Chapter II: Preface

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I have put all I had to say into the body of this book; but, being informed that a preface is a necessary evil, I have written this one.

THE AUTHOR.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.[A]

——————●——————

PAGE.
GOLD HILL FRONTISPIECE
1. CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA MINE do.
2. KIT CARSON 21
3. “OLD VIRGINIA” AND HIS ROCKER 28
4. TEE PRINCESS SARAH WINNEMUCCA 30
5. JACOB JOB’S LITTLE GAME 31
6. GOLD DIGGINGS IN 1859 44
7. COMSTOCK DISCOVERING SILVER 50
8. AN ARASTRA 58
9. NAMING VIRGINIA CITY 58
10. EUREKA MILLS CARSON RIVER 67
11. COMSTOCK’S AFFINITY 76
12. RETURN OF COMSTOCK’S WIFE 76
13. H. T. P. COMSTOCK 85
14. THE HAPPY BREAKFAST 92
15. O’RILEY AND HIS GUN 97
16. GUIDED BY SPIRITS 98
17. ENCOURAGED BY REVELATIONS 101
18. THE LAST BLAST 101
19. BOUND FOR WASHOE 103
20. D—N WASHOE 103
21. BUSINESS 105
22. GOOD MORNING 107
23. GOING IN 108
24. CHANGE OF MIND 108
25. COMING BACK 108
26. BUSTIN’ THE INJUNCTION 110
27. SAVAGES 126
28. TIMBERING THE MINES 137
29. “HOLD UP YOUR HANDS” 151
30. A BONANZA OF BEEF 151
31. HOISTING WORKS 165
32. THREE FAMOUS MINES 167
33. WASTE ROCK DUMPS OF THE CHOLLAR-POTOSI, SAVAGE, 171
HALE, AND NORCROSS MINES
34. THE BURNING MINE 180
35. OFFICE OF THE CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA MINES 190
36. ACCIDENTS IN THE MINES 203
37. THE PILGRIM’S LODGINGS 213
38. VIRGINIA CITY 214
39. MISS VIRGINIA TILTON 217
40. COUNTRY AND CITY 220
41. DUMP-PILES OF HALE AND NORCROSS MINES 223
42. WOOD AND WATER 227
43. RHODE ISLAND MILL GOLD HILL 222
44. RESIDENCE OF HON J. P. JONES 222
45. GOLD HILL LOOKING NORTH 237
46. LUMBERING ON LAKE TAHOE 241
47. CAPTURE OF PERKINS 251
48. EXECUTION OF PERKINS 251
49. INDIAN HUNTER AND SQUAWS 261
50. WINNEMUCCA—CHIEF OF THE PIUTES 267
51. PRINCE NATCHEZ 270
52. THE STORY OF THE CAVE 275
53. SHRIMPS 285
54. AN INDIAN ENCAMPMENT 291
55. GRINDING AXES 295
56. CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA HOISTING WORKS 299
57. HOISTING CAGE 300
58. HOISTING CARS AND CAGES IN SILVER MINES 305
59. DIAGRAM SHOWING HEIGHT OF MINES 325
60. MERRIMAC MILL, CARSON RIVER 333
61. LOADING SILVER ORE CONSOLIDATED VIRGINIA MINES 337
62. FIRST QUARTZ MINE IN NEVADA 342
63. QUARTZ MILL—AMALGAMATING ROOM 342
64. HOISTING WORKS 349
65. THE TRIAL OF SKILL 363
66. THE SCARED BULLY 379
67. “THE HEATHEN CHINEE” 389
68. SCANNING THE BULLETIN 403
69. FUNNY INCIDENTS 408
70. THE SECRET 411
71. VIEWS AT LAKE TAHOE 414
72. NICK-OF-THE-WOODS 416
73. HANK MONK 416
74. DONNER LAKE 422
75. SUMMIT OF THE SIERRAS 422
76. WINTER AMONG THE MOUNTAINS 424
77. SONG OF THE HONEST MINER 433
78. AT WORK AND AT HOME 441
79. MINERS’ UNION HALL 441
80. THE HOTTEST PLACE 449
81. MINERS’ BATTLES 455
82. SURROUNDINGS 477
83. THE MISSING WELL BOTTOM 503
84. THE MAN-EATER 508
85. JOHN MACKEY 516
86. HON. WM. SHARON 520
87. JAMES G. FAIR 524
88. CAPT. SAMUEL CURTIS 527
89. HON. J. P. JONES 531
90. THE SLAPJACK FEAT 538
91. THE STORY OF PIKE AND TOM 549

CHAPTER I.

