Rumoured gold cache remains elusive

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/01/2025 (290 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Finding a cache of gold would be a dream, with its promise of sudden wealth for anyone who happens to locate it. And while many are familliar with the Klondike gold rush of the late 19th century, in their newly revised book Slumach’s Gold, Rick Antonson, Mary Trainor and Brian Antonson tell of the search for another possible cache of gold.

Trainor, and brothers Rick and Brian Antonson, have been searching for Slumach’s gold for over 50 years. The three authors first published a version of Slumach’s Gold in 1971.

This latest version of the book — the third edition of Slumach’s Gold, now fully updated and with colour photos throughout — begins with the background and setting of the story of the rumoured mine. In 1891, an Indigenous man named Slumach was executed after being convicted of murder in the death of a man named Louis Bee, despite some doubt about the nature of the crime.

At the time of his death, Slumach was rumoured to know of a large cache of gold somewhere in the mountains of British Columbia, although he never revealed its location. He reportedly uttered a curse on anyone who searched for the gold, a story that has become part of the legend.

Since the 1890s, many have tried unsuccessfully to find the cache of gold, if it exists. Much of Slumach’s Gold is dedicated to describing these expeditions and the people who have undertaken the search in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The authors themselves took part in their own unsuccessful search. Through their explorations and research, the trio has encountered a variety of people, including photographers and locals preserving the story of Slumach through telling and re-telling their family lore and more.

Throughout the book, the authors give the background to the story and the search, including technical information about staking a claim to an area of land, obtaining a free miner’s certificate and other aspects of searching for gold. Many have believed they knew where the gold was hidden, only to be disappointed.

The authors’ explanations of their methods and the issues they considered will be of interest to those in historical research. Photographs, maps and other illustrations are scattered throughout the book, providing additional detail and giving readers a sense of the area where people have been looking.

Newspaper clippings and reports from Slumach’s time — including a description of his murder trial and its 15 minutes of jury deliberation — as well as other historic details help to fill out the background of this story.

The book’s ending includes additional information on the setting, on fact-checking the Slumach story and a range of other subjects that might interest readers.

Slumach’s Gold is an enjoyable read which could possibly inspire some to conduct their own search for the cache. It’s written in a clear, accessible style that will appeal to a wide audience, including those simply interested in a good story.

Susan Huebert is a Winnipeg writer and dog sitter.