Rocky Mountain Prospectors &

Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News
v. 15, n. 3 March, 2011 Going for the Gold
Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents How To Use A Topo To

1 How To Use A Topo To Search
Search For Eastern
2
For Eastern Ghost Towns
About The News
Ghost Towns
2 Book Review "Get the most from old topos and other maps."
8 Winterizing Your Equipment

I
10 Calendar of Events n a moment I’ll show you how you can get the most
11 Calendars out of old maps to aid your search for the ghost
12 GPS, Compass & Map Clinic towns in the east.
14 Coyote Hole Or Rathole Mining
Using these maps correctly, in addition with other maps,
15 Hunting Local “Micro Sites”
which I will explain, you will be well on your way to lo-
16 Trading Post cating the old settlements.
17 Setting Sluice Angle
18 2011 Schedule of Events The US Geological Survey Topographical Map
19 Contact List
These maps show the area of all the land in the United
States. By sections, they will show the contours of the
terrain, the height of the land above sea level, what
swamps there are, any forested areas, where the roads
and creeks are located, what rivers and ponds are there,
as well as all building structures that were in existence at

(Continued on page 3)

The location for the monthly club

meetings has changed beginning in
"A friend is one who knows you and loves you February, 2011. We are now meeting
just the same."
- Elbert Hubbard at the Pulliam Community Building, 545
Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, Colorado.
See Page 10 for details.
 Advertising
About The News
Classified advertising for topic related items is free
he News is the official newsletter of the Rocky

T Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters

Club (RMPTH): our mailing address is P.O. Box
271863, Fort Collins, CO. 80527-1863.
for non-business ads. See the “Trading Post” section
for donation pricing of camera-ready display ads. Do-
nations for ad makeup from sketches, etc., are avail-
able on request.
Opinions expressed in The News are those of the About RMPTH
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the
club or its members. Publication of information in RMPTH is an independent nonprofit hobbyist social
The News constitutes no guarantee of accuracy. Use club, open to anyone interested in prospecting, detect-
of any information found in this publication is at the ing or treasure hunting. Its purpose is to provide an
sole risk of the user. Neither RMPTH, nor its coordi- educational and social forum of mutual benefit for
nators, nor The News, nor its editors or contributors members. RMPTH holds a monthly meeting and con-
assume any liability for damages resulting from use ducts various field outings, as well as offers special
of information in this publication. presentations and seminars. Active participants have
voting privileges. The monthly newsletter, The News,
Submissions is readily available on the Internet. Persons wishing to
receive the newsletter in hardcopy, mailed format are
Articles, letters and short items of interest on pros- required to provide the amount of $24 per year re-
pecting, detecting and treasure hunting topics are quired to print and mail. Otherwise, no annual dues
welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for are charged as the social club functions strictly by
publication are subject to editing. Submittals for pub- donation. 
lication may be made in writing or, preferably, in AS-
CII text format on IBM-compatible disk. If you have
questions about a submission, please contact the edi-
tor for information.

Copyright

Unless otherwise noted, other nonprofit groups

may reprint or quote from any articles appearing in
The News without prior permission, provided that
proper author and publication credits are given and
that a copy of the publication in which the article ap-
pears is sent at no cost to RMPTH at the above mail-
ing address. Clubs wishing to exchange newsletters
with RMPTH are invited to send a copy of their news-
letter together with an exchange request.

Book Review
The Battle of Glorieta, Union Victory in the West, Don E. Alberts editor, c. 1998,
first edition by Texas A & M University Press, College Station. ISBN 0-89096-825-X.

Book Review by Paul Lange

I am sure many of you like me are interested in the Civil War and items that remain from that era of this
countries history. Just this past month, there has been mention on the radio and in the press about the
150th anniversary of the Confederacy. The Civil war did not all happen in the eastern part of the country. On
March 26, 1862, Confederate and Union forces met in Glorieta Pass in New Mexico. The Union forces prevailed
and the Confederate Rebels straggled back into Texas. This book offers the first full, detailed and accurate ac-
count of this battle. In a days drive you can be visiting this area and use this book to guide your visit. The 226
pages contain pictures, sketches, maps and other definitive details to support the narrative. Also promoted are
two other publications, Blood and Treasure, Confederate Empire in the Southwest by Donald Frazier and Con-
federate General of the West by Henry Sibley and Jerry Thompson. Enjoy all three books. 

Page 2 The News, March 2011

(Continued from page 1) area. Perhaps the ghost town grew from a tiny hamlet
the time the topo was made. consisting of only a few homes, and then grew into a
thriving settlement that consisted of many homes and
Hikers, campers and backpacker’s use Topos. Profes- businesses.
sional people, like surveyors, or land developers, forest
rangers and the Department Of Conservation, also use Whatever the size the ghost town once was, today, many
Topographic maps. They are an invaluable tool for the of them are nothing more than holes in the ground. Most
outdoors person and should be in the possession of eve- are covered and hidden by vegetation and thick scrub
ryone who intends to hike, travel or backpack into a wil- brush.
derness area.
Time, whether, and man, have all played their parts in
Important…By noticing structures that are listed on an the destruction of the old eastern towns; And yet, there
old topo you now have a definitive, known existence of a are many old settlements still to be found.
building in the area. This benefit makes the use of older
topos for research very important. I have hiked through thick brush, crossed streams and
rivers and climbed many hills to locate the gone but not
Purchasing a new topo of any area is easy. Most Army forgotten towns. Oftentimes, that is the effort that is
and Navy Surplus stores, and many of the large outdoor needed to locate them. However, for John and I, the re-
retailers, sell them to the public. You can also download ward is worth the effort. Perhaps it will be for you as
them from the Internet. well.

