This treasure story takes place halfway between Enderby an Armstrong, B.C. where three draws run across the valley from the road. One of these draws leads to the Lost Polson Mine. After the spring runoff for something like 20 years this man Polson would disappear into the hills by way of one or the other of those three valleys and no one would see or hear of him again until he reappeared in town late in the fall with gold to the tune of about $10,000.
Evidently, although he would never disclose its location, Polson was not adverse to talking about his mine, especially in dissuading would-be partners trying to get in on the deal. On such occasions he described the project as strictly a one-man operation, just a short strip of pay in the bed of a small side creek, that the average man could easily pan out in a season. While there was plenty for one, he insisted there would never be enough to divide, at least not ’til he found the motherlode.
That there was a rich motherlode in the vicinity, Polson was certain, his friends agreed. Working the creek above the deposit yielded nothing, leading to the conclusion that the gold must be washed in from the side at that point, and, since he could take out all the gold in the deposit during the summer then start all over again next spring, it must be washed down from a higher level during the freshet.
No one knew for sure what methods Polson used in hunting for the mother lode. The suggestion was put forward that he may not have been too interested in it, and why should he? As long as the runoff delivered enough gold within easy reach, why go climbing hills looking for more? Which brings me to my number one prospecting rule. “Don’t leave gold to go find gold!”
But the fact that Polson never disclosed the location of the mine did not deter others from hunting for it. Individuals and parties, some using the best available Indian trackers, had tried to follow him into the hills, only to lose his trail in the labyrinth of valleys. Experienced woodsmen and hunters had combed the hills and valleys looking for signs of the mine and found nothing.
Finally, when advancing years forced him to retire he still refused to sell or disclose the location of the mine. He Insisted the trail was too complicated to describe or map, and he himself was beyond guiding anyone else over it, so eventually the secret location of the mine died with him. Polson died at the age of fifty-six.
