Per Ashton's request I am starting this topic about doodles by Jacob Waltz.

I will kick it off by posting the doodle most familiar to Dutch-Hunters, which was made famous, when it was published on page 87 of Helen Corbin's book "Curse of the Dutchman's Gold".

Thanks, Jim

Hopefully I’m not the only one writing about this.

People from neophytes to old-pros read these forums, so I will explain: the first thing folks notice about the doodle is that it appears to be backwards because of the high-low peaks on Weavers Needle. Assuming the doodle is looking at the general area of the mine, that would place the LDM West of Weaver’s Needle – not very likely.

This means the drawing is reversed, or more precisely – Weaver’s Needle is reversed. Although reversing ONLY Weaver’s Needle could have been accidental, it is highly doubtful Waltz would deliberately confuse the issue further to Reiney, who was having trouble understanding the mine’s location in the first place – see Sims pg 112 where Waltz chides Reiney "You're not listening. You've got to pay attention. That mine is hard to find."

Meaning, I believe the entire sketch is reversed. I have no problem with this because back in the day (before computers, personal light boxes, etc.) when people made a tracing, the original drawing was held against window and a second sheet of blank paper was placed over it. I remember doing it this way myself as a younger man. Sometimes, you can get a clearer image when you turn the original backwards so the ink or pencil portion faces the outside. I also remember doing that myself to get a better image for tracing.

My point is – I personally have no problem with the image being reversed because (I believe) it is a tracing or was copied from a tracing. But I have not seen the original, so I may be wrong about this – please feel free to comment.

There are other things about the doodle, but first I would like to hear what others think about the image being reversed as this is one of the greater objections to the doodle.

Best,
Ashton

Ashton,

My reason for thinking the drawing is backwards is because I have never found a place in the mtns where the needle appears as it is shown in the drawing.

However... There are a lot of places where it appears the way it looks if the drawing is reversed.


Reversed drawing:


A couple photos of the shape of Weaver's Needle as viewed from Peter's Canyon:




Best,

Jim

The problem I see is what if that's not supposed to be Weaver's Needle?

Jim - have you seen the original or know if it still exists anywhere?

Paul,

If you can find something that fits the drawing better I am open to suggestions. There is some text somewhere referring to that drawing, that says something like... Waltz drew it to show Rhiney how Weaver's Needle appeared from a high point above the mine, at the point where you went down to the hidden camp. (I will look for it and get the exact wording).

The only one I have ever seen is the one in Helen's book.

Best,

Jim

Hello,

What if the Saddle is correct but the Needle is backwards?

If Waltz drew that a month before his death, maybe he subconciously drew it that way because they were going in from the South? Maybe he just hadnt been out there in so long he made a mistake?

Travis

I'll see if I can find that info. too - is this drawing the same doodle that Herman had above a stove or fireplace in his shack?

As far as finding something that looks similar that isn't Weaver's Needle, I don't have anything to offer unfortunately - maybe a few more trips out there will help. Until then, I will say I've looked at many photos of Weaver's Needle from lots of different angles, and I only see a few that look like the original "doodle," but that all have that slight "hump" on the left side that isn't on the drawing.

To my own astonishment I actually found the quotes I was thinking of Paul.

They come from an unpublished manuscript written by "John Lindsay Higham" not to be confused with "Charles Fredrick Higham".

Here they are:





re: is this drawing the same doodle that Herman had above a stove or fireplace in his shack?

That's the one Paul!

I'll have to do some research on J.L. Higham and see if it is possible that he was on the scene early enough, to have actually known and interviewed Rhiney in person. Or... Maybe Tom K. can save us all some time and and answer that question?

Best,

Jim

Thanks - after reading it, I know I've seen it somewhere before as well although I don't have that manuscript. I suppose it could have been quoted on one of the other forums sometime in the last few years.

I looked in the January 1954 Desert Magazine article about Herman and the LDM thinking maybe I had read it there, but that's wrong.

Thanks again

Jim, I'm pretty certain that Charles Frederick Higham was the pen name for John Lindley Higham - they were one in the same.