But a new topo is not what we need when searching for As mentioned, many of the ghost towns in the east con-
old ghost towns. sist of nothing more than a hole in the ground. Those
empty holes are the only reminders that at one time a
The reason why is because the updated and newer topos family had lived there.
of an area, will not show the ghost towns, or older struc-
tures that were once in exis- There are many reasons why
tence. the original frames of the
Although written toward the location of ghost
homes are no longer standing.
You need to get an old topo of towns in the east, this information is relative
the area where you are going to and useful all across the country. Of course time is the main rea-
do your searching. The purpose - RMPTH Editor son. Over the years the wooden
of the old topo is so that you frames have deteriorated and
can compare it to a modern fallen to the ground; Nature
map of the same area. Locating an old topo is not diffi- then takes its course. Rot and bacteria destroy what is
cult. Most libraries have old topos in their history sec- left of the old structures.
tions; all you need to do is make a copy.
The harsh weather conditions in the east have played an
Bookstores that sell older, used books of local history, important role in the destruction of the old buildings.
will sometimes carry old topos. Antique stores who spe-
cialize in local history may carry old maps. Estate and On many of the State Lands across the United States,
house auctions sometimes auction off old topos. After where ghost towns exist, most of those homes were
you find the older topo for the area you are going to taken from the property owners because of nonpayment
search, you should then purchase an up to date map of of their property taxes. These were usually large farms
the same area. One of the best maps to use is a county or whole farming communities.
map. They can be purchased at most local service sta-
tions and convenience stores. If you are having trouble This was happening during the early days of the twenti-
locating a county map, try the county highway depart- eth century when the industrial age was booming, but
ment of the area you are searching in. farms and small farming communities were desperately
trying to survive.
Before we begin the instructions on how to use topos to
guide you in your search for the lost towns, I think it’s After the States took the property they would then burn
important that you understand why the ghost towns in the structures to clear the way for the CCC’s, the Civilian
the east no longer exist. A good understanding of their Conservation Corps. The CCC’s would then plant trees
demise will benefit you in your research. on those lands as part of their reforestation program.

Gone But Not Forgotten It is for this reason that one of the best areas to discover
old ghost towns are on the State lands of every State. At
Ghost towns in the east once existed as a small town or the time of this writing there are no permits required to
village. They may have been the first settlement of an (Continued on page 4)

The News, March 2011 Page 3

(Continued from page 3)
search State Lands for ghost towns. However, do not
pick up any old relic or artifact from these areas.
"We do not inherit the earth
Especially important is the fact that you cannot metal
detect on any State lands. If you do, you will be in viola-
from our ancestors; we
tion of what is known as ARPA of 1979. The Archaeologi-
cal Resources Preservation Act.
borrow it from our children."
ARPA 1979

This federal law goes all the way back to 1906. I will go
- Native American Proverb
into more detail about this law and how it affects all of
us in another section.

Using Topos To Locate Ghost Towns

Before you can locate old ghost towns you must do some Gold Glossary
research. Unless you’re the adventurous type and you
ignore the research and decide to just drive the back
Flour Gold/Gold Dust - Gold that is so fine that it looks
roads, hopefully spotting a cellar hole.
and feels like flour or dust. "The bread and butter of
Sometimes this is what my partner John and I will do. prospecting." Nuggets are just a bonus.
However, John and I know what signs to look for. I’ll
show you the same techniques that we use. The best way
to research a possible ghost town, is to first locate the
possible sites using an old topo map. You’ll save on gas
and precious time by doing it this way. TREASURE HUNTER’S
CODE OF ETHICS
You can begin your research for old ghost towns by
browsing used bookstores. Look for old books and maps
in the local history sections.
I WILL respect private property and do no treasure
Sometimes by reading through an older book about your
hunting without the owner's permission.
area, you can get a lead on an old town, and then from
there you can move to the actual search on a topographi-
I WILL fill all excavations.
cal map.
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural
My personal library has over 200 volumes of older
resources, wildlife, and private property.
books and hundreds of old maps on local history. I use
all of them in my searches for ghost towns, old picnic
I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy
groves and swimming holes. Sometimes those searches
have led me nowhere, other times however, I’ve been re-
at all times.
warded with a great adventure.
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only.
Another great way to begin your search for ghost towns
is by visiting the historical societies…every county has I WILL leave gates as found.
one. These organizations carry a wealth of information
on the history of the area. I WILL remove and properly dispose of any trash that I
find.
You may locate old topos at the historical societies. I
have found ghost towns by searching through old news- I WILL NOT litter.
papers that many of the historical societies keep on file.
By reading these newspapers I have discovered the I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings, or what is left
names of towns that vanished years ago. of ghost towns and deserted structures.

Old church records, and of course your local libraries I WILL NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities, or
also have a smorgasbord of information available for equipment.

(Continued on page 5)

Page 4 The News, March 2011

(Continued from page 4)
your research. I have used all of these ideas in my
searches.

Important - Try talking with the older individuals of

small towns and villages.

Many of the older residents have great memories when it

comes to local history. They may tell you things that you
may never find in an old book. Older people are often
lonely and they enjoy talking to anyone who will listen.
So don’t be shy about getting the names of the local eld-
ers who may know everything about the area you want to
search in.

Computers and the Internet are becoming a wonderful

research tool for all kinds of information. Researching
ghost towns on the Internet is no different. If you have
access to a computer, put it to work to research ghost
towns in your area.

Once you locate a potential area for a ghost town, the

next thing you should do is get your hands on a county
map of that area. Also, try and locate a copy of the older
maps made by F.W. Beers. I like to use the Beers maps
for my area. The maps I use were printed in1869 and
they show the original structures or buildings that were
in existence at that time.

Lets Begin Our Search For An Eastern Ghost

Town

For illustration purposes I am going to show you how to

locate a ghost town that is on State reforested Land. I am
doing this because the search for old cellar holes on
State Land is the easiest way for anyone to locate them.

Important reminder…You cannot dig for or remove any

artifacts on State land. The reason why it is much easier
to locate ghost towns on State Land is because we know
that a previous landowner, or perhaps more than one,
had originally owned the land.
(Continued on page 6)

Refreshment Volunteers
Property Wanted
March - Tom Warne For Detector Hunt
April - Lupe Bobbitt & Anne Nichols
May - Ray McGeheel & Anne Nichols RMPTH is looking for private property on which to hold
June - Betsy Emond & Mike Noll an organized club detector hunt. Obviously, it would be
July - Bryan & Lucy Morgan most ideal if this property is known to have seen some
August - Gary Anderson past historical activity. If you have such property or
September - Barbara Schuldt know of someone who does, please contact Paul Lange
or Rick Mattingly to plan a club field outing event.
October - Johnny Berndsen
November - Dave Montoya

The News, March 2011 Page 5

(Continued from page 5)
Important…Since the time the topo was made, many of
Remember, the State had taken the property from the the roads have changed.
landowner because of his failure to pay the property
taxes. Many of these landowners were large farms. When Let’s assume that you’re looking at a 1908 Topo. It’s
you find State land, always remember there must be at more than likely that the roads that were on that map at
least a cellar hole in the area, because someone at one the time it was published, either no longer exist, or they
time owned that property. have been changed.

