late in November we camped on Lynx Creek, and were then within a
half day's travel of our destination.

CHAPTER X.

AT THE SHRINE OF A "SPHINX OF AZTLAN"

Not a drop of rain had fallen on us since we left the Rio Grande, the
days were as summer in a northern climate, but the nights were quite
chill, the effect of an altitude of five thousand feet above sea level.
The country had lost its appearance of loneliness, for we passed
several parties of miners and heard the heavy booming of giant powder
at intervals, and from various directions all through the day.

We were joined by a jolly party of miners who were eager for news and
camped with us over night. There were three men in this outfit.
Keen-looking, hearty old chaps with ruddy faces and gray beards, they
looked like men who are continually prospecting for the "main chance."
I passed a delightful evening in their company. They said they owned
rich silver mines farther up on Lynx Creek, and had come out from town
to perform the annual assessment work on their claims, as prescribed by
the laws of the United States, in order to hold possession and perfect
legal title to the ground. As I was not versed in matters pertaining to
the mines, I asked why they did not work their mines continually for
the silver. They explained that they could not work to good advantage
for lack of transportation facilities which made it very difficult and
costly to bring in machinery for developing their prospects into mines.
Therefore, until the advent of railroads they chose to perform their
annual assessment work only.

Two of these gentlemen were substantial business men and the other was
their confidential secretary or affidavit man. It was his duty to make
an affidavit before a magistrate that his employers had performed the
labor required by law, which is not less than one hundred dollars per
claim and incidentally he cooked for the outfit and attended to the
horses. Of course, they might have hired mine laborers to do this work,
but they said they enjoyed the outing and exercise, especially as this
was the time of house cleaning and they were glad to get away from
home. "Yes," affirmed the affidavit man, "and so are your wives."

These gentlemen rode horses and carried a supply of provisions on a
pack mule. The most conspicuous object of their pack was a keg labelled
"dynamite." When the clerk placed this dangerous thing near the fire
and sat on it, I became fidgety, but