Gold Rush: Parker's Trail (2017) s02e03 Episode Script
Hell Dorado
1
♪♪
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD.
WHERE ALL THE GOLD IS.
YOU CAN SEE WHY YOU DO IT.
AS FAR AS MOVING PARTS
GOES, IT'S TWO PUMPS.
WE'RE MOVING DIRT, HUH, RICK.
WE'RE MOVING DIRT.
RALLY!
PULL.
[ BLEEP ]
PARKER.
STOP THE PUMP.
STOP THE [BLEEP] PUMP.
♪♪
WE'VE GOT GOLD.
IF I SAW SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON
I'D [BLEEP] IN MY PANTS.
THAT'S 10 TIMES MORE THAN
I'D BE RUNNING IN KLONDIKE.
♪♪
LET'S GO FIND THE [BLEEP] GOLD.
SUPER IN, MAN.
OKAY, IT'S RECORDING.
LETS GO.
DO YOU THINK WE'D BE ABLE
TO FIND SOME GROUND TO MINE?
♪♪
HEY, AT LEAST IT'S NO
SCORCHING HOT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ALL GETTING WEATHER.
AAH! WHAT IS THAT?
[BLEEP] THAT HURTS.
PARKER MISJUDGED THIS
ONE [BLEEP] BIG TIME.
IF I DRAGGED OUR ASSES ALL
THE WAY DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING
I DON'T EVEN WAN
TO THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
WE NEED TO FIND SOME GOLD.
--Captions by VITAC--
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
OH, YEAH.
THAT WAS A GOOD SLEEP.
Woman: WE WOKE UP IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGH
TO THE COOLEST SOUND
OF HOWLER MONKEYS,
LIKE A GROWLING THROATY
HEAVY METAL SONG.
THE COMBO OF LIKE THE WINDSTORM
AND A HEAVY METAL SONG
PRETTY MUCH.
YOU UP PARKER?
-MORNING.
-MORNING.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING?
KARLA'S GETTING
THE WATER BOILING,
SO WE SHOULD HAVE COFFEE SOON.
I NEED A [BLEEP] HAIRCUT.
Narrator:
DURING THE YUKON'S OFF SEASON
PARKER AND FRIENDS
RICK, KARLA AND SAM
TRAVELED 6,000 MILES
FROM THE FROZEN KLONDIKE
TO GUYANA SOUTH AMERICA
AND THE GOLD FIELDS OF
THE REMOTE POTARO REGION.
PARKER WANTS TO LEARN
HOW GUYANA PRODUCED
AROUND $800 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD LAST YEAR,
NEARLY NINE TIMES
MORE THAN THE YUKON.
WHAT'S THE PLAN SCHNABEL?
MY THICK STARTING
POINT IS JUST LEARNING
HOW THE LOCALS DO IT,
YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT WHA
THE GROUND'S LIKE HERE
AND WHAT THE MINING
STYLES ARE LIKE.
THERE'S DEFINITELY
A LOT OF GOLD HERE.
MY MISSION HERE IS TO FIND
THE BEST POSSIBLE GROUND
THAT WE CAN AND THEN TRY
TO GET A CLAIM THERE.
AND HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S
SOME OPERATIONS AROUND
WHERE TODD WAS AT THEN
THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
SO, WE JUST START WHERE TODD
FAILED AND FIGURE OUT WHY.
YEAH.
GOOD PLAN.
LET'S FINISH OUR
COFFEE AND MOVE OUT.
Narrator:
FOUR YEARS AGO TODD HOFFMAN
RAN A HIGH TECH
OPERATION NEAR HERE
AND ONLY FOUND TWO
OUNCES OF GOLD.
PARKER MUST LEARN
A BETTER WAY OF MINING
IN ORDER TO RUN HIS OWN
OPERATION SUCCESSFULLY.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO GETTING MY TEETH
INTO THE MINING HERE
AND FIGURING OU
EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT.
Man: YOU KNOW PARKER'S
GOAL'S PRETTY CLEAR.
HE WANTS TO LEARN, AS DO I.
FIND A SPOT.
