The American South-West in 1870. Up in the mountains FOUR MINERS have set up a mining camp beside a fast flowing stream that has gouged out a gorge in the rock. The camp isn't anything sophisticated; just four tents pitched around an open fire with a billy can hung above it.

Three of the miners stand knee deep in the stream and hack away at the gorge walls with pickaxes while the fourth and youngest miner tries to get the fire started. There isn't a sound except for the noise of stream and the hypnotic regular ring of the pickaxes hitting against the rock.

The first miner stops work. He lifts his hat to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He takes a swing of water from his canteen. When he starts work again, he knocks a stone out of the gorge wall. The stone falls into the steam. Quickly he reaches down but slips so he falls to his hands and knees but he comes up grinning with the rock in his hand.

He holds the rock up to the late afternoon light. It seems to shine. GOLD.