouse on cape florida the most southerly on the mainland of the united states the fact that this was the last bt of ills his own country he should see tor for many days impressed linn lien with wit the adventurous sensations of an explorer it Is always a wonderful thing lor for the ua un travelled to leave their land for the first time and the young man thoroughly enjoyed the feeling n 1 CHAPTER it II ka I 1 from havana to Cha grec by the following roon coon aft after ter steaming tor for some time within sight bight ot of the bold northern coast ot of cuba the falcon rounded in under the frown rown ing walls of moro rising black and gloomy above their wave worn cliffs and entered through a narrow pa passage into tho ilia beautiful laud locked harbor ot of havana capt hartstein pointed out the most conspicuous objects ot of interest to his passengers but most ot of them were so impatient to reach their journeys end that they hailed balled with joy the signal for departure the run across the caribbean sea mas as pleasant but uneventful and on the third day after leaving havana the din dim peaks cf the darlen darien and andes were sighted and the tha first stage of their long journey drew toward its cose close for fifty miles they skirted the coast tho the falcons anchor was dropped in the edge ol of the shoal water ater about two miles out side of the mouth ot of the chagares chagres river now ensued a scene ot of even great i contusion and anxiety aban had attended the departure ol of the steamer from new york most ot of the passengers had joined others tn in forming amali small companies 0 of three or tour four tor for the trip up the river somewhat to their surprise linn and a young carpenter frol now new jersey named earned moore who had been his roommate room mate on the steamer steade r v were cre invited to join company with il two of the self belt constituted leaders of 0 the party bodfish and ted der lot kot knowing what better to do they had accepted the otter offer soon after tho ole transaction of 0 this ams business the falcons Fa icons four hundred nas asser gers wore were landed by the steamers boats just inside tho the mouth of 0 the river in shoal water through which they waded to the beach in front of the collection ol of cane huts buts that formed the village ot of chagares chagres Chas Ch agres probably a more filthy pestilential place than this same village ot of chagares chagres did not at that time exist on the american continent it consisted for the most part ot of wretched little huts each containing but a single room and each ol of which was the center of an inconceivable mass of dirt and filth yellow fever ever and the chagres chagares fever were only laughed at by the half naked natives inho vho dwelt among these abominations but th the a cholera which had recent recently lyk 1 made its appearance on the isthmus was to them the terror of terrors what with the dread of cholera their anxiety to push ahead and tho the fear of in come way being left behind a sort of panic seized the emigrants and they began to offer the most exore ant nt prices for transportation up tb river their excitement was a by the arrival ot of a fleet of bers from gorgona borgona Gor gona bringing the firs of a steamer load ot of returning cal forn ians who had bad engaged passage to new york by the tha falcon most of these homeward bound chasers exhibited gold in dust scales or nuggets in this influx of gold caused monte tables and aad other gambling layouts lay outs to spring up lip as though by magic on all sides side s and a numb number r of the homec homeward ar bound miners seized eagerly upon this means tor for passing the timo time and began to gamble recklessly those who were cut ward bound gathered in i clamorous cla throngs about a long ions barn like establishment lish ment belonging to a spaniard named ramos who seemed to own most of the canoes on tho the river or at least to be the solo sole agent through whom they could be procured and shortly before sunset linn halstead and his companions found themselves seated in a trim looking craft manned by three men one of whom he called the patrone sat in the stern sheets where he passed his time in smoking corn husk cl aritos ari tos and swearing iu in bad spanish at his bis men just as the canoe which was one of the very sst to lea 0 had bc n pushed oft off rom shore and headed up the river a long legged long bearded individual rushed down tho the bank shouting hello there hold on take me aboard ill work ork my passage cassago and pay for it too As celestino the patrone patron was r more than willing to have an additional paying passenger the canoe 1 was p put ut bade back and the stranger sprang sarar S aboard ills his name was thurston but his companions ot of the diggings had nicknamed him thirsty by which designation 1 e had be bec ne known to halt half tho the mining camps of the gold region having after months of core combined success and extravagance g suddenly accumulated several thousand dollars by a lucky strike in mormon gulch he had decided to return to the states to spend ills his wealth in spite of this laudable intention the greater part ot of it had been thrown away in the gaudy gambling houses of san francisco more hall had followed in the similar establishments of panama and at chagres chagares hs he had bad just been relieved of what hall had remained having received this unexpected passenger and celestino having lighted a fresh ei garito the canoe was again headed up the river in a few minutes a bend in its course had hidden bidden chagres chagares from view and as the last rays of the setting sun faded from the ups tips of the tallest palms our adventurers were buried in tho the black shadows of the dense forest that lined the banks on en either side CHAPTER ill III up the chagres chagares river within an hour after the canoe had left chagres chagares Ch agres with its clamor of sound its pestilential odors and its disgusting sights tor for the solemn silence and the purer air of the river the full moon arose converting its watery pathway into a scene of 0 enchantment chant ment the plaintive songs to which tho iho native boatmen kept time with their paddles fitted the time and scene so perfectly that they only served to intensify the wonderful effect the new passenger true to