This was eight hours after the accident had happened, and they were eight hours of awful mortal agony. As soon as Mooney found words to speak, he related the story in brief, and begged the party to hasten to the assistance of Quinn, who might yet be saved.
They hurried to the spot indicated, and found the unfortunate fellow in the condition already described, with one leg severed from his body, and the other crushed to pieces. He was still alive, and they took him up in their arms to carry him to the slope, but he never reached it alive. He died in the arms of his comrades. Mooney, who is severely wounded, is expected to recover. He played the part of a hero in the unselfish manner in which he risked his own life trying to save his comrade. But such acts are not of rare occurrence among the miners. They are a most unselfish, brave lot of fellows, and will face death in the mine at any time to save one another. The men who met Mooney crawling up the slope were moved to tears, by his haggard, woe-begone, and saddened looks, and say they never saw such a pitiful sight before.
V.
SILVER MINES AND MINING.
ANTIQUITY OF SILVER.—REAL ESTATE AND SLAVE PURCHASES IN BIBLICAL TIMES.—SOLOMON AND HIS SILVER SPECULATIONS.—ABUNDANCE OF SILVER AMONG THE ANCIENTS.—THE EARLIEST MINES.—ORIENTAL EXAGGERATION.—SPANISH MINES AND THEIR HISTORY.—MEXICAN MINES.—A NONDESCRIPT ANIMAL.—NOVEL WAY OF OBTAINING A PIGSKIN.—PERU AND ITS SILVER.—A HIGH-TONED CITY.—ARIZONA.—BEAUTIES OF ARIZONA CIVILIZATION.—MINES OF UTAH AND NEVADA.—SAD RESULTS OF A SPECULATION.
One of the most important of the precious metals is that known as silver. The ancients were familiar with it, and from very early periods it has been a common medium of exchange, and is used as such among all nations who recognize a metallic currency. It is one of the metals mentioned in the Old Testament, reference being made to it as constituting, among other things, the riches of Abraham. Abraham made a real estate transaction by purchasing the field of Ephron for four hundred shekels of silver. Twenty-nine pieces of silver were paid for Joseph at the time his brothers disposed of him and gave a bill of sale; and throughout the Scriptures there are many other references made to the same metal.
