Devil's Canyon

by Ralph Compton

  “Leave that to the rest of us,” said Dallas. “You, Josh, and Isaac continue blasting.”

  “I believe that’s a worthy suggestion,” Levi Collins said. “When the canvas is up, we’ll continue the search for firewood.”

  So Isaac and Josh capped and fused another case of dynamite, and with the explosive in their saddlebags, they returned to the scene of the blasting. Dallas and Collins lined up the first and second wagons side by side, a dozen feet apart, their sides facing west. Shanghai and Tarno brought wagons three and four into a similar position. With all four in a line, canvas was stretched from the bows of one wagon to the bows of the next, secured with rawhide thongs. Finished, there was adequate shelter between wagons one and two, two and three, and three and four. On the outside of the fourth wagon—facing west—canvas was secured to the wagon box, stretched tight, and pegged to the ground. It would be an effective windbreak as well as protection from blowing snow.

  “That’s about all we can do,” said Dallas, “but it’s helped us survive blizzards on the plains in Kansas, where there wasn’t a hill, or even a rock.”

  “It’s a touch of genius,” Felix said. “Who came up with the idea?”

  “Faro, mostly,” said Dallas. “Freighting ain’t a fair-weather business. To survive, you can’t let an occasional blizzard discourage you.”

  “I suppose not,” Collins said, “but there’s the melted snow, the rain, then the mud.”

  “Yeah,” said Tarno. “We been suggestin’ that Faro come up with a way to beat that, but so far he ain’t done a damn thing.”

  By the time the rest of the outfit had prepared for the expected storm, there had been two more explosions upriver.

  “It’s looking better than I expected,” Isaac said, as he viewed the results of the last explosion. “A lot of the rock is near the surface, and we’re already below that. I believe we’ll make better progress from here on.”

  “Maybe we should increase the charge,” said Josh.

  “Eventually,” Isaac said, “but let’s continue the way we’re going for at least today, so that we know we’re through most of the rock.”

  “We should have time to fire another four charges by noon,” said Faro. “Then it’ll be time for grub.”

  “I expect we’d better make good use of this afternoon,” Isaac said, “from the looks of those clouds.”

  “I expect you’re right,” said Faro. “If I’m any judge, there’ll be snow sometime tonight or early tomorrow.”

  They fired four more charges, exhausting their supply of dynamite, and rode back to camp for the noon meal. After erecting the shelters, the rest of the outfit had been busily chopping wood, and there were piles of it beneath each of the wagons.

  “We got more than enough wood to see us through the storm,” Dallas said, “so we just went ahead and chopped a bunch of it firewood length. It’s hell, choppin’ with your hands half froze, and this time we shouldn’t have to.”

  “Bueno,” said Faro. “Every once in a while, you use your head for something besides a place to hang your hat.”

  The meal finished, Faro, Isaac, and Josh took another case of dynamite and continued blasting, while the rest of the outfit began dragging in more logs for firewood. Long before sundown, the sun disappeared behind the gray storm clouds gathering in the west, feathering the sky with crimson. The wind grew colder.

  “One more charge,” Isaac said, “and we’ll give it up until after the storm.”

  When they reached the wagons, the rest of the outfit had just dragged in more logs for firewood.

  “Hang it up until after the storm,” said Faro. “Everybody deserves some rest.”

  Felix and Mamie had devoted one of the canvas-enclosed shelters to a cooking area, and there was still plenty of room for them all to gather and eat. It would serve as an all-night rendezvous for the men on watch, with a warm fire and plenty of hot coffee. After supper, Isaac spoke of the progress of the channel between the river and Devil’s Canyon.

  “I think maybe another week, and we’ll break through.”

  “That’s if we don’t end up neck-deep in snow,” said Tarno.

  “We won’t let that slow us up,” Faro said. “When the storm blows itself out, we’ll break trail for the horses, shovel the snow out of our way, and get on with the blasting.”

  “Excellent,” said Collins.