Also, there are times when landowners have given or Perhaps the road is now where a shopping mall is lo-
donated their properties as gifts to the State. However in cated. Or maybe a housing development has been built
most cases during the early 1900’s, the land was taken there. Possibly it could be that the old road is there, but
away by the States. it’s hidden by years of tree and vegetation growth, which
make it difficult to recognize.
The non-payment of property taxes was another reason
why the old towns passed away into obscurity. Remem- And sometimes the older roads have been either
ber, the times and the areas were difficult to live in. straightened or changed in some way.

The lack of income forced many families including entire Let’s also assume that there is a Frog Hollow Road
towns to move away. Thus leaving their homes behind. clearly marked on my old topo. Now this makes our
On a much larger scale this was what had happened dur- search easier. All I need to do now is to drive to Frog
ing the gold rush era out west. Hollow Road and locate Frog Hollow. Piece of cake!
It was not uncommon for old settlements to evaporate as
quickly as they were built. John and I have been to many But as we know, life isn’t always a piece of cake. This is
ghost towns that only existed for a few years. The harsh especially true when searching for ghost towns. So we’ll
winters and the difficulty of earning a living forced many assume that I cannot locate Frog Hollow Road on either
families to move on. map. What do I do now?

Compare Your Maps I need to compare my old topo with my new county map.
So now I will try and locate the nearest road or highway
For purpose of illustration, I will call our ghost town on my county map that is closest to Frog Hollow and
“Frog Hollow”, a settlement that was in existence during then try and locate that road on my topo. It sounds diffi-
the 1870’s. Let’s assume I found out about Frog Hollow cult, but it really isn’t.
by reading an old history book. Okay, there may be a
Frog Hollow that is really in existence somewhere, but as If I place both maps, on a flat surface side by side, it
far as I know I’m using a fictional ghost town name. At makes it easier to compare them. I like to stretch out on
least I hope so. the living room floor with my maps spread out and a
beer or glass of wine in my hand. It makes research so
I just had a thought. Frog Hollow? Isn’t that where much more fun. Hiccup!
Kermit The Frog lives? Anyway…the first thing I need to
do is to see if Frog Hollow is located on my new county Next, I will look for any similar roads on both maps. For
map. instance…I’m looking for any roads that have similar
curves, or perhaps identical, straight stretches of road
If it is, then that makes our research a whole lot easier. on both maps in the vicinity of Frog Hollow.
However, let’s assume that Frog Hollow does not show
up on the county map. By checking the terrain on the topo I can assume
whether or not a town could be there. If I see a swampy
Okay, now I will go to that old topo and search the area area in the area that I think Frog Hollow was located,
where I think Frog Hollow is located. Chances are good then I immediately no that a town could never have been
that Frog Hollow will be noted on the older topo. built in a swamp.

This is why it’s important to get an older topo. All topos Let’s say that as I compare both my old topo and my new
will designate structures by using little dots in the vicin- county map that I see a road that is running through the
ity of any home or town. area where I think Frog Hollow is located. Yet, that road
is not on my new county map. What’s this mean?
These tiny dots are locating where the homes and any
buildings were located at the time the map was made. It means…GREAT!
Unless Frog Hollow was in existence today, locating this
ghost town without and older map would be difficult. Frog hollow is no longer in existence. Both the road and
Here’s why. (Continued on page 7)

Page 6 The News, March 2011

(Continued from page 6) Most often these roads are also designated as the dotted
old roads on the topo. Remember, at the time the ghost
the old town have faded into history. town was in existence, these roads were used by wagons
that were pulled by horses, mules, or oxen.
I’m now on to an old ghost town.
The old roads were not very wide either. They were ap-
Now it’s obvious why it would not be noted on the new proximately the width of an old wagon. Today, the State
county map. Important…Topography maps will show often maintains the roads during the warm months; but
older roads that are no longer in existence as dotted during the winter months, especially in the Midwest and
lines. This is an invaluable tool when you are searching the east; the roads are not plowed and become very
for ghost towns. treacherous.

Sometimes these old roads that are It is always best to drive these older
shown on the old topos are snowmo- roads during the dry months of the
bile trails, or 4-wheel drive trails on year. Whenever you venture onto a
State land. Most often, by just backcountry road, whether it’s on
searching old topos and looking for State land or private property, a 4-
the old roads you can wheel drive vehicle is an added plus.
locate an old settlement.
It is not imperative that you have one.
It’s Time To Scout The Area However, it will make your journey
much easier. Especially when the old
Okay, I’ve located what I believe to be roads become wet from rain or too
Frog Hollow on my topographical steep to climb.
map. Now that I’ve done that, it’s
time to “scout out that area”. We’re There have been times that John and
gonna actually drive to the area to do I have been in very difficult terrain.
a visual search for the ghost town. I Even as we filmed a ghost town seg-
love this part. Always have the topo ment for our TV series, we encoun-
with you on your drive through the area. The topo tered a difficult road situation. Had we not been in
especially will help you to locate the buildings that were John’s 4-wheel drive truck, we would have been
once occupied. stranded for the night.