PROSPECT FOR SOME GOLD.
AND I'M ONBOARD WITH THAT.
HERE I'M LEARNING YOU
KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT'S THERE'S NO
A SCORPION OR BULLET AN
OR SOMETHING IN YOUR CLOTHES.
-IS EVERYONE SET?
-YEAH.
-READY TO ROCK.
-OH, YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO FIND
OLD HOFFMAN'S CLAIM.
YEAH.
THIS IS KIND OF
A DREAM JOB FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, CRASHING
OUT IN THE JUNGLE,
MEETING COOL PEOPLE,
HAVING AN ADVENTURE
AND LOOKING FOR TREASURE.
WE WANNA ACTUALLY BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THIS TRIP
AND FIND GOLD.
I'M GETTING MY SWEATING
IN FOR THE YEAR.
AW, [BLEEP].
Narrator: PARKER HAS ARRANGED TO
MEET A LOCAL PROSPECTOR
WHO'S AGREED TO
FIND TODD'S CLAIM
AND TEACH HIM LOCAL
MINING TECHNIQUES.
Man: HOW ARE YOU DOING?
-IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
-PARKER, RIGHT?
TONY? NICE TO MEET YOU.
Narrator: A WEEK AGO PARKER
MET JACKSON MELVILLE
IN THE FRONTIER TOWN OF MAHDIA.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND
WHERE TODD HOFFMAN,
A BIG AMERICAN DUDE,
WHERE HE WAS MINING.
YOU DO.
Narrator:
JACKSON AND HIS FATHER TONY
WERE TODD'S PROSPECTORS
AND MINED WITH HIM
FOR FOUR MONTHS.
WE HAD A BIT OF A ROUGH
TIME BUT WE'RE HERE NOW
THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
WE FOUND TODD'S CAMP OU
BY THE AIR STRIP THERE
BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE
WHERE HIS MINE IS AT.
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN
COME SHOW US THE WAY?
SWEET.
CAN WE BORROW YOUR ATVs?
AWESOME.
Narrator: MODERN DAY PROSPECTORS
USE ATVs TO GET AROUND
THE JUNGLE'S DIRT ROADS.
LOOK, RICK, YOU LOOK
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW,
SOME KIND OF
MOTORCYCLE POLICEMAN
OR SOMEONE FROM WORLD WAR II.
THEY'RE GONNA LEAD THE WAY TO
TODD'S MINE SITE.
HOLD ON TIGHT.
♪♪
♪♪
YEAH!
♪♪
WHOA!
♪♪
♪♪
THAT WAS FUN.
WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO
WHERE TODD'S MINE SITE WAS.
I GUESS THE ROAD KIND OF
GOT A LITTLE GROWN IN.
YOU GOT BIG TROMMELS
DOWN HERE, RIGHT?
I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE OF
THOSE IN THE COUNTRY.
♪♪
♪♪
I MEAN, THERE'S NO DITCH HERE.
THEY MAY HAVE BEEN
SLUICING IN THIS DITCH.
QUICKSAND.
WOW.
WHOA.
HERE.
WATCH YOUR KNEES.
YEP, DON'T PULL YOUR KNEE
OUT OF JOINT.
Man: I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY
THAT THEY WERE SETTLING HERE.
[ LAUGHING ]
HELLO.
IF THEY HAD, LIKE,
MULTIPLE EXCAVATORS,
MULTIPLE ROCK TRUCKS, A LOADER.
THE LAST THING I WOULD THINK
ABOUT BRINGING OUT HERE
IS A WHEELED MACHINE.
YOU SINK OUT OF SIGHT.
Narrator: TODD SPENT OVER THREE
QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS
HERE WE GO.
SETTING UP HIS OPERATION
HERE IN THE JUNGLE.
I'M ALREADY SPINNING.
Narrator: AFTER FIVE MONTHS
OF BATTLING THE RAIN
AND MUD HE LEFT WITH LESS
THAN $3,000 WORTH OF GOLD.
THIS FRICKIN' JUNGLE SCARES ME.