THE FIRST SETTLERS IN NEVADA.

Facts and Fiction—How the Rivers are Lost—Unwelcome
Visitors—The Washoes—Taking in the Pilgrims. 17

CHAPTER II.

THE SEARCH FOR GOLD.

“Washing”—Celestials at the Diggings—Original
Papers—Primitive Amusements—Jacob Job’s little Game—A
Delusion and a Snare. 26

CHAPTER III.

ADVENTURES OF EARLY PROSPECTORS.

The Mysterious Brothers—What was found in a Shaft—Pike’s
Great Discovery—“Stuff they Make Compasses of”—Wonderful
travelling Stones. 33

CHAPTER IV.

WHAT THEY DISCOVERED.

“That Blasted Blue Stuff”—“Old Pancake”—A Discovery—John
Bishop’s Story—Unearthly Treasure. 39

CHAPTER V.

Discovery of the Great Comstock—What they threw Away—Old
Pancake Arrives—Questionable Rights—Sold and
“Sold”—Locking up “Old Virginia.” 47

CHAPTER VI.

THE DISCOVER OF SILVER.

“Old Pancake’s” Weakness—Naming the town—An Astounding
Disclosure—Going to the Diggings—A Grand Discovery. 55

CHAPTER VII.

REMINISCENCES OF EARLY MINING-DAYS.

The Old Record Book—Strange Notices—Curious Houses—A Modern
Robinson Crusoe—Before the World—Mills and Arastras. 61

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FATE OF DISCOVERERS.
Thieves in the Camp—An Unpleasant Joke—Sales of Mining
Property—Smelting on a Small Scale—What they Got from the
Furnaces. 70

CHAPTER IX.

COMSTOCK’S MATRIMONY.

“Old Pancake” Courting—Catching a Runaway Wife—Women and
Mischief—Always the Same—Winnie and his Wife—Seeking a New
Bonanza. 77

CHAPTER X.

COMSTOCK’S LETTER.

“Old Pancake’s” Story—Roughing It—The Fate of Old
Virginia—Ole Comstock Dead—A Man who drank but Little. 82

CHAPTER XI.

OLD VIRGINIA AND HIS STORIES.

Prospecting for a dinner—A Skunk Story—O’Riley’s Mistake—A
Duel: Curious Consequences—Flight of the Victor—O’Riley
and his Gun. 89

CHAPTER XII.

MISLED BY THE SPIRITS.

The Great Oil-Tank—An Untapped Reservoir—Going in and Coming
out—Experiences of those who Stayed—Approach of
Spring—“Zephyrs” and Avalanches—A Rather long Night—Queer
Incidents 100

CHAPTER XIII.

EARLY MINING.

“Bring out your Injunction”—Testing Ores for Gold—Testing
Ores for Silver—A Fire Assay—Valuable Donkeys—The Washoe
“Canary” 109

CHAPTER XIV.

MIGRATION ON A LARGE SCALE.

The Migratory Instinct—The Piute War—Battle of Pyramid
Lake—Second Expedition—The Survivors of the Slaughter 116

CHAPTER XV.

TROUBLE WITH THE INDIANS.

An Unlucky Dutchman—Skirmishing—An Appeal to Indian
Justice—After the Scalps—Old Gus, and his “Injun.” 121

CHAPTER XVI.

STATE OF SOCIETY.

Organization Begun—In Search of the Gold—Fighting Sam
Brown—The Knife and the Pistol—Pugnacious Periods. 128

CHAPTER XVII.

EARLY COMSTOCK MINING OPERATIONS.

In the Heart of the Bonanza—Inside the Mine—Extraordinary
Experiments—“Process Peddlers” and their Devices—The Value
of Tailings—Neat way of making Rings—Waste of Gold and
Silver 133

CHAPTER XVIII.

LOSS OF THE PRECIOUS METALS.

