70 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



long chance, and Hecla will certainly be left in lurch 

 unless Calumet can pay back something, which seems 

 improbable as she cannot save herself. You have now 

 in your possession all papers necessary, Cost Sheets to 

 April 1, Estimates of April and May, Product in Ingot 

 total, and I cannot figure out of it except another $5 

 assessment on both, and where money is to come from 

 God only knows. 



I thought you had best be prepared for worst as soon 

 as possible ; we cannot escape out of this mess except to 

 pay out continually, and if this infernal roller business 

 don't swamp Calumet also, you may thank your stars. I 

 feel perfectly frantic and so helpless, no tools to do any- 

 thing, no machinery on which any dependence can be 

 placed, nobody on ground or in country who has any 

 idea what can be done with rollers and what is best 

 way of running. The time, expense, fussing it takes to 

 get Hodge's machinery in running order is fearful; 

 nothing fits, and when all has to be sent to Hancock 

 when anything is awry, it is an awful waste of time and 

 money which no gold mine could afford. You can see 

 yourself how it works. Nearly two months since I came, 

 and we are no nearer our aim for Hecla than at first. 



It seems hard after all our hopes to be brought to 

 this pass ; it is no use to try to figure out of it and at- 

 tempt to whip the devil round the stump. We must have 

 funds to go ahead, and if that cannot be obtained by 

 assessments, why raise it on mortgage on Hecla and Cal- 

 umet, say five years' time, and you are safe ; but it is 

 now a case of money or burst on both of them, and if 

 it is burst the sooner we know it the better. I get per- 

 fectly furious here all alone, to be here entirely left to 

 my wits and counsel, and at a distance of a month at 



