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Although the palmy days of the "diggin's" are no more, yet the finder of a "pocket" these days seems not a whit wiser than in the days when "pockets" more frequently rewarded the patient prospector than they do now; and at Newcastle a station near the old-time mining camps of Ophir and Gold Hill I hear of a man who lately struck a "pocket," out of which he dug forty thousand dollars; and forthwith proceeded to imitate his reckless predecessors by going down to 'Frisco and entering upon a career of protracted sprees and debauchery that cut short his earthly career in less than six months, and wafted his riotous spirit to where there are no more forty thousand dollar pockets, and no more 'Friscos in which to squander it.
Whereupon he ordered whiskey from a waiter. "But I couldn't stand by and see him strike a woman," I defended. "Wall, fists mean guns, in these diggin's. Where you from?" "Albany, New York State." "I sized you up as a pilgrim. You haven't been long in camp, either, have you?" "No. But plenty long enough," I miserably replied. "Long enough to be plucked, eh?" We had drunk the whiskey.
It took them but a minute to have Jack's guess verified, for there was a winch, with the rope of the anchor attached; all that would be necessary was to start winding and by main strength the anchor must be hauled out of the mud and lifted to the vessel's bow, there to hang until needed again. "No use of our stickin' 'round these diggin's any longer, partner," Perk suggested.
Frank hastened away, and soon after returned with the balance, thirteen pounds, which, as Douglas observed when they began supper, was the nucleus of their future fortune; while Joe remarked that "he didn't know wot nooklius wos, but if it meant the beginnin' of their fortin, it wasn't a big un, as things went at the diggin's."
And the diggin's were already full of men ready to work for their keep-at least, they say so," Salaman added. Not only in the great cities is human flesh and blood held cheaper than that of the brutes. Even in the off season, when dogs was down, Nig could get his dollar a day, but his masters couldn't get fifty cents.
"They're a mizzable pack of shotes, an' I b'leeve they'd all leave the camp fur a few ounces." "Ye es," drawled the judge, dubiously; "but thar's the Widder Ginneys she'd pan out a pretty good schoolroom-full with her eight young uns, an' there ain't ounces enough in the diggin's to make her leave while Tom Ginneys's coffin's roostin' under the rocks."
"You've been there, in the flapjack country, I suppose," invited Mr. Adams. "Have I, stranger? Wall, I should shout! I was one of the fust into the diggin's after Jim Marshall discivvered color. Fact is, I'm jest down from thar now, only stoppin' hyar at Woodchuck's Delight to rest my feet. They've got rheumatiz powerful bad, wadin' in the water so much."
"The woods are full of game, berries, roots, and fish. If you know anything of woodcraft you can't starve." "An' sh-sh-sure Tomlin's Diggin's isn't far far off straight f-f-fornint you," said Flinders, going close up to his friends, and whispering, "Kape round by Bevan's Gully. You'll be " "Come, none of your whisperin' together!" shouted Stalker.
As they hustled up, the miner was greeted right and left. "Hello, Eph. What's your hurry?" "Injuns after you?" "What's the news from yonder?" "Thought you'd left the country." "How are things at your diggin's?" "Cleaned up your pile already?" "By the way you're travelin' you must have made a strike, or else you're after grub!" "Strike!" growled Eph. "You bet thar is, an' somethin' to pay, too.
Buffle looked sheepish, and shook himself. "That feller can outhug a grizzly," said he. "Boys," he continued, "that chap's been buckin' agin luck sence he's been in the diggin's, an' is clean busted.
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