If you have a copy of the Beer’s map it’s also useful to You should always carry a cell phone, extra water and
have that map with you as well. Remember, the F.W. snacks in case of an emergency. John and I have had
Beers maps also showed where any structure was lo- tires blow and mechanical problems while on back
cated at the time the map was made. It’s a great way to roads, miles from any main highways.
back up your topo. Okay, let’s move ahead and assume that we have located
the area where Frog hollow is located. It’s time to drive
Important…If you are going to search on private prop- the old road, scout the area, and visually look for any
erty ask for permission from the property owner. If you signs of the ghost town or cellar holes.
are polite and courteous you won’t have any problems
getting an okay. Now that I am on Frog Hollow Road, I’m going to take
my old topo and locate where the little dots designate
By the way, most property owners have no idea that cel- structures in Frog Hollow.
lar holes or a ghost town may exist on their property.
For this reason, they will be glad to give permission, es- Remember, those tiny dots or markings are where the
pecially if you are going to metal detect the area and buildings were located at the time Frog Hollow was in
share with them your finds. existence. By the way, at this time it’s always best to have
someone with you. It’s much
If You Search On State Lands easier to drive the old roads when you have someone
with you who can pay attention to the map.
If your search for a ghost town takes you to State land
it’s important to understand the following. Most State The first thing we need to do is to check the map and see
lands still offer access and use of the older roads that what side of the road the buildings are located on.
were in existence when the ghost town was populated. I also want to know how close together they are situated.
By knowing how close together the structures were
Today these roads are stone and dirt packed resem- placed will make it easier for me to determine approxi-
blances of what they were hundred’s of years ago. mately where those cellar holes are located. Here’s what
(Continued on page 8)

The News, March 2011 Page 7

 Winterizing Your
(Continued from page 7)

I mean. Lets assume that I have located an old home-

stead on the road I am driving, actually now it is a cellar
hole. To locate the next cellar hole I use the odometer of
Equipment

W
my vehicle and the scale on the topo.
inter affords you the time to look over your
By knowing where the structure is located on my topo, I prospecting equipment for damaged parts,
locate the next dot on my map, the next structure, and think about modifications, and a spare parts
check the distance between that dot and the cellar hole I kit. Winter you say? Hello, this is Colorado and our win-
just located. I do this by using the scale on the topo map. ter season can be loooong….it can still snow in May!
To make our example easy, let’s assume the scale equals
1 mile for every inch. That would mean that ¼ inch on GOLD PANS - Wash them off, do not leave them to sit all
my topo equals ¼ of a mile in distance. winter caked with dirt. The dirt will pull moisture from
the pan overtime causing the pan to become hard, brit-
Knowing this, all I need to do now is to measure the dis- tle, and eventfully crack. Who knows? You may find
tance on my topo between the dot of the structure I just some hidden gold in that dirt! Next summer, when you
located, and the next closest dot, or structure on the get out your gold pan, take a piece of 60 grit sand paper,
map. and sand the bottom of the pan in a circular motion.

Let’s say that the distance between the two dots is ¼ The fresh scratches will grab the flour gold.
mile. All I need to do is drive approximately ¼ mile, by
watching the odometer of my vehicle and locate the next SLUICE BOXES - This applies to the sluice box that you
cellar hole. throw down in the river, and sluice boxes that are on
high-bankers, and dredges. Open it up, check all the rif-
I can continue this method until I have located all of the fles for damage, and repair as needed.
cellar holes in the area. If I locate more than one or two
cellar holes, then it is a good chance that I have located a If you have the standard blue ribbed carpet, usually cov-
ghost town. As I mentioned earlier, by using a topo in ered with expanded metal, carefully take out the carpet.
conjunction with a F.W. Beers map makes ghost town it should be dry by now, hold it over a wheel barrow box,
searches much easier. You can double check the consis- or plastic, and beat it. You
tency of the structures on the topo with the Beers map to wouldn't believe all the fine facial powder gold that will
see if you are in the right area. come out.

It’s not often that you’ll be able to see the cellar holes The gripping power of the water previously held it in
from your vehicle. During the late spring and the sum- place. Now that it is dry the gold will come out with no
mer months, vegetation becomes thick and overgrown. need to burn the carpet.

Many times the vegetation hides the old structures or Now is also a good time to think about replacing it with
cellar holes; this makes it difficult to see them from your “miners moss“, 3M Nomad carpeting. The miners moss
vehicle. So, here are some clues for you to use when you will capture the finest gold and it washes out every time
are trying to locate ghost towns. with incredible ease. It holds more material than the
standard ribbed carpet and you will not need the ex-
Maple Trees, Myrtle and Pottery Chards panded metal anymore. Miners Moss cost about twenty
bucks for a piece to fit a large sluice box.
If you are not familiar with my TV series and DVD Ghost
The winter is a good time to look your equipment over
Towns Of The East please visit here. Be sure to watch
and decide what modifications to make on your dredge
the video trailer.
or highbanker.
Every method I have told you about on this page has
As you have figured out by now, when you buy one of
been used in my TV series and DVD's.
these pieces of equipment, they are ready to run, but
they are the bare minimum. So you need to modify, or
You can locate eastern ghost towns using the same tech-
improve them. You have been using it all summer, you
niques.
know what is wrong, or what could be improved. So pull
out your machine, set it up and look.
http://www.metal-detecting-ghost-towns-of-the-east.com/
HIGH BANKERS - What about that grizzly that has every
topo.html 
(Continued on page 9)

Page 8 The News, March 2011

(Continued from page 8)
"The average American works three months a year,
other wire wielded, sometimes not at all, on the bottom
edge. I recommend welding them all. It keeps the bigger WITHOUT PAY, for the federal government."
rocks from clogging up the sluice and it rarely jams up If you are in a higher tax bracket, you could be
the grizzly. O.K., weld you say, I don't have any resource! spending up to half your life working for Uncle Sam.
(There are several
And how is your money being spent?
liquid weld products which can be used. A good place to
start is at the car parts store. There is a nifty material The Securities and Exchange Commission spent $3.9
which is used for sealing a radiator, that according to million rearranging desks and offices at its
one of our member's did a pretty good job. Lin ) Washington, D.C., headquarters.
The refusal of many federal employees to fly coach
Check your hoses. Intake on the pump - is it dry rotting,
is it cracking? Pressure hose, the blue lay-flat hose, costs taxpayers $146 million annually.
wears out fast. Washington will spend $2.6 million training Chinese
prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job.
If it needs replacing, replace it with gray lay-flat. It's a
few cents more, but you get two, three, four times the
Newmax
life. Did you have enough lay-flat hose? 200 to 300 feet is
a good length to have.
We all know this goes on but try not to
Cut into 50 foot lengths. Anything over 50' is too hard to dwell on it as it would make us sob out loud.
roll and manage. Do you still have the old lug-n-pin type
connectors?

