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What the devil does a man want with any more feet when he owns in
the invincible bomb…proof 〃Monitor〃？
There is much more of this； and other such letters； most of them ending
with demands for money。 The living； the tools； the blasting…powder； and
the help eat it up faster than Orion's salary can grow。
〃Send me 50 or 100； all you can spare； put away 150 subject to my
callwe shall need it soon for the tunnel。〃 The letters are full of
such admonition； and Orion； more insane； if anything； than his brother；
is scraping his dollars and pennies together to keep the mines going。 He
is constantly warned to buy no claims on his own account and promises
faithfully； but cannot resist now and then when luring baits are laid
before him； though such ventures invariably result in violent and profane
protests from Aurora。
〃The pick and shovel are the only claims I have any confidence in now；〃
the miner concludes； after one fierce outburst。 〃My back is sore； and my
hands are blistered with handling them to…day。〃
But even the pick and shovel did not inspire confidence a little later。
He writes that the work goes slowly； very slowly； but that they still
hope to strike it some day。 〃Butif we strike it richI've lost my
guess； that's all。〃 Then he adds： 〃Couldn't go on the hill to…day。 It
snowed。 It always snows here； I expect〃； and the final heart…sick line；
〃Don't you suppose they have pretty much quit writing at home？〃
This is midsummer； and snow still interferes with the work。 One feels
the dreary uselessness of the quest。
Yet resolution did not wholly die； or even enthusiasm。 These things were
as recurrent as new prospects； which were plentiful enough。 In a still
subsequent letter he declares that he will never look upon his mother's
face again； or his sister's； or get married； or revisit the 〃Banner
State；〃 until he is a rich man； though there is less assurance than
desperation in the words。
In 'Roughing It' the author tells us that； when flour had reached one
dollar a pound and he could no longer get the dollar； he abandoned mining
and went to milling 〃as a common laborer in a quartz…mill at ten dollars
a week。〃 This statement requires modification。 It was not entirely for
the money that he undertook the laborious task of washing 〃riffles〃 and
〃screening tailings。〃 The money was welcome enough； no doubt； but the
greater purpose was to learn refining； so that when his mines developed
he could establish his own mill and personally superintend the work。 It
is like him to wish us to believe that he was obliged to give up being a
mining magnate to become a laborer in a quartz…mill； for there is a grim
humor in the confession。 That he abandoned the milling experiment at the
end of a week is a true statement。 He got a violent cold in the damp
place； and came near getting salivated； he says in a letter； 〃working in
the quicksilver and chemicals。 I hardly think I shall try the experiment
again。 It is a confining business； and I will not be confined for love
or money。〃
As recreation after this trying experience； Higbie took him on a tour；
prospecting for the traditional 〃Cement Mine；〃 a lost claim where； in a
deposit of cement rock； gold nuggets were said to be as thick as raisins
in a fruitcake。 They did not find the mine； but they visited Mono Lake
that ghastly； lifeless alkali sea among the hills； which in 'Roughing It'
he has so vividly pictured。 It was good to get away from the stress of
things； and they repeated the experiment。 They made a walking trip to
Yosemite； carrying their packs； camping and fishing in that far；
tremendous isolation； which in those days few human beings had ever
visited at all。 Such trips furnished a delicious respite from the
fevered struggle around tunnel and shaft。 Amid mountain…peaks and giant
forests and by tumbling falls the quest for gold hardly seemed worth
while。 More than once that summer he went alone into the wilderness to
find his balance and to get away entirely from humankind。
XXXVI
LAST MINING DAYS
It was late in July when he wrote：
If I do not forget it； I will send you； per next mail； a pinch of
decom。 （decomposed rock） which I pinched with thumb and finger from
Wide West ledge a while ago。 Raish and I have secured 200 out of a
company with 400 ft。 in it； which perhaps （the ledge； I mean） is a
spur from the W。 W。our shaft is about 100 ft。 from the W。 W。
shaft。 In order to get in； we agreed to sink 30 ft。 We have sublet
to another man for 50 ft。； and we pay for powder and sharpening
tools。
This was the 〃Blind Lead〃 claim of Roughing It； but the episode as set
down in that book is somewhat dramatized。 It is quite true that he
visited and nursed Captain Nye while Higbie was off following the
〃Cement〃 'ignus fatuus' and that the 〃Wide West〃 holdings were forfeited
through neglect。 But if the loss was regarded as a heavy one； the
letters fail to show it。 It is a matter of dispute to…day whether or not
the claim was ever of any value。 A well…known California author ＇Ella
Sterling Cummins； author of The Story of the Files； etc＇ declares：
No one need to fear that he ran any chance of being a millionaire
through the 〃Wide West〃 mine； for the writer； as a child； played
over that historic spot and saw only a shut…down mill and desolate
hole in the ground to mark the spot where over…hopeful men had sunk
thousands and thousands； that they never recovered。
The 〃Blind Lead〃 episode； as related； is presumably a tale of what might
have happeneda possibility rather than an actuality。 It is vividly
true in atmosphere； however； and forms a strong and natural climax for
closing the mining episode； while the literary privilege warrants any
liberties he may have taken for art's sake。
In reality the close of his mining career was not sudden and spectacular；
it was a lingering close； a reluctant and gradual surrender。 The 〃Josh〃
letters to the Enterprise had awakened at least a measure of interest；
and Orion had not failed to identify their author when any promising
occasion offered； as a result certain tentative overtures had been made
for similar material。 Orion eagerly communicated such chances； for the
money situation was becoming a desperate one。 A letter from the Aurora
miner written near the end of July presents the situation very fully。 An
extract or two will be sufficient：
My debts are greater than I thought forI bought 25 worth of
clothing and sent 25 to Higbie； in the cement diggings。 I owe
about 45 or 50； and have got about 45 in my pocket。 But how in
the hl I am going to live on something over 100 until October or
November is singular。 The fact is； I must have something to do； and
that shortly； too。。。。 Now write to the Sacramento Union folks； or
to Marsh； and tell them I'll write as many letters a week as they
want for 10 a week。 My board must be paid。 Tell them I have
corresponded with the N。 Orleans Crescent and other papersand the
Enterprise。
If they want letters from herewho'll run from