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laughed at his yarns. He had bragged of hitching up a team of Colorado elk and driving from Cripple Creek to Colorado Springs. No one believed a word of it, of course. Only long afterward did they lean of a Cripple Creek rancher who had trained pet elk to pull a buggy. Other grains of fact had a disconcerting way of turning up in his wildest tales. On the other hand, Dorr told his family of blind fish in the river of gold.

(Note by Branton: Regardless of some people’s skepticism, blind fish ARE very real.  The following is from the COMPTON’S ENCYCLOPEDIA CD = "...Blindfish, any of several species of small freshwater fish, family Amblyopsidae, in the dark waters of caves in central and s. U.S.; are sightless or nearly so; northern cave fish (Amblyopsis spelea) of Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, is 5 in. (13 cm) long, whitish, and completely blind, feeling its way along with the help of touch-sensitive projections in rows on the head and body; many other sightless fishes also are called blindfish; they live in caves and ocean depths throughout the world.")

    "Joshingly his brother asked if they were (blind) flying fish...

    "Dora prepared an affidavit subsequently published in the CALIFORNIA MINING JOURNAL. No ordinary grubstaker for Dorr -- he sought the support of wealthy investors to share his great discovery. A mere 330-foot tunnel might suffice. He was willing to share fifty-fifty with anyone willing to finance his incredible find!

    "Why was a tunnel necessary?  Well... for one thing, the river of gold ran beneath his claim, but Crystal Cave wasn't on his land. Besides, he had dynamited shut the secret passage so no one else could get at his gold.

    "Herman Wallace was one of several Los Angeles investors willing to gamble a little on Dorr's