You might want to think about cam-lock, quick release

connectors. They can knock a half hour off your setup
and takedown times.

DREDGES - Check those hoses as above. If your suction

hose has a crack in it, it will be breaking through soon.
Duck tape will make for a quick repair, but replacement
time is here. 15' is a good length. Do you have a swivel
nozzle? Do you have a crevice suction tip?

How about a quick release on the power jet, or on the

pressure hose. What about replacing all those cheap
screwdriver hose clamps with real hose clamps that take
a wrench to tighten down. Weld a tee handle on the hose
clamp for the dredge box/power jet connection. A small
1/2" boat plug works great in the pontoons to help drain
them. So there's a few ideas to get you started.

HAND DREDGE – If your hand dredge has a metal

plunger pull it out and let it dry completely. They can
rust and this may weaken them.

THE ENGINE - The most important thing to winterize!

This is what its all about. Without that engine, you're
through. I have seen people come out and go home be-
cause of an engine that they did not maintain properly.
Some of you are not so mechanically inclined. If this is
the case, take your engine to Golden Small Engine 25th
& Kipling, 237-5680 and have them winterize it for you.
The good prospector will let his engine run out of gas the
last time he goes out and leave it that way. Now the gas
tank, hoses, and carburetor are all clear. If you didn't do
that, you can pull the hose from the gas tank and drain
the gas. Reattach the hose.

(Continued on page 12)

The News, March 2011 Page 9

Calendar of Events
March Meeting
Wednesday, March 2. We will meet at the Pulliam
RMPTH DUES
Building in downtown Loveland at 7:00PM. Refer to
the adjoining map for directions.
RMPTH is an unincorpo-
Meeting Agenda
6:00 - 7:00 Planning & Social Hour
rated Social Club with
7:00 - 7:30 Business, Announcements & Find of no income generated. All
the Month Program
7:30 - 7:45 Break expenses are covered by
7:45 - 9:00 "Update on Mining Laws, Permits donation. Members are
and Land Access for the 2011 Prospecting Season,
What the Future Looks Like." by Ben Higley, Presi- requested to consider
dent, Gold Prospectors of Colorado. donating a minimum of
$1.00 at each monthly
meeting to cover club
expenses.

MAP TO THE MEETING PLACE

Pulliam Community Building
545 Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, Colorado

Directions:
The Pulliam Community Building is situated on the west side of Cleveland Avenue in Loveland,
Colorado. Park at the rear of the building (west side). Entry to the meeting room is from
the doorway on the south side of the building (not the main entrance on Cleveland Avenue!).

Page 10 The News, March 2011

 March 2011
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
RMPTH Planning
Session 6:00P
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Daylight Savings St. Patrick’s Day
Begins

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Spring Begins GPS Field Clinic at
Lions Park 9:00A

27 28 29 30 31

April 2011
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9
RMPTH Planning Clear Creek Gold
Session 6:00P Panning
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Good Friday

24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Easter

The News, March 2011 Page 11

(Continued from page 9) all winter long because the snow comes and melts. The
Take your garden hose and run water through the gold detectorist usually has to go to the high country and
pump. Start the engine. It will run only a short time, and that is snowed in. So pull those batteries out of your de-
the garden hose will cool the seals in the pump. Gas will tector.
start to break down after 3 months of above-ground stor-
age, so do not leave gas in your engine over the winter! Even ni-cads leak. Take out those batteries and put new
Drain the pump of water. Drain the oil and fill it with a ones in next year. How's your coil cover? If its ready to
straight 30 weight good grade oil. Pull your spark plug wear through, replace it.
and replace it with a new one. Be sure to gap the new
plug. Pour 1/2 ounce oil for a 3.5 hp, 3/4 ounce oil for a Only this time, put some silicone on the top crack. This
5 hp, and 1 ounce for a 8 hp engine through the spark will keep dirt and black-sands from working in between
plug hole. the coil and the coil cover.

Wait a minute, then pull the cord two times. That will My family to this day will echo: “Did you remember the
coat the piston head and cylinder with oil. Put in the new tent poles?” When we went to set-up our tent on one of
plug. Take off the air cleaner. If it is a paper cartridge, our rockhounding trips we discovered that the tent poles
replace it. If it is the oiled foam type, take it to the sink, were back at home! When you have a family of 5, 1 cat,
and wash it by hand with a good liquid soap in warm and 1 dog all not happy, you never forget the tent poles.
water. Ring it out and let thoroughly dry overnight. You A spare part kit would be a great item to assemble dur-
can pour the same oil through the foam filter that you ing the winter. Washers, screws, nuts, bolts, duct tape,
put in the engine. Wrap the foam with paper towel and spare parts for your dredge – you name it there is noth-
squeeze out the excess oil. ing more disappointing that being far from town and not
having a spare part to get your equipment up and run-
Then put it back on your engine. You've just done a ma- ning.
jor tune up on your engine, and you've
winterized it too. Store it in a dry place. Next year, fill it
up with a good, mid-grade gas, 87 octane. Change that From GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2
oil every 25 hours and you'll have a good running engine
all summer long!

METAL DETECTORS - Many coin detectorist can go out

THE ART OF
RMPTH Field Outing Statement BEING UN-LOST
NOTE: The Coordinators and participants stay in touch
and continue to review and plan upcoming presentations
and outings for the year on a monthly basis. Our editor A GPS, Compass & Map Clinic
Rick Mattingly needs timely event information for each
issue of The News. Please get information about any par-
By
ticular event to him by the 15th of the month to meet the
printing deadline for the next issue.
The Rocky Mountain
Planned trips, outings, activities, and meeting programs
Prospectors &
are in the newsletter and on line at the clubs website.
Planning is a work in progress and additional outings and
Treasure Hunters Club
activities are added and sometimes deleted on an ongo-
ing basis. Events planned in the upcoming month are
emphasized to the attendees at the monthly meetings.
Contact the Presentations Coordinators or Editor if you
WHERE: Lions Park in Laporte, Colorado
have any suggestions or ideas throughout the year for WHEN: Saturday, March 26, 2011
fieldtrips, outings, and programs. TIME: 9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM
The best made plans may change at the last minute due WHO: All RMPTH Members, Family &
to the illness of the Trail Boss, weather, land access, ve-
hicles breaking down, wrong meeting sites, etc. Please
Friends
be understanding of extenuating circumstances and con-
tact the coordinator or Trail Boss of a specific event if
there is any question of an event being cancelled or
P.S.: Bring your GPS Unit and/or
changed at the last minute. Compass and/or U.S.G.S. Quad Maps.