  Nothing more was said, for supper was ready and everybody was hungry. Since there was little graze, the horse and mules would have to be fed grain, and the lot of them had been secured in a nearby rope corral. They were down to last cups of coffee, when Faro spoke.

  “The usual watch, unless there are wolves. If the varmints show up, nobody sleeps. Unless wolves come, those of us on watch shouldn’t have to go out into the storm, for we can see the horses and mules from here. For their sake, let’s build another fire—a big one—outside the wagon enclosure, nearer the animals. Snow or not, we won’t have to tend it more than two or three times during the night.”

  “A commendable idea,” Collins said. “Without horses and mules, our cause is lost.”

  The snow began an hour after dark, borne in on a howling wind. With Collins, Felix, Tarno, and Dallas taking the first watch, the rest of the outfit retired to another of the wagon shelters and rolled in their blankets. With all the first watch gathered in the same area, there was little opportunity for Mamie and Felix to talk, but Mamie remained with them, nodding occasionally. After a while, all conversation lagged, and the men contented themselves with hot coffee. At midnight, Faro, Shanghai, Isaac, and Josh took over for the second watch. The storm continued to roar, and only by Faro’s pocket watch were they able to determine when the dawn came. There was already hot coffee, but a second pot was put on the fire, as Felix and Mamie began breakfast.

  “Everybody not involved with cookin’ breakfast gets to help me fill feed bags and feed the horses and mules,” Faro said.

  The animals had their backs to the storm, and seemed grateful for the grain, but the force of the wind threatened to rip the bags from the numbed hands of the men. Finally they were able to return to the shelter for more hot coffee.

  “This may be the worst storm yet,” Tarno said. “Last one was a mite short.”

  “It won’t matter,” said Faro. “When it’s done, we’ll start the blasting.”

  “Then we might have all the ore we can haul, and be ready to start for Santa Fe by the last of April,” Collins said.

  “That may be good or it may not be so good,” said Felix. “Suppose it’s a rich strike, and we have to leave most of it behind?”

  “I’ve considered that,” Collins replied, “but our deal called for Faro and his outfit to freight in supplies and take out loads of ore. Beyond that, I don’t know.”

  “But that was before we owned half the claim,” said Dallas. “If we came in here once, we can do it again.”

  “That’s my thoughts, too,” Faro said, “but I won’t draft anybody. It would have to be strictly voluntary.”

  “Then consider me volunteered,” said Dallas.

  “Me, too,” Shanghai and Tarno said, in a single voice.

  Collins laughed. “I don’t see how we could do any better than that.”

  “I do,” said Felix Blackburn. “It’s not my style to hunker in town and spend money. I find the freighting business appealing, and I’m thinking of investing in some wagons of my own. Every man of us can drive a wagon, which means we can bring three more the next time.”

  “If you feel that strong,” Faro said, “why don’t you just throw in with us? We can’t promise you a bed of roses, but I can promise you that you’ll never be bored. In years to come, Santa Fe will be booming, and until there’s a railroad, they’ll be depending on our wagons and others like them.”

  “I think I’d like that,” said Felix. “From what I’ve seen of the four of you, I like your style.”

  “No more than I do,” Isaac Puckett said. “Is this a closed game, or
can I play?”

  “You’re in, if that’s what you want,” said Faro. “In fact, I think all of you’ve proven yourselves men who can be depended on.”

  “I wouldn’t be opposed to such an alliance,” Levi Collins said. “I must say that I have learned a lot, and I have nothing but admiration for you men and your knowledge of the frontier. I believe this is a challenge I would welcome.”

  “Bueno,” said Faro. “There’s a chance, then, that we can do our own freighting from here to Santa Fe, without risking the hiring of outsiders. Josh, where do you stand?”

  “With the rest of you,” Snyder said. “I’d rather wear out than rust out.”

  “Storm and all,” said Faro, “this is a good day.”

  “I agree,” Collins said, “and after all we’ve been through together, I can’t see anything but good coming of this.”

  “I’m so glad,” said Mamie. “I think of all of you as family.”

