housed, or as well provided with the necessaries of
life, as the winter previously; yet they did not suffer so as to
endanger health, by either hunger or cold, and their greatest
discomfort arose from the want of vegetable food and salt. For the last
article they had searched in vain, and had come to the conclusion that
there were no saline beds within many miles of them. Jones and Cole
never grew tired of listening to their account of the hidden wealth
they had discovered, and they would spend days speculating on the best
plan of opening a communication with the districts containing the
golden prize.

"I would have kept the urn," said Cole, "if a whole legion of Indians
had been at my back."

"Perhaps not," said Jones. "I myself have seen the time when gold was a
burthen."

"The time you shot the boulder!" remarked Cole, laughing.

"Laugh as you will," said Jones; "that was a lucky shot if it was an
almost fatal one."

"What is it?" they all asked, seeing there was more than Jones felt
disposed to tell.

"Why," said Jones, "when among the gold mines on the other side of the
mountain we were not satisfied with the flakes of gold in the sand, and
supposed, of course, that there was a solid bed of it somewhere up the
river, from which it was washed down by the constant action of the
waters. As we proceeded along the river the ground became more rugged
until it led us into a cluster of hills and precipices jumbled up
together. Entering a narrow ravine we soon came to a curious looking
place with smooth sides standing perpendicularly, about twenty feet
apart, which was gradually contracted to within two feet, leaving the
end narrow and jagged. We soon saw there was ore in it, and on
examining closely we discovered places where large blocks of the
precious metal had been torn from its bed, with the marks of the mining
tools still plainly visible. Looking around us we picked up among the
loose pieces on the ground some lumps of pure gold, which were among
the specimens we carried home."

"Yes, yes; that is all very well, and very true," said Cole, "but it is
not all; tell the rest."

"They will not believe it if I do. They never did in the States, so
what is the use of it?" said Jones.

"We have seen such wonderful things ourselves that we are prepared for
anything," said the trapper.

"He may if he chooses," said Jones, pointing to Cole. "I shall not, it
is of no use."

"The narrow place," said Cole, "where w