By J. Ross Browne
I descended several of these shafts rather to oblige my friend, the Judge, than to satisfy any curiosity I had on the subject myself. This thing of being dropped down two hundred feet into the bowels of the earth in wooden buckets, and hoisted out by blind horses attached to “whims,” may be very amusing to read about, but I have enjoyed pleasanter modes of locomotion. There was one shaft in particular that left an indelible impression upon my mind—so much so, indeed, that I am astonished every hair in my head is not quite gray. It was in the San Antonia, a mine in which the Judge held an interest in connection with a worthy Norwegian by the name of Jansen. As I had traveled in Norway, Jansen was enthusiastic in his devotion to my enjoyment—declared he would go down with me himself and show me everything worth seeing—even to the lower level just opened. While I was attempting to frame an excuse the honest Norwegian had lighted a couple of candles, given directions to one of the “boys” to look out for the old blind horse attached to the “whim” and now stood ready at the mouth of the shaft to guide me into the subterranean regions.
“Mr. Jansen,” said I, looking with horror at the rickety wooden bucket and the flimsy little rope that was to hold us suspended between the surface of the earth and eternity, “is that rope strong?”
“Well, I think it’s strong enough to hold us,” replied Jansen; “it carries a ton of ore. We don’t weigh a ton, I guess.”
“But the bucket looks fearfully battered. And who can vouch that the old horse won’t run away and let us down by the run?”
“Oh, sir, he’s used to it. That horse never runs. You see, he’s fast asleep now. He sleeps all along on the down turn. It’s the up turn that gets him.”
“Mr. Jansen,” said I, “all that may be true; but suppose the bucket should catch and drop us out?”
“Well, sometimes it catches; but nobody’s been hurt bad yet; one man fell fifteen feet perpendicular. He lit on the top of his head.”
“Wasn’t he killed?”
“No; he was only stunned a little. There was a buzzing about among his brains for a few days after; he’s at work down below now, as well as ever.”