  * * *

  The day wore on and the storm continued, and not until sometime during the second night did it appear to be subsiding.

  “The wind’s not quite so fierce,” Faro said. “This one may be winding down.”

  “I think so,” said Shanghai. “It don’t seem quite as cold.”

  “Before there’s another storm, we’ll have the river diverted and permanent shelter set up,” said Isaac.

  By dawn the snow had ceased, and by noon the clouds had cleared, making way for the sun. It shone on a blinding white mass as far as the eye could see. The horses and mules stood belly-deep in it, the snow answering their need for water.

  “The drifts aren’t so deep along the riverbank,” Faro said. “I think we should take shovels and a case of dynamite and go on with the blasting.”

  “I’m game if you are,” said Josh.

  “So am I,” Felix said.

  “That doesn’t seem fair to the three of you, while the rest of us sit here by the fire, doing nothing,” said Collins.

  “I don’t know what you could do that would make it go any faster,” Faro said. “Isaac and Josh are doing the blasting, and they don’t have all that much need for me. I reckon I can help break trail.”

  “We won’t be exactly wasting our time,” said Dallas. “Just because we haven’t heard wolves don’t mean there’s none around. When the snow gets deep, they always go huntin’ grub, and we’ll need to keep watch over our horses and mules.”

  So Isaac took another case of dynamite from one of the wagons, and Josh joined him in capping and fusing the explosive. With Faro leading out, the three of them set out along the riverbank. Mostly they led their horses, going ahead and breaking trail. Each of them carried a shovel, and there were times when they were forced to shovel their way through heavy drifts. It took them more than an hour to reach their position, and then they had to shovel snow from the channel they had begun blasting. They were again working their way from the canyon rim to the river, and their first charge was encouraging.

  “It’s blowing deeper,” said Isaac. “I think it’s time we increased the charge.”

  He added a fifth stick of dynamite to the next charge, with a marked improvement in the results.

  “It made a considerable difference,” Josh said, “but we won’t have enough dynamite to last more than a couple of hours.”

  “Don’t let that bother you,” said Faro. “I’ll ride back for another case of it.”

  Faro returned to the wagons, taking the case of dynamite, along with enough caps and fuse. Before he returned, there were two more explosions.

  “We made some progress while you were gone,” Isaac said. “The stronger charge will probably finish this in two or three more days.”

  “Bueno,” said Faro. “Instead of ridin’ back for grub, let’s just use up the rest of this dynamite and call it a day. It’ll be almighty cold up here, late in the afternoon.”

  Well before they had finished, the wind rose. The sun sank below western peaks, and the cold seemed all the more intense, as Josh lighted the fuse to the last charge.

  “Well,” Isaac said, following the explosion, “do we go back and have a look, or wait until tomorrow?”

  “Let’s wait until tomorrow,” said Faro. “My feet are so numb, I don’t know if my toes are still there or not.”

  “I agree,” Josh said. “We could have set by the fire and lost two or three days, waitin’ for it to warm up, but we didn’t. I feel like we’re ahead by that much.”

  “That’s how you have to think on the frontier,” said Faro. “Never put off anything until tomorrow, because you’re likely to have a whole new set of problems by then, piled up right on top of the old ones.”

  When they reached the wagons, Felix, Shanghai, and Tarno took their horses.

  “We’ll unsaddle and rub them down,” Tarno said. “Get some hot coffee and get next to the fire.”

  “We saved you some food,” said Mamie, “if you don’t think it’ll spoil your supper.”

  “We’ll risk it,” Faro said.

  The three of them sat cross-legged before the fire, drinking hot coffee and eating. By the time they had finished, Felix, Tarno, and Shanghai had returned. Isaac then reported their progress.

  “Wonderful,” said Collins. “The three of you are to be commended for fighting your way through the snow to continue your work.”

  “We aim to get an early start in the morning,” Faro said. “It’s bearable with the sun, but later in the day, when the wind picks up, it’s almighty cold.”