SO, LESS ROADS,
LESS INFRASTRUCTURE
OR ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
EXACTLY, YEAH.
YOU GUYS KNOW THIS COUNTRY
LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND
AND KNOW THE DIRT LIKE
THE BACK OF YOUR HAND.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD
OF MINING THAN WE'RE USED TO.
Narrator:
IF PARKER IS GOING TO SUCCEED
HE'LL HAVE TO MINE
WITHOUT HEAVY MACHINERY
AND PROSPECT DEEP
INTO THE JUNGLE.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
-LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AN OPENING.
-YEAH.
Narrator:
ON THE WAY BACK TO CAMP
THE CREW COMES ACROSS
TODD'S ABANDONED AIRSTRIP.
♪♪
Man: WHY DIDN'T WE GET THESE
QUADS TO START WITH?
♪♪
♪♪
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪♪
YEEHAW!
♪♪
THERE'S A LOT OF EXPLORING TO DO
AND A LOT OF LEARNING TO DO
AND A LOT OF STUFF TO SEE.
WE FOUND TODD'S MINING OPERATION
AND FINDING THE GOLD
MINERS AROUND HERE.
OUCH! [BLEEP]!
OUCH.
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
NO, [BLEEP] SOMETHING
BIT ME OR STUNG ME.
[BLEEP]
OUCH.
[BLEEP]
I JUST LAID DOWN AND LAID BACK
AND THEN SOMETHING [BLEEP]
STUNG ME RIGHT IN THE BACK.
RIGHT HERE.
LEFT SHOULDER BLADE.
OH, I SEE IT.
WHAT THE [BLEEP] IS THAT?
THERE HE IS.
THAT'S A BULLET ANT.
Narrator:
IT'S CALLED A BULLET AN
BECAUSE IT'S BITE
CONTAINS PARALYZING VENOM
AS PAINFUL AS A GUNSHOT.
[BLEEP] THAT HURTS.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Man: OH, LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THIS CENTIPEDE.
IT'S LIKE A FOO
AND A HALF LONG.
IT LOOKS LIKE A GIANT WORM.
IT IS A GIANT WORM.
IT'S NOT A CENTIPEDE.
IT'S A GIANT WORM.
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT EARTHWORMS
BEING DEADLY HERE, DID THEY?
EVERYTHING'S DEADLY HERE SAM.
GOING TO SEE SOME GOLD.
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW HAVE
COME TO MINE
THEIR OWN JUNGLE CLAIM BU
FIRST THEY HAVE TO LEARN
FROM LOCAL PROSPECTORS
TONY AND JACKSON MELVILLE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING
PROSPECTING WITH TONY.
HE'S BEEN DOING
THIS FOR 40 YEARS.
HE WON'T EVEN TELL
US WHERE HE'S GOING.
HE SAYS THAT THERE'S
BANDITS THAT WILL COME
AND TAKE THEIR GOLD,
TAKE THEIR GROUND
AND APPARENTLY I
GETS A LITTLE NASTY.
I FEEL JUST STRUGGLE
WITH THE SPIDERS
LET ALONE WITH
[BLEEP] ARMED BANDITS.
GET IT RICK.
GOOD JOB.
I'M GETTING IT.
LITTLE CREEK HERE.
Narrator: TONY AND JACKSON
HAVE SPENT THREE DAYS
PROSPECTING IN THIS CREEK.
HOW COME YOU PICKED RIGHT HERE?
Narrator: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF YEARS AGO,
MEANDERING RIVERS DEPOSITED
POCKETS OF GOLD RICH GRAVEL
IN THEIR BENDS.
OVER TIME A LAYER OF SAND
BURIED THE GOLD RICH GRAVEL.
MODERN DAY PROSPECTORS
USE STEAL RODS TO LOCATE
THESE GOLD RICH POCKETS.
♪♪
GOTCHA.
THIS IS A SPOTTY EVEN
TO THE POINT WHERE
EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS A GOOD
LITTLE SPOT RIGHT THERE
HE MOVED FIVE FEET AWAY
THERE MIGHT BE NOTHING.
OH, GRAVEL.
