175.13–14  “Humboldt” was beginning to shriek for attention] This mining region was situated about a hundred seventy-five miles northeast of Carson City in the West Humboldt Mountains (see supplement B, map 2). Silver and gold were discovered in the area in 1860, and over the next year, Unionville, Humboldt City, and Star City—each in a separate mining district—emerged as the principal centers of mining activity. News of a rich strike in June 1861, before Clemens arrived in Nevada, caused a rush to the Humboldt region from the Comstock; but it was not until the fall that Humboldt mining fever heated up in earnest. In November a correspondent from the Santa Clara district reported:

The great extent and richness of the Humboldt mines have long since ceased to be questions of doubt. . . . New leads are being located almost daily beyond the limits of the mining districts now formed. The irresistible conviction is forced upon all who have prospected here during the past Summer that this is not only the richest but most extensive quartz region extant. (Simmons, 1)

The Humboldt region continued to attract miners, mill operators, and investors for a time, except for a decline in 1864–65 which temporarily emptied the mining camps (Kelly 1862, 13, 235–38; Mining and Scientific Press: “Interesting Correspondence from Nevada Territory,” 3 [15 June 61]: 2; “Nevada Territory,” 4 [2 Nov 61]: 5); Angel, 449–54).

Chapter 26: note for 175.13–14," in Roughing It : an electronic text. 2016 

177.17 The Sheba mine] The Sheba mine, located by William M. Hurst in May 1861, was very near Star City. Following its first shipment of ore to San Francisco in August 1861, it proved to be one of the richest Humboldt mines (“Humbol[d]t District,” Mining and Scientific Press 4 [14 Dec 61]: 5; Ransome, 41–43). Upon his return from the Humboldt area, Clemens sent a sample of Sheba casing rock to his brother-in-law, William A. Moffett, in St. Louis (L1, 154).  Chapter 26: note for 177.17," in Roughing It : an electronic text. 2016