  The following morning, Faro removed two cases of dynamite from one of the wagons, and when it had been capped and fused, Faro, Isaac, and Josh set out for their day’s work.

  “Without more snow, it’ll be some easier going today,” Faro predicted. “The trail we broke yesterday should be enough.”

  And it was. They were able to remain mounted until it was time to cross the river, and there, because of the steep banks, they had to lead their horses.

  “We made some progress with that one,” said Isaac, viewing their last blast of the day before. “Since we brought enough dynamite, let’s increase our charge to six sticks. If it’s not all that much improved, then we can go back to five.”

  But their first blast using a heavier charge encouraged them to continue it, and when they had exhausted their supply of dynamite, they observed the deepening channel with satisfaction.

  “Maybe another ten feet,” Isaac said, “and we can blast through to the river.”

  * * *

  The following day, after a third day of sun, the snow began to melt and the once cold wind turned almost balmy. Again Faro, Isaac, and Josh took two cases of dynamite, setting the heavier charge, and by the end of the day, Isaac judged the end of the channel next to Devil’s Canyon had reached the desired depth.

  “Now all we must do is reach that same depth all the way to the river,” Isaac said.

  “I figure another three days,” said Josh.

  Faro said nothing, preferring to wait and see.

  * * *

  With the melting of the snow, Dallas and his companions took to snaking in more logs for firewood. Once they had an enormous pile, they attacked it with axes, chopping it into convenient lengths.

  “My God,” said Felix, rubbing his blistered hands, “instead of a teamster I’m beginning to feel like a wood chopper who does a little hauling just once in a while.”

  Shanghai laughed. “In the winter months, that’s what most teamsterin’ consists of, just tryin’ to keep from freezin’ to death.”

  * * *

  Finally the day came when the channel between the Sevier River and Devil’s Canyon had been blasted deep enough and far enough that only half a dozen feet separated the river and the canyon.

  “One more blast ought to send the river through to the canyon,” said Isaac.

  “Good,” Josh said. “We have enough dynamite for one more charge.”

  “Then let’s set it off and see what happens,” said Faro. “We’v
e waited long enough.”

  The blast seemed to shake the earth, and before the excited trio could reach the scene, there were three shots from a Winchester, downriver.

  “There must be trouble at camp,” Josh said.

  “I doubt it,” said Faro. “I think they’re tellin’ us we’ve been successful.”

  When they reached the scene of the blast, the channel on which they had worked for so long was full of rushing water, and there was the sound of a waterfall as it poured into Devil’s Canyon. Eagerly they ran to the riverbank, where the original bed now contained only puddles of water.

  “Very little mud,” said Isaac. “It looks like solid rock.”

  “God Almighty,” Josh said, “I hope it ain’t like that all the way, with the gold underneath it.”

  “So do I,” said Isaac. “We still have plenty of dynamite, but not that much.”

  Chapter 18

  Triumphantly Faro, Isaac, and Josh rode back to camp. There, with the exception of Felix and Dallas, they found the rest of the outfit gathered along the riverbank. Felix and Dallas, armed with picks and shovels and using lariats, had lowered themselves down to the riverbed.

  “All right,” Faro shouted, “what’s the verdict?”

  “It’s not solid rock,” said Felix, “but we haven’t found any gold yet.”

  “Don’t tell us that,” Isaac said, “after all this work. Why don’t you go back to where we found the first ore?”

  “We’re just testin’ the riverbed to see how solid it is,” said Felix. “I think we’ll need to let it dry for a couple of days. By then, we should be able to bring the wagons down.”

  “By then,” Faro said, “maybe we’ll have found a place to get them down the bank.”

  “We’ll begin that project tomorrow,” said Isaac, “and I expect we’ll have to level the bank with picks, shovels, and maybe dynamite.”

  “Then let’s celebrate with an early supper and a good night’s rest,” Collins suggested.

  Much of the snow had melted, and the cold wind that had plagued them daily since the storm had subsided. While Felix and Mamie prepared supper, the rest of the outfit filled feed bags for the horses and mules.