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which gives immortality to conversation。 Capt。 John never suffered the
talk to flag or falter once during the hundred and twenty miles of the
journey。 In addition to his conversational powers； he had one or two
other endowments of a marked character。 One was a singular 〃handiness〃
about doing anything and everything； from laying out a railroad or
organizing a political party； down to sewing on buttons； shoeing a horse；
or setting a broken leg； or a hen。 Another was a spirit of accommodation
that prompted him to take the needs； difficulties and perplexities of
anybody and everybody upon his own shoulders at any and all times； and
dispose of them with admirable facility and alacrityhence he always
managed to find vacant beds in crowded inns； and plenty to eat in the
emptiest larders。 And finally； wherever he met a man； woman or child； in
camp； inn or desert； he either knew such parties personally or had been
acquainted with a relative of the same。 Such another traveling comrade
was never seen before。 I cannot forbear giving a specimen of the way in
which he overcame difficulties。 On the second day out； we arrived； very
tired and hungry； at a poor little inn in the desert； and were told that
the house was full； no provisions on hand； and neither hay nor barley to
spare for the horsesmust move on。 The rest of us wanted to hurry on
while it was yet light； but Capt。 John insisted on stopping awhile。
We dismounted and entered。 There was no welcome for us on any face。
Capt。 John began his blandishments； and within twenty minutes he had
accomplished the following things； viz。： found old acquaintances in three
teamsters； discovered that he used to go to school with the landlord's
mother； recognized his wife as a lady whose life he had saved once in
California； by stopping her runaway horse； mended a child's broken toy
and won the favor of its mother； a guest of the inn； helped the hostler
bleed a horse； and prescribed for another horse that had the 〃heaves〃；
treated the entire party three times at the landlord's bar； produced a
later paper than anybody had seen for a week and sat himself down to read
the news to a deeply interested audience。 The result； summed up； was as
follows： The hostler found plenty of feed for our horses； we had a trout
supper； an exceedingly sociable time after it； good beds to sleep in； and
a surprising breakfast in the morningand when we left； we left lamented
by all！ Capt。 John had some bad traits； but he had some uncommonly
valuable ones to offset them with。
Esmeralda was in many respects another Humboldt； but in a little more
forward state。 The claims we had been paying assessments on were
entirely worthless； and we threw them away。 The principal one cropped
out of the top of a knoll that was fourteen feet high； and the inspired
Board of Directors were running a tunnel under that knoll to strike the
ledge。 The tunnel would have to be seventy feet long； and would then
strike the ledge at the same dept that a shaft twelve feet deep would
have reached！ The Board were living on the 〃assessments。〃 ＇N。B。This
hint comes too late for the enlightenment of New York silver miners； they
have already learned all about this neat trick by experience。＇ The Board
had no desire to strike the ledge； knowing that it was as barren of
silver as a curbstone。 This reminiscence calls to mind Jim Townsend's
tunnel。 He had paid assessments on a mine called the 〃Daley〃 till he was
well…nigh penniless。 Finally an assessment was levied to run a tunnel
two hundred and fifty feet on the Daley； and Townsend went up on the hill
to look into matters。
He found the Daley cropping out of the apex of an exceedingly sharp…
pointed peak； and a couple of men up there 〃facing〃 the proposed tunnel。
Townsend made a calculation。 Then he said to the men：
〃So you have taken a contract to run a tunnel into this hill two hundred
and fifty feet to strike this ledge？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Well； do you know that you have got one of the most expensive and
arduous undertakings before you that was ever conceived by man？〃
〃Why nohow is that？〃
〃Because this hill is only twenty…five feet through from side to side；
and so you have got to build two hundred and twenty…five feet of your
tunnel on trestle…work！〃
The ways of silver mining Boards are exceedingly dark and sinuous。
We took up various claims； and commenced shafts and tunnels on them； but
never finished any of them。 We had to do a certain amount of work on
each to 〃hold〃 it； else other parties could seize our property after the
expiration of ten days。 We were always hunting up new claims and doing a
little work on them and then waiting for a buyerwho never came。 We
never found any ore that would yield more than fifty dollars a ton； and
as the mills charged fifty dollars a ton for working ore and extracting
the silver； our pocket…money melted steadily away and none returned to
take its place。 We lived in a little cabin and cooked for ourselves； and
altogether it was a hard life； though a hopeful onefor we never ceased
to expect fortune and a customer to burst upon us some day。
At last； when flour reached a dollar a pound； and money could not be
borrowed on the best security at less than eight per cent a month （I
being without the security； too）； I abandoned mining and went to milling。
That is to say； I went to work as a common laborer in a quartz mill； at
ten dollars a week and board。
CHAPTER XXXVI。
I had already learned how hard and long and dismal a task it is to burrow
down into the bowels of the earth and get out the coveted ore； and now I
learned that the burrowing was only half the work； and that to get the
silver out of the ore was the dreary and laborious other half of it。
We had to turn out at six in the morning and keep at it till dark。
This mill was a six…stamp affair； driven by steam。 Six tall； upright
rods of iron； as large as a man's ankle； and heavily shod with a mass of
iron and steel at their lower ends； were framed together like a gate； and
these rose and fell； one after the other； in a ponderous dance； in an
iron box called a 〃battery。〃 Each of these rods or stamps weighed six
hundred pounds。 One of us stood by the battery all day long； breaking up
masses of silver…bearing rock with a sledge and shoveling it into the
battery。 The ceaseless dance of the stamps pulverized the rock to
powder； and a stream of water that trickled into the battery turned it to
a creamy paste。 The minutest particles were driven through a fine wire
screen which fitted close around the battery； and were washed into great
tubs warmed by super…heated steamamalgamating pans； they are called。
The mass of pulp in the pans was kept constantly stirred up by revolving
〃mullers。〃 A quantity of quicksilver was kept always in the battery； and
this seized some of the liberated gold and silver particles and held on
to them； quicksilver was shaken in a fine shower into the pans； also；
about every half hour； through a buckskin sack。 Quantities of coarse
salt and sulphate of copper were added； from time to time to assist the
amalgamation by destroying base metals which coated the