Page 12 The News, March 2011

 Tell Forest Service We Need Some Room To Roam

Believe it or not, the national forest is not private property. It belongs to us, the people. Remember us, we, the peo-
ple? We need room to roam. We like little two-track roads where we can disappear. We want mean little roads for
four-wheeling. We want quiet places way back in for camping or picnicking - on the creek, too! We want roads that
will take us where there "ain't nobody." We don't like to be bunched up on county roads in dry campsites 20-27,
where hundreds of others have camped. We don't like forest service policies. It's despotic and selfish.

There is room in the forests for everybody if the roads were not closed or a locked government gate barring the way.
Take the gates out and open the little two-track roads that have closed. Give us our forests back. We need room to
roam, and your policy doesn't cut it. This is not a national park; it is a national forest, and we don't want it locked
up.

Those of you who agree with this, please show your support. Call a supervisor's office at , give your name and say
"room to roam."

Mike Brinkhoff,
Manhattan, Larimer County

Fort Collins Coloradoan Editorial — February 4, 2011

Paul Lange and Robert Crain (center) present Paul Mayhak (left) with award of Detectorist of the Year 2010
and Bryon Morgan (right) with award of Prospector of the Year 2010. February, 2011 club meeting.
Congratulations to Paul and Bryon!

The News, March 2011 Page 13

Coyote Hole Or Rathole
can Mine, one of the richest Comstock properties in the
early 1860s, testifies to the effectiveness of its coyote min-
ing. An exception to the usual poor production of small-
Mining scale rathole mines was the 1866 development of the Ken-
tuck Mine in Gold Hill, Nevada. John Mackay and J.M.

A
Walker excavated this property with rathole modesty.
coyote hole is also known as a rathole (rat-hole, rat
hole). They are inexpensive, simple, man-sized They used a hand wench to descend the shaft and to haul
shafts. up ore and debris. In this way, they avoided the cost of a
steam-driven hoist room with all its employees. In three
Coyoting is the practice of digging shallow coyote holes in years, their operation produced over three million dollars
search of gold. in gold and silver.

They were mined by individuals who did not work in con- When coyote holes were too deep for the miner to throw
junction with a company. The miners would often work in out the dirt with his shovel, a windlass with a bucket was
teams with one in the hole digging and gathering dirt. The used; but where the depth was not too great each miner
other miner would hoist the dirt out at the top of the hole. had his separate hole, in which he delved, collecting the
pay dirt from the bottom of his pit and as far on
The dirt would then be panned in either side on the bed rock as he dared to exca-
water to obtain the gold concentrates. vate. Sometimes the excavations, instead of be-
The term “rathole” is an apparent ing vertical shafts, were sloping or horizontal
corruption of the sixteenth-century tunnels into the side of a hill or bank and in
Spanish science of mining known as some instances ran in hundreds of feet. In all
el sistema del rato literally “the sys- these cases the men, while at work, were en-
tem of the moment,” but actually tirely out of sight of a person looking over the
meaning a pragmatic or empirical bar, flat or slope in which there were opera-
system. tions; the approach of night or any alarm or
unusual noise would cause them to pop out of
Because much of the West had been their holes; and their supposed resemblance
part of Mexico and Spanish prospec- under such circumstances to the Californian
tors remained, their traditional min- animal corresponding with the prairie wolf of
ing technology persisted. Many small- the Mississippi states caused these pits, shafts
time operators, regardless of ethnic- or tunnels to be called coyote holes and the
ity, wished to avoid the expense of an character of mining done in them coyote-mining.
engineer. Those who sought to pros- In subsequent years when hydraulic mining su-
pect underground in a limited, effi- perseded other kinds of placer work, coyote
cient way typically used the same mining, like the old operations of the pan,
techniques of coyote holes used by rocker and long-tom became antiquated; but
early Mexican miners. while it was in vogue many places were completely honey-
combed by so-called coyote holes. One place near Nevada
The rathole mines wandered and followed the veins of ore City, consisting of a rich hill of gravel, was so pierced with
disregarding classical mining engineering techniques. Coy- holes that it was named Coyoteville.
ote hole mines were a quick way to explore a prospective
site. The Nevada landscapes are peppered with tens of (History of California, Volume 3. Hittell, Theodore Henry.
thousands of these small-scale endeavors, most of which San Francisco, N.J. Stone & Company. 1898.)
yielded little profits. Miners were usually only able to
make a profit by selling their excavations or investment In one description of a coyote miner by Wood, a miner
stock. spent several days digging his hole when he fell through
the bottom into a drift occupied by a Mexican busily en-
In Virginia City, the Maldonado brothers employed the gaged in taking out rich pay dirt. The air was blue with
sixteenth-century method for their Mexican Mine, making curses for awhile, but as the best of his claim was worked
it a curiosity to its technological neighbors. out by the Mexican before the American struck bedrock,
he had to make the best of it.”
Contemporaries described Spanish-speaking miners
climbing notched logs (boca-mina tree trunks) called Coyote holes are dangerous to dig and dangerous to enter.
chicken ladders often ascending hundreds of feet. The only support for these holes is the surrounding bed-
rock. Unexpected cave-ins can occur in which you may be
Workers hauled ore in rawhide buckets on their backs buried alive.
suspended by straps across their foreheads. Shunning the
expense of square-set timbering, the Maldonados used line The Prospector's Quill Newsletter
supports consisting of columns of native rock left un- Gold Prospectors Of Colorado
touched in strategic places. The profitability of the Mexi- June 2010 

Page 14 The News, March 2011

Hunting Local “Micro-Sites”
Gold Glossary
by Vince Migliore

I love going out on our club hunts on Sunday mornings, but we are often Flumes - Flumes are like sluice boxes, they
faced with that familiar problem of too many people working the same do not have riffles though and are used
over-hunted parks. To remedy that situation, some of us are linking up solely to transport water in areas where a
in small groups (2 or 3 members) and setting out to smaller sites. These ditch would be impossible (cliff sides,
mini-excursions usually pay off big-time, because the smaller search areas
rocky hillsides). Two flumes were built in
generally have not been scoured by detectors before. We often come across
that detectorist’s dream – the “virgin” site. These are locations that have the construction of the China Ditch.
never been hunted before, and you can find coins and jewelry at all depths,
even on the surface of the ground.

