492 CHANNELS NEAR DEADWOOD AND MICHIGAN BLUFF. 
defined channel with a heavy fall running in an easterly direction. This channel evidently could 
not have held this course, however, for any great distance towards the summit of the range; but 
probably bent rapidly around to the north and west over the basin of Sailor Cafion to a larger 
stream running somewhere over the present cafon of the North Fork of the American. a 
It is very possible, though by no means certain, that the Basin channel at the Devil’s Basin 
above Deadwood, and near the trail from there to Last Chance, may be a continuation of 
same channel as that upon which is located the Slab claim, on the opposite side of the rive 
below Last Chance. This channel appears to enter the Basin ridge at the point where the 
descending from its crest towards the river, meets the bed-rock, and to run at first for sever al 
hundred feet southwesterly, and then more nearly south, for a distance of some 1,700 or rf 800° 
feet altogether to where it meets the Basin tunnel. At this point it seems to make a pretty 
sharp bend to the west, and continue thence in a general course about 8. 70° W. (magnetic) 
some 2,500 feet, or as far as worked in the Basin tunnel. Beyond this point it is uncertain — 
whether it continues the same course, passing under the head of Black Cafion, and so on throug 7 
the ridge beyond towards Deadwood, or whether it bends sharply again to the south, and con- 
tinues under the Basin ridge in a direction nearly south (magnetic) for half a mile or more to. 
the upper end of the Reed mine. Mr. Reed thinks the latter will prove to be the fact. But I } 
consider it in the absence of further proof nearly an even chance one way or the other. & we 
whether the Reed mine be upon the same channel as the Basin claim or not, there can be 
little doubt that the Rattlesnake claim is upon a continuation of the Reed mine channel, and ; 
is either the main channel itself or a branch of the same. If the Reed mine connects with 
Basin channel, then the Rattlesnake will be only a branch; but if not, it is probably the main 
channel. From the point at which the Rattlesnake and the Basin channels will unite if they A 
prove to be branches of the same, the channel in the Reed mine runs first some 2,000 feet, 
about N. 85° W. (magnetic), then some 1,400 or 1,500 feet about S. 35° W. (magnetic), to 
lower end of the workings in Reed’s mine. Within the four or five hundred feet yet left unwor. 
between here and the upper end of Hornby’s mine it seems to bend rapidly again to the w 
and to hold a course of about S. 80° W. (magnetic) till nearly under the town of Deadwood, wh 
it again curves to the south, its course in the lower part of Hornby’s mine being about 8. 35° W._ 
The length of Hornby’s workings on this channel is some 1,500 feet. Immediately below : 
mouth of Hornby’s mine this channel appears to have crossed the heads of some little gulch 
which now run southerly to the North Fork of the Middle Fork near Bogus Thunder, — and 
portion of it seems to have been carried away. But it is believed that the same channel re-ente ers 
the main spur a little farther southwest and passes through it, coming out on the northwest 
towards El Dorado Caiion at the Cobb claim, a little to the southwest of the trail from Dead- 
wood to Michigan Bluff. 
There are evidently fragments of two or three other channels at and about Deadwood, w 
were probably well defined at one time in the surface of the bed-rock. But this is the onk 
which can now be traced with any certainty for any considerable distance. And yet, whe 
tunnels have been driven, the surface of the bed-rock beneath the volcanic capping has al 
been found worn smooth by water, and almost always there is more or less metamorphic g g 
upon it. 
It is believed by some that Weske’s mine in the Michigan Bluff divide is upon the conti 
tion of the Reed mine channel. But, though this is certainly among the possibilities, 
think the probabilities are against it. 
It is difficult to say whence came the great mass of auriferous gravel at Michigan Bluff ‘The 
heavy banks of deep gravel, however, which still exist in the spurs flanking the main ridge ont 
west side of El Dorado Cajion for several miles above Michigan Bluff, would seem to indicat 
probable existence here in the gravel period of a considerable stream whose general course - 
these few miles at least — was nearly parallel with the present caiion. But this series of h 
banks appears to terminate at Gas Hill; the claims above that point being only tunnel-cl 
