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His friends contracted the mining mania； Bob Howland and Raish Phillips
went down to Aurora and acquired 〃feet〃 in mini…claims and wrote him
enthusiastic letters。 With Captain Nye； the governor's brother； he
visited them and was presented with an interest which permitted him to
contribute an assessment every now and then toward the development of the
mine； but his enthusiasm still languished。
He was interested more in the native riches above ground than in those
concealed under it。 He had heard that the timber around Lake Bigler
（Tahoe） promised vast wealth which could be had for the asking。 The lake
itself and the adjacent mountains were said to be beautiful beyond the
dream of art。 He decided to locate a timber claim on its shores。
He made the trip afoot with a young Ohio lad； John Kinney； and the
account of this trip as set down in 'Roughing It' is one of the best
things in the book。 The lake proved all they had expectedmore than
they expected； it was a veritable habitation of the gods； with its
delicious； winy atmosphere； its vast colonnades of pines； its measureless
depths of water； so clear that to drift on it was like floating high
aloft in mid…nothingness。 They staked out a timber claim and made a
semblance of fencing it and of building a habitation； to comply with the
law； but their chief employment was a complete abandonment to the quiet
luxury of that dim solitude： wandering among the trees； lounging along
the shore； or drifting on that transparent； insubstantial sea。 They did
not sleep in their house； he says：
〃It never occurred to us； for one thing； and； besides； it was built to
hold the ground； and that was enough。 We did not wish to strain it。〃
They lived by their camp…fire on the borders of the lake； and one dayit
was just at nightfallit got away from them； fired the forest； and
destroyed their fence and habitation。 His picture in 'Roughing It' of
the superb night spectacle； the mighty mountain conflagration reflected
in the waters of the lake； is splendidly vivid。 The reader may wish to
compare it with this extract from a letter written to Pamela at the time。
The level ranks of flame were relieved at intervals by the standard…
bearers； as we called the tall； dead trees； wrapped in fire； and
waving their blazing banners a hundred feet in the air。 Then we
could turn from the scene to the lake； and see every branch and leaf
and cataract of flame upon its banks perfectly reflected； as in a
gleaming； fiery mirror。 The mighty roaring of the conflagration；
together with our solitary and somewhat unsafe position （for there
was no one within six miles of us）； rendered the scene very
impressive。 Occasionally one of us would remove his pipe from his
mouth and say； 〃Superb； magnificent！beautifullbutby the Lord
God Almighty； if we attempt to sleep in this little patch to…night；
we'll never live till morning！〃
This is good writing too； but it lacks the fancy and the choice of
phrasing which would develop later。 The fire ended their first excursion
to Tahoe； but they made others and located other claimsclaims in which
the 〃folks at home； 〃Mr。 Moffett； James Lampton； and others； were
included。 It was the same James Lampton who would one day serve as a
model for Colonel Sellers。 Evidently Samuel Clemens had a good opinion
of his business capacity in that earlier day； for he writes：
This is just the country for cousin Jim to live in。 I don't believe
it would take him six months to make 100；000 here if he had 3；000
to commence with。 I suppose he can't leave his family； though。
Further along in the same letter his own overflowing Seller's optimism
develops。
Orion and I have confidence enough in this country to think that if
the war lets us alone we can make Mr。 Moffett rich without its ever
costing him a cent or a particle of trouble。
This letter bears date of October 25th； and from it we gather that a
certain interest in mining claims had by this time developed。
We have got about 1；650 feet of mining ground； and； if it proves
good； Mr。 Moffett's name will go in； and if not I can get 〃feet〃 for
him in the spring。
You see； Pamela； the trouble does not consist in getting mining
groundfor there is plenty enoughbut the money to work it with
after you get it。
He refers to Pamela's two little children； his niece Annie and Baby Sam；
＇Samuel E。 Moffett； in later life a well…known journalist and editor。＇…
… and promises to enter claims for themtimber claims probablyfor he
was by no means sanguine as yet concerning the mines。 That was a long
time ago。 Tahoe land is sold by the lot； now； to summer residents。
Those claims would have been riches to…day； but they were all abandoned
presently； forgotten in the delirium which goes only with the pursuit of
precious ores。
XXXIII
THE PROSPECTOR
It was not until early winter that Samuel Clemens got the real mining
infection。 Everybody had it by that time； the miracle is that he had not
fallen an earlier victim。 The wildest stories of sudden fortune were in
the air； some of them undoubtedly true。 Men had gone to bed paupers； on
the verge of starvation； and awakened to find themselves millionaires。
Others had sold for a song claims that had been suddenly found to be
fairly stuffed with precious ores。 Cart…loads of brickssilver and
golddaily drove through the streets。
In the midst of these things reports came from the newly opened Humboldt
regionflamed up with a radiance that was fairly blinding。 The papers
declared that Humboldt County 〃was the richest mineral region on God's
footstool。〃 The mountains were said to be literally bursting with gold
and silver。 A correspondent of the daily Territorial Enterprise fairly
wallowed in rhetoric； yet found words inadequate to paint the measureless
wealth of the Humboldt mines。 No wonder those not already mad speedily
became so。 No wonder Samuel Clemens； with his natural tendency to
speculative optimism； yielded to the epidemic and became as 〃frenzied as
the craziest。〃 The air to him suddenly began to shimmer； all his
thoughts were of 〃leads〃 and 〃ledges〃 and 〃veins〃； all his clouds had
silver linings； all his dreams were of gold。 He joined an expedition at
once； he reproached himself bitterly for not having started earlier。
Hurry was the word！ We wasted no time。 Our party consisted of four
personsa blacksmith sixty years of age； two young lawyers； and
myself。 We bought a wagon and two miserable old horses。 We put
1；800 pounds of provisions and mining tools in the wagon and drove
out of Carson on a chilly December afternoon。
In a letter to his mother he states that besides provisions and mining
tools； their load consisted of certain luxuries viz。； ten pounds of
killikinick； Watts's Hymns； fourteen decks of cards； Dombey and Son； a
cribbage…board； one small keg of lager…beer； and the 〃Carmina Sacra。〃
The two young lawyers were A。 W。（Gus） Oliver （Oliphant in 'Roughing It'）；
and W。 H。 Clagget。 Sam Clemens had known Billy Clagget as a l