Last week I was fortunate to find a small park, about 2 acres, that was un-
touched. I found 22 coins in just over one hour, and three of them were ear-
lier than 1965. I plan to go back there soon with a bigger coil and look for Gold Facts
the silver that is most certainly hidden there.
Symbol: AU
So, how do you find such sites? Simple: keep your eyes open! Every time Atomic Number: 79
you drive to work, or take a trip in the car, start looking for those small
patches of land where lots of people have walked. It might be a tiny park or Atomic Weight: 196.967
a strip of public land on a busy street. After a while, like a photographer, Melting Point: 1063° (1945° F)
you develop a habit of searching for and finding those special locations Specific Gravity: 19.2
brimming with opportunity. You store those locations in your memory
banks, or even chart them on a map. Then, when you have the opportunity
MOH’s Scale of Hardness:
of a spare hour or two, you can run out and hit the jackpot. 2.5 - 3

Not too long ago, I had jury duty in downtown Sacramento. I decided to take Karat
the light-rail train from Folsom to the courthouse – every day for a week.
The tracks run along Folsom Boulevard, which is one of the oldest streets in
the metropolitan area. From the train I could see dozens of tiny search sites 24K = 100% Pure Gold
that are ripe for hunting. 18K = 75% Pure Gold
14K = 58% Pure Gold
This has worked well for me, because sometimes I have only half an hour to
hunt with the detector, but that small strip of grass I noticed last week will 10K = 42% Pure Gold
only take 20 minutes to search anyway. For the areas that are a little larger,
I call up a friend or two from the club, and we go out together to these micro Troy Weights
-sites. The Sacramento Valley Detector Buffs Club provides us with a great
opportunity to meet other hobbyists in our area. Many of them are open to a
spur of the moment hunt, or a planned trip to a local site. 1 grain = 0.0648 grams
24 grains = 1 penny
weight (DWT) = 1.552 grams
Metal Detecting Hobby Talk
http://www.mdhtalk.org/ 20 DWT = 1 ounce =
480 grains = 31.10 grams
Vince Miglore is a researcher and technical writer with a keen interest in
metal detecting. He's written for numerous magazines, including W&E treas-

YOUR
ures, and is former editor of a hobbyist newsletter.

"I bought a detector back in 1982, and in the first 5 minutes I found an In-
dian Head penny dated 1881 -right in my own front yard! Since then I've ADVERTISEMENT
been hooked."
COULD BE HERE!
You'll be hooked too, when you see how great this sport is for your physical
fitness, your appreciation of natural science, and most of all for the wealth
of treasures you can find.
Call Rick Mattingly
Vince is the author of Metal Detecting for the Beginner 2nd Edition, 2010
at 970-613-8968
which can be found at Amazon.com . 
or rickmatt@q.com
The News, March 2011 Page 15
 Trading Post
FOR SALE: MINELAB SD 2200 Detector: 10-1/2"
Mono Super Coil; 10-1/2" SD-Series Super Coil; Two About Trading Post
Batteries w/Wall Charger; Headphones; Battery Back-
pack; Waist Battery Pack; Signal Enhancer; Extra
The News runs classified ads in Trading Post
Lower Stem; Backpack Carry Case; Video. $2,100.
for three consecutive issues. Trading Post ads
Call Paul at (970) 482-7846. for topic related items up to 10 lines (or 70
words) long are free. To place an ad in Trading
FOR SALE: Trout Unlimited Colorado Pontoon Boat Post contact Rick Mattingly at (970) 613-8968
with 8'-6" pontoons and motor mount. Brand new and evenings
never used. Perfect for lake or river fishing and pros- or e-mail at: rickmatt@q.com
pecting. New price $575. Sell price $350. Contact Tim
Cline in Frederick at (303) 833-3372.
Commercial Advertising
FOR SALE: Price Reduction - 18” DOUBLE DECK VI- Specifications
BRATING LAP by Diamond Pacific. You can do rough
grinding and finish polishing at the same time! The (Monthly Donation Rate)
machine is made of non-rusting aluminum castings. It
Full Page (8 1/2" X 7") $30
weighs 50 lbs. It has never been used – is in its origi-
Half Page (3 1/4" X 7") $20
nal crate. It is assembled and ready to run. List price One Third Page (3" X 4") $15
is $1290. Will sell for $849 – a savings of $441 (a re- Business Card (2 3/4" X 1 1/2") $ 5
duction of 34%)! Call Bob at (303) 819-3523.
Ads must be received by the 15th of the
FOR SALE: Keene High Banker, includes stand, hose preceding month. Contact Rick Mattingly for in-
and 5 HP Briggs and Stratton pump. Great condition, formation on this service at
$900.00 or Best Offer. Contact Cindy Bone at (970) (970) 613-6968 evenings or e-mail at:
669-8247. rickmatt@q.com.

FOR SALE: Prospecting equipment: 4" Dredge and

more plus Whites VSAT Gold Detector. Contact
Homer at (970) 224-4244

FOR SALE: Two CoilTec coils for MineLab GP or SD

Series: 14" Round Mono, $150.00. 5" x 10" Joey
Mono, $75.00. Like New. Plus Shipping. Call (307) All mistakes and
misspellings were
886-3937 or Cell (307) 654-1432.

WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or

used. Contact John Hart at (307) 778-3993.
intentionally made so
that you could have the
FOR SALE: Garret Treasure Ace 300 Detector.- $225
OBO. Contact Roger at (970) 622-0821.

pleasure of finding them.

NOTE:
Purchase arrangements are between the buyer and
seller only and involves no financial benefit to RMPTH.

