1. Gold Miner
Gold miners flocked to riverbeds and mountain claims, brandishing pans, pickaxes, and sluice boxes in search of that elusive yellow metal. Their days began before sunrise, churning icy waters and hacking rock veins with relentless backbreaking labor. Beyond the grind, miners faced constant peril—unexpected tunnel collapses, sudden floods, and poisonous gas pockets. Claim jumpers lurked in the shadows, while primitive camps bred scurvy and mercury poisoning, turning dreams of fortune into grim legacies.
