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days, the  party  of  which  he  was  a  member  had  wan- dered about through  the  snow-covered  mountains, searching for  they  knew  not  what,  and  going  they knew not  where. The party  had  about  fifteen  mules, all heavily  packed  with  provisions,  and  although  the snow on  the  mountains  was  very  deep,  yet  it  was  cov- ered with a  firm  crust,  which  rarely  broke  beneath the feet  of  the  animals. One da}^  however,  the  crust did break — and  such  a  break  1  In  the  twinklinsj;  of  an eye,  seven  of  the  mules  were  engulfed  and  swept  out of sight  by  a  roaring  mountain  river,  which  had  been completely arched  over  by  the  snow,  and  entirely  un- observable until  the  crust  was  broken. Our hero  was on the  very  brink  of  this  frightful  chasm,  and  had barely time  to  back  out  and  save  his  bacon. The most singular part  of  the  matter  was,  that  no  trace  of  the seven mules  was  ever  found."

All through  the  summer  of  1850,  the  miners  of Antoine  canon,  and  along  down  the  north-middle branch of  the  American  river,  were  in  a  flutter  of  ex- citement regarding the  Ohio  diggings. They were  of fabulous  richness,  and  inexhaustible;  but  where  were they ? Party after  party  went  out  in  search  of  them, and returned  unsuccessful. As often  as  one  failed, another was  ready  to  adventure ;  earnings  which were of  worth  only  as  they  might  bring  increase. Thus time  and  opportunity  slipped  from  the  fingers  of hundreds  who  mio-ht  thence  date  their  downfall. The cause of  this  excitement  was  the  arrival  at  Antoine canon of  five  men  who  said  they  were  from  Ohio,  and who brought  into  camp  a  heavy  load  of  gold  dust. When questioned  as  to  the  place  whence  they  had  ob- tained it, they  became  mysterious,  put  their  fingers  to their  noses,  and  smiled  sardonically. Presently the men went  their  way. They were  tracked  to  Sacra- mento, and there  seen  to  take  the  steamboat  for  San Francisco ; hence  it  was  certain  they  had  not  returned to their  mine. Evidently they  intended  only  to  un- load, and returning  to  secure  another  harvest,  did  not