Floating Treasure—Where the Quicksilver Goes—An Unanswered
Question—Floating Away 143

CHAPTER XIX.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF THE TERRITORY.

Footpads on the “Divide”—Attacking a Dutchman—Mysterious
Disappearances—Search for the Missing—A Bonanza of
Beef—Where did they go to? 146

CHAPTER XX.

THE MOUNTAIN REGION OF NEVADA.

Providing for his Friends—The Sierra Nevada Mountains—The
Ascent of Mount Davidson—An Eclipse—Going Back to the
City—A Majestic Scene. 154

CHAPTER XXI.

THE SIERRAS.

How the Fissures were Formed—Formation of Quartz and
Ores—How the Comstock Vein was Found—Disagreeable
“Pinching”—Never Discouraged. 160

CHAPTER XXII.

BONANZA AND BORRASCA.

Sales of Stock—A Day’s Vicissitudes—Speculations—An
Infallible Maxim—Mr. Frank’s Devices—_Nada Bonanza_. 165

CHAPTER XXIII.

HOW THE MINES ARE WORKED.

Hoisting the “Giraffe”—Deserted Shafts—Perilous Ways and
Dark Places—What they saw in the Night—Rather
Astonished—Poisoned. 170

CHAPTER XXIV.

FIREDAMP.—A MINE IN FLAMES.
Yellow-Jacket Mine in a Blaze—A Scene of Horror—The Victims
Subduing the Flames—The Work of Destruction—Scenes at the
Mouth of the Shaft—On Fire for three Years—Missing Men. 176

CHAPTER XXV.

DEATH IN THE MINE.

Explosions of Firedamp—How Gas is formed in the
Mines—Searching for the Dead—What the Giant-powder Did—The
Inquest, and the Dead—Carelessness of the Miners. 186

CHAPTER XXVI.

DESTRUCTION OF THE BELCHER SHAFT.

Progress of the Flames—Descending the Burning Shaft—Danger—A
Cave in the Mine—Deluge of Fire—Courage of the Men—Still
Burning—A Warm Comparison—The Centre of the Earth. 191

CHAPTER XXVII.

WAR IN THE MINE.

Smoking out the Enemy—The Early days of Washoe—Amiable
Miners—The Kossuth and the Alhambra—Causes of Fear—A
Little Mischief—Burnt Rags. 197

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.

The Adventures of Four Miners—Fixed—A Struggle for
Life—Dangerous Playthings—Exploding with a Scratch—Those
little Copper Cylinders—Loss of Noses and Thumbs. 201

CHAPTER XXIX.

MINING FATALITIES.

Tumbling down Two Thousand Feet—Blown to Atoms—A Singular
Accident—Automatic Safety—Origin of Accidents—The Pilgrim
in a Coffin—Shuffling out the “Corpse”. 208

CHAPTER XXX.

TOWNS OF THE BIG BONANZA.

The First-born of Virginia City—A Comical
Newspaper-Office—Growing like Mushrooms—A little
Picture—Among the Rubbish-Dumps—Big Loads—“See for
Yourselves.” 215

CHAPTER XXXI.

RAILROAD LINES.

Travelling in a Circle—Through the Six Tunnels—Crooked
Roads—Side-tracks and Other Devices—The Way the Iron Horse
Goes—The Men on the Line—Timed by Telegraph. 227

CHAPTER XXXII.

AN ENGINEERING TRIUMPH.

Spring Business—Tapping the Hills—Dams Constructed—What Mr.
Shussler Did—The Big Water-Pipe—Testing the Siphon—Great
Rejoicings—The Work Completed. 231

CHAPTER XXXIII.

HOW WOOD IS CUT IN THE SIERRAS.

The Forests of the Mountains—A Daring Leap—The Rafts on Lake
Tahoe—Descending the Flumes—Vanishing Forests—Coal
Deposits of Nevada. 238

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE “SIX HUNDRED AND ONE.”

A Mysterious Society—Afraid—Led forth to Death—The fate of
Perkins—“Another Man Gone”—Kirk’s Fate—Venturing too
Far—“You see he Stayed.” 247

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE WASHOE ZEPHYR.

An Unpleasant Breeze—“Sleep no More”—A Jackass on the
Wing—Weird Scenes—The Artist’s Soul—Light and
Shade—Mountain Scenery—The Giants of the Sierras. 255

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE RED PROPRIETORS.