OH, YOU HEAR THAT.
I'M FIGHTING ALL MY
PANNING INSTINCTS
IN ORDER TO TRY TO
DO THIS PROPERLY.
THAT'S THE AMERICAN
WAY OF PANNING
AND NOT AN AMERICAN PAN.
IT DOESN'T WORK TOO WELL.RIGHT.
THE PANS THAT WE USE IN
THE STATES ARE FLAT BOTTOM
AND IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT STYLE.
YEAH, I MEAN GETTING
USED TO THESE
IS GONNA BE PRETTY DIFFICULT.
YEAH, I CAN'T DO THAT.
Narrator: TO HAVE ANY CHANCE
OF FINDING GOLD
PARKER WILL HAVE TO
LEARN TO PROSPEC
USING A LOCAL CONE-SHAPED PAN.
LIKE THAT?
THERE'S A LOT OF MOTION GOING ON
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS THOUGH.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE THIS POIN
YOU JUST WASH IT LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT.
BEAUTIFUL LOOKING GOLD.
YOU FOUND A NICE
LITTLE SPOT HERE.
THIS IS PRETTY DAMN COOL.
PROSPECTING GUYANA STYLE.YEAH.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S
PRETTY GOOD GROUND TOO,
BUT THAT'S THE BEST LAYER
RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU DID A LOT OF SHOVELING
TO GET THERE, HUH.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE 30 OR
40 MAYBE EVEN MORE COLOR.
SOME NICE CHUNKS TOO.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE ACTUALLY.
I CAN'T WAIT TO
HAVE OUR OWN HOLE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JUNGLE.
CAN YOU RICK?
NO, I WANT MY OWN HOLE.
YOU CAN'T WAIT.
YOU WANT YOUR OWN HOLE.
I WANT MY OWN HOLE.
CAN OUR HOLES BE
NEXT TO EACH OTHER?
YES, LET'S HAVE MATCHING HOLES.PERFECT.
SO, DO YOU THINK THA
WE'D BE ABLE TO FIND
SOME GROUND AROUND HERE TO MINE?
♪♪
RIGHT.
THANKS FOR LETTING US DABBLE.
THIS ISN'T REALLY WORKING
OUT HOW WE PLANNED.
♪♪
WHAT ARE THINKING PARKER?
I WAS JUST THINKING WE CAN
DO A PAN ON THIS CREEK.
Narrator: STILL ON TONY'S
GROUND, PARKER STOPS
TO PUT HIS NEW FOUND
SKILLS TO THE TEST.
THAT'S SOME NICE LOOKING
GRAVEL DOWN HERE TOO. SWEET.
THERE'S A NICE HOLE.
I'M TRYING TO GE
USED TO THIS FUNKY PAN
BUT IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT.
WE'VE GOT GOLD.
-WHAT?
-REALLY?
YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
FOUR COLORS IN
A LINE RIGHT THERE.
OH, IT'S REAL FINE, HUH.
THERE'S ONE.
THERE'S ONE.
AND THERE'S ONE.
BUT IT'S OUR FIRST GOLD.
WOW, THAT'S CRAZY.
JUST PANNED OUT OF
THE CREEK LIKE THAT.
BOOYAH.
GOLD.
[BLEEP] BRIGHT MOMENT IN
THE DEPTH OF THE JUNGLE.
THAT MAKES MY 500 BUG
BITES FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.
IT'S REALLY COOL TO JUST FIND
A LITTLE CREEK LIKE THAT,
FIND SOME GOOD GRAVEL
AND PAN OUT SOME GOLD.
THAT IS A NICE REMINDER
OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
I'M, UH
[BLEEP] PUMPED.
♪♪
♪♪
HOW YOU FEELING RICK?
LIKE [BLEEP].
Narrator: HAVING TASTED HIS
FIRST GOLD IN GUYANA
PARKER NEEDS HIS
OWN GROUND TO MINE
BUT THE JUNGLE IS
TAKING IT'S TOLL.
RICK WOKE UP AT THREE
OR FOUR THIS MORNING
WITH VERY BAD STOMACH PROBLEMS.
