Goldfield, Nevada · 1905
Dig by day.
Deal by night.
Crack the ore, walk it under the burro's pole, wash it down the sluice, pan out the color and pour it into a bar. Then take your poke to the saloon and see what the night thinks of it.
Your camp keeps working while you're away. Come back to tins on the shelf and gold in the pot.
By day
From rock to bar,
every grain is yours.
Every flake you see in the rock is the flake you pan. Nothing is rolled behind your back: the gold you break out is the gold you pour.
IBreak the rockSwing the pick. The ledge gives up its ore a bag at a time.
IIGrind itThe burro walks the arrastra. Ore goes in, pulp comes out.
IIIWash itDown the sluice. The riffles keep the heavy stuff.
IVPan itSwirl until the black sand parts and the color shows.
VFill the pokeDust and nuggets, weighed to the grain.
VIPour a barInto the crucible, onto the mould, strike it, sell it.The camp
Build a camp that works while you sleep.
- A burro, then a horse, to walk the arrastra's sweep.
- A stamp mill that pounds ore day and night.
- A shaking table that cleans your tins, and a windmill that keeps the barrel full.
- A shaft, candlelight, and a crew on contract to bring the ore up.
- Riffles that catch more of the gold that tries to wash away.
The saloon · opening soon
Then the lamps come on.
- Texas hold'em against five regulars who all think they're the best in Esmeralda County.
- The Liberty Bell, and a penny poker machine with five drums of cards.
- A barmaid who pours a stiff one and has an opinion about your luck.
- Whiskey. You will see double. It is supposed to do that.
Gone a while?
The burro keeps walking, the sluice keeps washing, the table keeps shaking. A note at the fire tells you what happened while you were gone.
No dice behind your back
The rock decides what it holds. Every piece of gold travels from the ledge to the bar, and you watch it go.
Plays right here
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