The Piutes and the other Reds—A Strange Pair—Old
Winnemucca—The Woman who made the Indians—The Indians’
Ancestress—The Piute Brave—Big Injuns. 259

CHAPTER XXXVII.

WINNEMUCCA AND HIS BRAVES.

On the War-path—An Interview with the Chief—A White
Indian—Captain Truckee—John’s Funeral Oration—The
“Princess.” Sarah. 266

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

SKETCHES OF INDIAN LIFE.

Juan’s Spanish Speculation—The Devil’s Visit to
Earth—Cooking the Sage—What was It?—Piute Theology—_Poco
Tiempo_—“Plenty Old”—Jim and his Ducks. 272

CHAPTER XXXIX.

CONCERNING “LO” AND HIS FAMILY.

A Little Warrior in a Fix—Only a Shrimp—Piutes in Virginia
City—The Lord and His Lady—How the Little Ones Came—The
Early Settler—Adam and Eve—A Model Parent—An Important
Occasion—Sam’s Theft. 282

CHAPTER XL.

A VISIT TO THE MINES.

Above Ground—Suspicious Attacks—How the Cage is Worked—Great
Responsibility—Cages, Reels, and Cables—Comical Disguises. 293

CHAPTER XLI.

DESCENDING IN THE SAFETY-CAGE.

Our Conductor—Downward—Unpleasant Possibilities—Safety—A
Blessed Inventor—The Price of Stock—Vasquez and His
Friends—The Carman. 301

CHAPTER XLII.

BELOW THE SURFACE.

Tumbling down a Chute—Timbering a Mine—Taking Samples—What
the “Giraffe” can Carry—Gnomes of the
Mine—Troglodytes—What is “Sumpf?” 310

CHAPTER XLIII.

CURIOSITIES OF VENTILATION.

Draughts and Drifts—Machinery of the Lower-Levels—Southward
Currents—Use of Compressed Air—Industrious little Engines. 317

CHAPTER XLIV.

UNDERGROUND BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS.

Changing Shifts—A Shift-Boss’s Report—Useful Items—Modern
Troglodytes—Shirtless but Hot—Fights and Factions. 322

CHAPTER XLV.

GHOST-HAUNTED SHAFTS.

Rats—Unwelcome Visitors—Chasing the Ghost—Cornered. 329

CHAPTER XLVI.

EXTRACTING SILVER FROM THE ORE.

The Reduction-Works—Working the Machinery—The
Batteries—Preparing the Ore—The Amalgamating-Room—Two
Processes. 336

CHAPTER XLVII.

ASSAYS OF THE SILVER BULLION.

How Quicksilver Vanishes—Charging the Retorts—Ladling out
the Molten Silver—How Assays are Made—Results. 346

CHAPTER XLVIII.

SALOON-BIRDS.

Big Eaters—Recognizing Murphy—A Nice Little Supper—What he
Did with his Gun—“A Devil of a Time”—“A Nice Agreeable
Gentleman.” 354

CHAPTER XLIX.

SOME VERY QUEER CUSTOMERS.

A trifling Accident—Blazer and His Friends—A Little
Misunderstanding—“Couldn’t Drink Alone”—“I’ll bring in the
Rabble”—The Deacon Sent For—Resurrection!—“Awful big
Gooses.” 362

CHAPTER L.

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS.

A Fuddled Pillar—Philosophical Advice—“Don’t Git Married
Afferd”— Mr. Jones’s Guest—The War-hoss of the
Hills—Something of a Fighter—Beating a Retreat—“Jim Carter
or the Devil.” 371

CHAPTER LI.

THE “HEATHEN CHINEE.”

A Strange Mixture of Duties—Wicked Mongolian Tricks—’Melican
and Chinaman Compared—A Ghostly Difference—Restless
Spirits. 382

CHAPTER LII.

CHINESE OPIUM-DENS.

How they Smoke the Drug—Babel—Street-Scenes in Virginia
City—Voices of the People—Hard Cash—The Grasshopper Man. 388

CHAPTER LIII.

HOW FORTUNES ARE MADE AND LOST.