If stress burned
calories I'd be so
skinny I would fall
through my zipper and
hang myself!
Page 16 The News, March 2011
 WEEKEND & SMALL-SCALE
MINER’S CODE OF ETHICS Setting Sluice Angle
I WILL respect other prospector’s claims and not work
those claims without the owner’s permission I can't tell you how many times someone has
asked, "What angle do I set up my sluice box". The
worst part is, there is no stock answer. Every
river and stream is different. The average specific
I WILL have on-site all necessary permits and licenses gravity of the sand can vary so much, there is not one
setting to go by, water flow may be faster in one spot
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only, and than another. I have moved up river 50 ft and had to
in accordance with current State and Federal guidelines change the angle.

I WILL be careful with fuels and motor oils and be cog- Here is a sure fire way to tell where your angle be-
nizant of their potential destructive effect on the envi- longs. First off, you will have to move any larger rock
ronment through your sluice. If you classify your material
(getting out the big stuff), you may be able to use less
I WILL remove and properly dispose of all trash and flow or angle. You have to understand that, the riffle
debris that I find - I will not litter is the catch. As water flows over the riffle it makes
what is called an eddy, this is a back flow that puts
I WILL be thoughtful, considerate and courteous to
down a low pressure area just behind the riffle. I'm
those around me at all time
not going to go into riffle design here, but know that
the riffle is the key. Some riffle's like fast water and
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural
some like slow. Makes no difference here.
resources, wildlife, fisheries and private property, and
respect all laws or ordinances governing prospecting
and mining To set up the box you have to move all the large stuff
off and then get rid of most of the heavier sands. A
I WILL NOT remove stream bank material, destroy box is running right when you fill the front with gravel
natural vegetation or woody debris dams, nor discharge (and hopefully some gold). When the box has finished
excess silt into the waterways running the gravel
down onto the riffle
I WILL NOT refuel motorized equipment in the stream area of the box, the
space fills between
I WILL NOT allow oil from motorized the riffles, you can
equipment to drip onto the ground or into the water start to look for the
last of the gravels to
I WILL NOT prospect in areas closed to prospecting leave the front of the
and mining box. Now, if the box
is running too slow,
you will not see most
of the carpet clear
behind the first riffle
for something over
45 seconds of time.
If the box is running Proline Sluice Box
too fast then you will
see most of the carpet in 15 sec of time. Remember
that the box is affected by four things: average weight
of the gravel, size of the gravel, water flow throughout
the box, and the angle of the box. When you get it set
for time you are ready to go mining. Remember 45
Sec. is too slow and 15 Sec. is too fast.

Tip Courtesy of GetGold.com

Offer Your Assistance To Any 

Of Our Program Coordinators
The News, March 2011 Page 17
 Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club
2011 Schedule of Events

Month Meeting Program Trip/Activity

January Club Business and Open Forum No Trip/Activity Scheduled

Love Token Coin Presentation

February By Rick Mattingly
No Trip/Activity Scheduled

Update on Mining Laws, Permits and

Land Access for the 2011 Prospecting
March Season, What the Future Looks Like. GPS, Compass & Map Clinic
By Ben Higley, President,
Gold Prospectors of Colorado

Gold Refining Presentation

April Clear Creek Gold Panning
By David Emslie

‘Let’s Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas’ Event

Crack & Crevasse Prospecting
May Prospecting, Detecting & More Clinic at Lions Park -
By Bryan Morgan
Advertised and Open to the Public

Gold Nugget Shooting Presentation Nugget Shooting Clinic at Lions Park

June
By Rick Mattingly Eldora Ski Resort Detector Outing

Gold and Platinum in Wyoming Manhattan Ghost Town Detector Outing

July
By Wayne Sutherland, WGS Gold Nugget Shooting Outing

Detecting Presentation Ames Monument, Vedauwoo & Wyoming State Museum

August
By Tom Warne Tour

Annual Coin & Prize Hunt

Meteorite Presentation
September Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show—Denver
By Dr. Robert Brownlee
Lucite Hills Wyoming Gem Outing

Bottle Hunting Presentation

October Off-Road Detector & Cache Hunt
By Rick Mattingly

Annual “Show & Tell” &

November Local Detector Outing
Silent Auction

Annual Find of the Year Awards &

December Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show
Christmas Party

Good Hunting in 2011!

Page 18 The News, March 2011
 Rocky Mountain
Prospectors & Treasure Hunters
Contact List
RMPTH Coordinators Home E-Mail
Coordinator Paul Lange 1-970-663-5776 plange50@msn.com
Coordinator Robert Crain 1-970-484-6488 ———————–
Coordinator Bryan Morgan 1-970-416-0608 brymorg@frii.com
Coordinator Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 rickmatt@q.com

The News Staff

Editor-in-Chief Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 rickmatt@q.com
Assistant Editor Dick French 1-970-482-2110 dickyf99@comcast.net

Internet Web Site

Web Master Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 rickmatt@q.com

Volunteers/Coordinators
Joe Johnston 1-303-696-6950 cjoej1@peoplepc.com
Find of the Month Betsy Emond 1-970-218-0290 ———————–
Paul Mayhak 1-970-482-7846 pjmcolo@q.com

Paul Lange 1-970-663-5776 plange50@msn.com

Presentations
Johnny Berndsen 1-970-667-1006 johnnyberndsen.com
Club Historian Peggy Stumpf 1-307-632-9945 circlestar@yahoo.com
Club Librarian Joe Johnston 1-303-696-6950 cjoej1@peoplepc.com

Bryan Morgan 1-970-416-0608 brymorg@frii.com

Panning Demos
Darrell Koleber 1-970-669-2599 gutshot1016@yahoo.com

Setup &
Volunteer Needed! ———————– ———————–
Refreshments

Tom Warne 1-970-635-0773 goldigger48@msn.com

Door Prize Jacob Wootton 1-970-980-6016 jacob-wootton@yahoo.com
Johnny Berndsen 1-970-667-1006 ———————–

General Information Contact: Paul Lange at 1-970-663-5776

Visit RMPTH on the Internet at: http://rmpth.com

NOTE
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RESTRUCTURING
OUR VOLUNTEER POSITIONS WITHIN THE
CLUB. PLEASE CONSIDER COLUNTEERING
SOME TIME TO ASSIST YOUR CLUB!

The News, March 2011 Page 19

The News
Rocky Mountain Prospectors &
Treasure Hunters Club
P.O. Box 271863
Fort Collins, CO. 80527-1863

MARCH, 2011 ISSUE