his promise of 0 working his way hal had taken a paddle which he now plied with wilh skilful strokes that rivaled tho the lusty efforts of the natives and prom i ased t to materially shorten the time of 0 their journey journe A the ilia shrill I 1 cries of children a beating ot of drums drum and it a confusion of shout lri ings ciny and laughter denoted their near N approach to galun gatun atun te ten n miles from to chagares chagres Ch agres where jhc re they were to obtain supper and rest tor for a few houis the canoe was beached and climbing the bank to the village our travelers found themselves amid a most extraordinary scene and one without a parallel beyond the limits ot of the I itimus during the first rush of gold seekers to california supper tables monte tables and improvised bars were everywhere to be seen iii llie i 9 A a show lor for a steerage berth on her and 1 ivo 10 got you into the cabin the swells lut cut sheu ehos to out at sunrise and weva geva get to rat in some lively licks to get aboard there being no mall mail to wait for the steamer started almost as soon as they got aboard but two stops were made on 03 tho the voyage one a at san blas bias in mexico and one at monterey then the capital of 0 california although the regular steamers touched at acapulco Ac and san diego in addition to these poi to our friend the two prominent incidents of the ilia voyage wi wro wire re tho the cc coming n aboard at san plas elas of 0 a yo aag girl apparently a mexican or spaniard accompanied by a duenna and the unfolding of a wonderful scheme by thirsty thurston the other incident of 0 tho the voyage which was thirsty thurstons Thurs tons story and the disclosure of a wonderful scheme was of such a startling nature and so nearly concerned our heros fortunes that it must be reserved for another chapter already the rugged sides ot of Tamal pals are rising grandly from tho the sea the golden gate is opening and in a short time the long voyage of tho the storm beaten steamer will be ended and she will lie at anchor in yorba buena cove just off the infant city ol of san francisco 1 CHAPTER V A golden scheme unfolded the story that thirsty thurston told linn halstead alstead II while they were steaming up the pacific coast toward san francisco and the scheme that he unfolded proved so interesting to the two men that the discussion of its ile details tails and possibilities occupied most of their waking hours during the voyage it seemed that a few months previous I 1 to his meeting with linn thurston had been enga engaged gred upon that prospecting tour lour or of the south er era n di diggings that ended in his rich strike at mormon gulch to this neighborhood bad flocked numbers of mexicans between whom and tho the american miners a feeling of the most bitter hostility existed this bitterness of feeling was vas continually breaking out in raids and counter raids and in open quarrels by which lives were frequently lost one of the most successful of the mexican miners was don jose almiro who v was as accumulating a fortune from its his workings when the americans began to come into that part of the country A number of the more lawless spirits among tho the american miners determined to raid the almiro camp upon the pretence predence pre tence that its indians were dangerous to the safety of the rom community in the meantime thirsty thurston out of luck penniless and fever stricken had bad drifted into that region and would have died there but for the hin kindness driess and courteous hospitality of the old mexican gentleman shortly atler after his recovery thurston learned of the contemplated raid upon tho the lexicon camp although nearly twenty miles away and rendering d himself liable to be mistaken for to r a horse thief by the act and as a 3 such shot at sight lie he sprang upon n the back ot of the first saddled animal that came to hand and rode as though tor for life he reached the camp in time to send seed thor the don from it he remained behind and by an exhibition of splendid courage managed unaided to hold the entire hostile party in check a few minutes longer they were precious minutes for don doa almiro and when thurston finally rejoined him he was ia a place of safety the don had been ignorant of the proposed outrage and totally unprepared to resist an attack of the him kind contemplated he almost doubted his friends word that it was to bo be made and would have stayed and braved his enemies had not thurston and several of his devoted servants van ta forced him to fly by so doing they saved its his property and probably his life alar tor for who the raiders inflamed with whisky discovered ds covered that lie he had escaped the them ur they not only destroyed his camp and flume but killed several of his helpless indians threatening to do the same to him it if he be ever returned return eff to that part of the country thurston accepted the dons grateful thanks tor for this service but refused to touch an ounce of 0 the golden reward that was almost forced upon him when thurston had sven seen his friend beyond reach of pursuit he left him and hastened to restore his bis borrowed horse to its owner before serious consequences should result the next meeting of 0 the two men was on the deck of the steamer that was to convey thurston to panama on his way to the states arid and the don to san blas blag on his way to tho the city of mexico As they voyaged together senor almiro again urged upon thurston the acceptance of a substantial reward tor for his timely assistance lie he claimed that the other should share at least halt half of ct the property he had saved irom from the iho raiders upon thurstons Thurs tons persistent refusal to touch a dollar of the dons wealth ano and thurston a bit of parchment upon which was a ruda tracing ile ho said that it if followed from a certain point on the rio nio americano this tracing would out guide its possessor to a depression in the high sierras known as the val doro or golden valley ile he assured the miner that there was not the slightest test doubt cs as to the accuracy of tho the tracing nor in regard to the vast amounts of 0 gold to be discovered within the narrow limits of tho the valley by any one fortunate enough to reach it the only condition he attached to hla his gift was tha tolt thurston should ev |