Bulls and Bears—Doings of the Brokers—On a Margin—“Pussy-Cat
Wilde” and “Bobtaile”—Going Up!—Dealers and Dabblers. 397

CHAPTER LIV.

CURIOUS SPECULATIONS IN STOCK.

Old Joe’s Disaster—A New Excitement—Sharp Doings—“The
Greatest Buy on the Lead”—A Lady’s Speculation. 405

CHAPTER LV.

HOLIDAYS AND FUN.

Romantic Scenery—A Curious Freak of Nature—Lake Tahoe—Hank
Monk—He Couldn’t tell a Lie—Practical Joking—The Summit. 413

CHAPTER LVI.

TERRIBLE STORY OF THE DONNERS.

Donner Lake—Lost in the Snow—A Horrible Scene—What became of
the Donners—The Sulphur Springs—The Golden State. 420

CHAPTER LVII.

TRACES OF THE TRICKSY MINER.

A Neat little Game—What Doubting Thomas Found—“Doctoring” a
Tape-line—Devices of an Honest Man—What a Stockholder
Found. 427

CHAPTER LVIII.

THE PARADISE OF BOGUS MINERS.

“Me Ketch um There”—Doings of the Roving Miner—The “Goddess
of Poverty”—The Bully Honest Miner. 432

CHAPTER LIX.

PAY-DAY AT THE MINES.

Among the Employés—Miners’ Union—Labor and Capital—A Heavy
Pay-list—Where the Money Goes to—“Steamer Day.” 439

CHAPTER LX.

THE HOTTEST PLACE IN THE MINE.

Secrecy—“Booming” Stock—Adventures of a French Count—Left in
the Dark—Making it Hot for Him—Rescued—Polite to the Last. 446

CHAPTER LXI.

UNDERGROUND BATTLES.

The Beginning of Trouble—The Contest—“Fighting Interests.” 454

CHAPTER LXII.

THE WEALTH OF THE WORLD.

Mines of Ancient Days—The Yield of American Mines—Humboldt’s
Curious Calculations—Varied Fortunes—The Plum in the
Pudding—Value of the Different Levels—Searching in the
Dark. 461

CHAPTER LXIII.

FLUCTUATIONS OF FORTUNE.

The Comstock Mines—Hidden Treasure—A Great Sensation—The
Excitement Increases—Panic—A Millionaire’s Advice. 460

CHAPTER LXIV.

THE RICHEST SPOT IN THE WORLD.

The Grand Gallery—Glittering Caverns—The World’s Greatest
Treasure-Store—“Ventilation”—A “Horse” in the Mine. 479

CHAPTER LXV.

AGGREGATED WEALTH.

A Fortune in one Foot—Future Prospects—What Yet
Remains—Undiscovered Bonanza—Figures before Facts—Facts
After Figures—Distribution of the Wealth—Its Influence. 487

CHAPTER LXVI.

CONCERNING VENTILATION.

Too hot for Comfort—Blowers—Down Deep—The Sutro Tunnel. 496

CHAPTER LXVII.

BELOW THE WATER-DEPOSITS.

Deeper than a Well—Bottom Dropped Out—Creeping
Propensities—A Skull Discovered—An Unlucky Slip. 501

CHAPTER LXVIII.

SOME INTERESTING CREATURES.

Carson City—Lizards and Scorpions—A Pleasing Insect—A Wicked
way of Laying Eggs—Another Agreeable Insect. 509

CHAPTER LXIX.

MILLIONAIRE PROPRIETORS.

Mr. John Mackey—The Hon. William Sharon—How his Fortune was
Made—Mr. James C. Fair—Mr. Samuel S. Curtis—The Hon. J. P.
Jones—A Big Business. 517

CHAPTER LXX.

FUN AND FROLIC.

A Secret Expedition—Bitten by a Snake—All a Mistake—Camping
Out— Manufacture of Slapjacks—“It never came Down.” 533

CHAPTER LXXI.

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PROSPECTING.

Off for the Land of Gold—Something in his Boot—Afraid of
Tom—Tom’s Intentions—Pike Outwitted—Left Behind. 540

CHAPTER LXXII.

THE COMICAL STORY OF PIKE.

Tom Sings—The Joke Successful—Pike Vanishes—A Pretty Big
Story—Doubtful Dreams—Self-deceived—Our Journey’s End. 547