Capt.  McKee asked where Clear creek was.

Col.  Bent said, “Ask Will.  He can tell you better than I can, for he has trapped all over that country.”

I told the Capt. that Clear creek was about ten miles north of Cherry creek on the north side of Platte river and I said, “Capt., if Russel’s gulch is up on the head of Clear creek, you could not get there this winter with horses, for at this time in the year the snow is from two to ten feet deep, and it is the coldest country you ever struck, and your Texas boys and yourself too would freeze to death before you got half way to the mines.”

The Capt. asked Col.  Bent if he had any idea how many miners there were up in the Russel’s gulch mines.

He answered, “Yes, I saw them when they started on their prospecting trip, and there are six of them.  There were seven, but one came back and went back to his home in Georgia.

“Green Russel was the leader, and the mine was given his name.  I expect there will be a great stampede from the east especially from Georgia next spring, for the gold excitement always spreads like fire in dry grass.”

Capt.  McKee said, “Well, I believe I will go there anyway and see what there is in it.  I can live there as cheaply as I can anywhere.  There is plenty of game there, is there not?” he said, turning to me.

I said, “Yes, there is plenty of game all around the Platte river and Cherry creek, but if you go there, I advise you not to go further than the mouth of Cherry creek this winter.  There is a grove of timber there that you can make your camp in, and you could put up a shack to protect you from the weather.”

The Capt. and his company pulled out the second day after this talk, but it was very plain to be seen that the whole company was much discouraged in regard to the gold mines.

As they were leaving the Fort, I said to Capt.  McKee, “When you come back in the spring, Capt., I hope I shall hear you tell about the grand success you have had in panning gold on Cherry creek this winter.”

He said, “If there is any gold to be found in that country, I shall find it.  That is what I came out here to do.”

As soon as the mining company had gone, Col.  Bent said to me, “Will, do you want to go and trade with the Indians for me now, or have you caught the gold fever too?”

I answered, “Col.  I have not had the gold fever as yet, and I do not think there is any danger of my catching it, so I am ready to go to work for you trading with the Indians.”

Col.  Bent laughed and said, “If you haven’t got the fever now, Will, I will bet your best hors, that you will catch it bad when the rush for the mines comes in the spring.”

At that time I had no idea there would be any rush for the gold mines, for I thought the excitement would die out before spring, because so many had been disappointed in the fall, but in this I was mistaken, for by the first of May they commenced to come to the Fort on their way to the mines, and by the first of June one could see the trains stringing along for miles, and what was very amusing to me, when I asked them where they were going, they invariably answered, “Pike’s Peak.”