For Brian

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Barlee 1970s

I had been out over two months and found myself running short of grub. I had lived mostly on fresh meat for one cant carry much of a pack in those hills. I found a few very promising ledges and colors in the little creeks but nothing I cared to stay with. I had almost made up my mind to light out the next day. I climbed up to the top of a sharp ridge and looked down into the canyon or valley about one mile and a half long, and what struck me as singular, it appeared to have no outlet for the little creek that flowed at the bottom. Afterwards I found that the creek entered a ---------- and was lost. After some difficulty I found my way down to the creek. The water was almost white, the formation for the most part had been slate and granite, but there I found a kind of schist and slate formation. Now comes the interesting part. I had only a small prospecting pan but I found colors at once right on the surface, and such colors they were. I knew then that I had struck it right at last. In going up stream I came to a place where the bedrock was bare, and there, you could hardly believe me, the bedrock was yellow with gold. Some of the nuggets was as big as walnuts and there were many chunks carrying quartz. After sizing it up, I saw there was millions stowed around in the little cracks. On account of the weight I buried part of the gold at the foot of a large tent shaped rock facing the creek. You cant miss it. There is a mark cut out in it. Taking with me what I supposed to be ten thousand dollars (in gold) but afterwards it proved to be a little over eight thousand dollars. After three days hard travelling, it would not have been over two days good going, but the way was rough and I was not feeling well, I arrived at the Lake and while resting there was taken sick and have never since been able to return, and now I fear I never shall. I am alone in the world, no relatives, no one to look after me for anything. Of course I have never spoken of this find during all this time for fear of it being discovered. It has caused me many anxious hours, but the place is so well guarded by surrounding ridges and mountains that it should not be found for many years, unless someone knew of it being there. 0, how I wish I could go with you to show you this wonderful place, for I cannot give you any exact directions, and it may Lake a year or more to find. Dont give up but keep at it and you will be repaid beyond your wildest dreams. I believe any further directions would only tend to confuse it, so I will only suggest further that you go alone or at least only take one or two trusty Indians to pack food and no one need know but that you are going on a hunting trip until you find the place and get everything for yourself. When you find it and I am sure you will, should you care to see me, advertise in the 'Frisco Examr.,’ I and if I am living I will either come to see you, or let you know where to find me, but once more I say to you, dont fail to look this great property up and dont give up until you find it.
Now good bye and may success attend you.
Yours truly, W. Jackson

The Sunday Province August 9, 1925

E.L Purkins The Sunday Province August 9, 1925

Note: In later stories Jackson took over Shotwell’s role and visa versa.

Shotwell’s last letter told of the deposit in the San Francisco mint of the gold he had carried out as the result of his season’s operations. But it told more. That was but half of the gold he washed from the wonderful treasure house he had discovered. Unable to carry it all, Shotwell said, he had buried as much as he brought out. His shovel, pick and pan and such camping outfit as he did not require for his trip out to civilization had been buried along the sack of gold, “under a tent-shaped rock, in a valley overlooked by three mountain peaks standing close together.” Full directions were contained in the letter telling how to make the journey in from the head of Pitt Lake to the point where the “golden cache” was buried. Then further directions how to find the ground which Shotwell had worked during the summer. His crude diggings, his equally crude and primitive sluice, boxes, and dump of waste gravel would tell the seeker when he had arrived at the new goldfield. That was all.

Province – Saturday Magazine

Jack Mahony, Province – Saturday Magazine – June 30, 1939
[Hugh Murray] After reaching the headwaters of Pitt Lake, I discharged my two native guides and set out into the mountains … I had been out about two months and finding myself short of grub, I decided to turn back. I climbed to the top of a sharp ridge and looked down into a little valley or canyon. With some difficulty, I reached the little creek lying in the valley. Now comes the interesting part … I had only a small prospector’s pan. But I found colours immediately on the surface. Such colours they were. I knew I had struck it rich … In going up the little creek I came to a place where the bedrock was bare. Here I gathered gold by the handful. Some pieces as large as walnuts. I sized up the little creek. There was millions stored in it. I found later that the creek flows into a ___ and is lost. Now the doctor has told me that my heart is badly affected and that I am liable to drop any time. Don’t give it up, Mr. Shotwell, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. Don’t give it up.

Standard Montreal 20 November 1939

C V Tench, Standard Montreal 20 November 1939
[Hugh Murray's copy] After reaching the headwaters of Pitt Lake I discharged my two native guides and headed out into the mountains. I had been out about two months when, my health seriously affected by short rations, I decided to turn back. I climbed to the top of a sharp ridge to get my bearings and found myself looking down into a little valley or canyon I had not seen previously. With some difficulty, I reached the little creek lying in the valley. Now comes the interesting part. I had only a prospector’s small pan, but I found colors immediately. I knew I had struck it rich. In going up the creek I came to a place where the bedrock is bare. Here I gathered gold by the handful, some pieces as large as walnuts. I sized up the creek and learned that beyond all doubt I had found Slummock’s Lost Creek Mine. I traced the course of the creek to where it flows into a subterranean tunnel and is lost. I then packed out all the gold I could carry. When I sold it in Frisco it brought me close to ten thousand dollars. “Now the doctor had told me that I am liable to go at any time. “Don’t give up, Shotwell. You will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. Don’t give up.”