Woman: WEATHERED, WE'RE ALL
GETTING WEATHERED.
Narrator: WITH A FEVER OF 102,
RICK NEEDS RES
AND HYDRATION TO BRING
HIS TEMPERATURE DOWN.
EVERYDAY THAT WE SPEND
LOST AND CONFUSED
IS A DAY THAT WE'RE
NOT MEETING GOLD MINERS
OR NOT LOOKING FOR GROUND.
THAT'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
IRRITATING.
♪♪
HOW YOU DOING, MAN?
I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
DON'T [BLEEP] WASTE A DAY.
I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY
TO SEE AROUND HERE.
YEAH, WE NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE
AND FIND SOME GROUND.
I'LL BUDDY UP WITH RICK.
YOU BUDDY WITH
HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME
YOU GUYS GET BACK
I'LL BE [BLEEP] BETTER.
BE SAFE.
WILL DO.
THERE'S A FAIR BIT OF
MINING ACTIVITY AROUND HERE.
Narrator:
TO FIND A CLAIM IN THE JUNGLE
PARKER NEEDS TO TRACK
DOWN SOME LOCAL MINERS.
SO, YOU GO FIRST.
SHOULD WE GO IN THERE?
UP TO MAN.
TOTALLY YOUR CALL.
THIS IS PARKER'S TRAIL.
♪♪
PARKER, WHAT'S THAT?
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE
AN OLD WASH PLANT.
A BIG OLD OPERATION.
YEAH, QUITE COMPLICATED
SETUP HERE.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT'S
BEEN OUT OF OPERATION
FOR QUITE AWHILE.
OH, THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE.
HOW'S IT GOING?
OH, YEAH, I'M PARKER.
THIS IS SAM.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
HOW'S THE MINING LIFE?
Narrator: JACKO HAS BEEN
MINING THESE JUNGLES
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
FINALLY MEETING SOME
MINERS THIS IS COOL.
YEAH, THIS IS REALLY COOL.
WE'RE FINALLY MEETING
SOME PROPER LOCALS
AND THEY SEEM TO KNOW WHAT'S UP.
SO, YOU DID ALL THIS?
RIGHT.
ALL THAT GRAVEL THERE.
YEAH.
I WANNA SEE THIS
PLACE IN ACTION.
[ BIRD SCREECHING ]OH, AWESOME!
CAN WE COME BACK TOMORROW
AND SEE YOU RUN SOME DIRT?
THANKS, MAN.
I APPRECIATE IT.
THERE'S A BIG STORM COMING
AND IT'S GETTING DARK,
SO WE GOTTA GE
THE HELL OUT OF HERE
AND GET BACK TO CAMP.
[ SCREECHING ]
[ THUNDER CRASHING ]
JACKO RUNS HIS OWN OPERATION
MAYBE HE CAN HELP
US GET A CLAIM.
WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
HOW HARD CAN THAT BE?
[ THUNDER CRASHING ]
-MORNING.
-GOOD MORNING.
-HE'S ALIVE.
-OH, YEAH.
YOU LOOK BETTER.
MAN, I FEEL A LOT BETTER.
WE HAD A REALLY PEACEFUL
DAY WITHOUT RICK ABUSING ME.
I HOPE YOU DIDN'
GET USED TO IT.
WELL, YOU'RE FEELING BETTER
ENOUGH TO DO SOME STUFF TODAY?
YEAH MAN.
I'M NOT SCREWING AROUND.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE'LL GET READY TO
-IS EVERYONE SET?
-YEAH.
Narrator:
RICK IS BACK ON HIS FEE
AND THE CREW HEADS
OUT TO SEE IF JACKO
CAN HELP THEM FIND A CLAIM.
♪♪
SEE SOME GOLD?
OH, THE WATER'S DONE.
Narrator: JACKO IS SETTING
UP HIS ONLY PIECE
OF HIGH TECH EQUIPMENT,
A 20 YEAR OLD FOUR INCH PUMP.
NO FUNNEL?
YOU GOT A LEAF.
AND THE PUMP ITSELF IS
AS BARE BONES AS IT GETS.
IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A STARTER.
YOU JUST CRANK HER, HAND CRANK.
-YOU GOT IT GOING.
-YEAH.
THIS IS DEFINITELY
PRETTY OLD SCHOOL.
LIKE, AS CHEAP AS YOU CAN DO IT.
Narrator: BURYING TREE
BRANCHES IN THE SAND
IS AN INGENIOUS LOCAL SOLUTION
TO PREVENT EXCESS WATER
FROM UNDERMINING THE PUMP.
I NEVER USED TREES DURING GOLD
MINING SO MUCH IN MY LIFE.
A WHOLE NEW IDEA OF WHA
A PUSH STICK IS THOUGH.
IT'S JUST LIKE
LITERALLY THE BUSHES.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DON'
HAVE THE RIGHT PULLEY
OR MOTOR OR SOMETHING.
IT'S LIKE HERE'S SOME TREES.
♪♪
HEY, AT LEAST IT'S NO
SCORCHING HOT RIGHT NOW.
I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE I
WILL NEVER EVER BE DRY AGAIN
ONCE IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: JACKO PUMPS WATER FROM
THE POND
THROUGH A LAID-FLAT PIPE
TO KARLA, WHO'S WASHING
THE PAY DIR
THROUGH HIS
BASIC GROUND SLUICE.
FINE GOLD
FROM THE GRAVELS AND SAND
IS TRAPPED IN MATS
BENEATH THE WATER.
IT'S LIKE STEPPING
BACK IN TIME, ISN'T IT?
IT REALLY IS, LIKE EVERYTHING,
EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
THIS COULD BE FROM 100 YEARS AGO
IN THE YUKON.
Narrator:
IN THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH,
OLD TIMERS EXTRACTED MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS WORTH OF GOLD
USING THE SAME BASIC MINING
TECHNIQUES JACKO IS USING TODAY.
Parker: I THINK THAT YOU AND I
AND RICK AND KARLA
COULD TOTALLY SET UP
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DAMN EFFICIEN
WAY OF MOVING MATERIAL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH GOLD HE FINDS.
WE'RE GONNA DO A CLEAN
UP WITH HIM HERE SOON
AND I WOULD THINK
THEY'D SHOW US.
DO YOUR THING?
HOW MUCH MATERIAL DO YOU THINK
YOU RUN OVER THIS SLUICE?
YEAH.
Narrator: THAT EQUATES TO JUS
TWO YARDS OF PAY DIR
FOR TWO DAYS OF HARD LABOR.
Man: A BIG WASH PLANT RUNS
OVER 200 YARDS AN HOUR.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator:
JACKO PANS THE CONCENTRATE,
SLOWLY SEPARATING
THE FINE GOLD FROM THE DIRT.
GUYANA GOLD.
Narrator: HE THEN TAKES IT TO
HIS GOLD ROOM TO PROCESS.
I LIKE A LOT OF HORSEPOWER.
AND, UH, DOWN HERE
IT'S ALL MANPOWER.
JUST GET IN THERE AND FIGHT YOUR
WAY THROUGH IT.
Narrator:
TWO YARDS OF DIRT DELIVERS
A FIFTH OF AN OUNCE OF GOLD.
IT'S LABOR INTENSIVE
BUT THE PAYOFF PER YARD
IS EXTREMELY HIGH.
SO, THAT'S WORTH LIKE $250 U.S.
HEY.
IT'S SAFE.
SO, THAT'S 250 BUCKS FOR
TWO YARDS OF MATERIAL.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT?
THAT'S LIKE 10 TIMES
MORE THAN OUR AVERAGE
THAT WE RUN IN THE KLONDIKE.
WE'D BE STYLING A PROFILING IF
WE EARNED THAT UP IN THE YUKON.
Narrator:
JACKO'S GOLD-RICH GROUND
IS EXACTLY WHA
PARKER IS LOOKING FOR.
Parker: 100 YARDS AN HOUR
FOR 10 HOURS A DAY
AND YOU'D BE DOING
100 GRAM A DAY
ON THE GROUND JACKO'S
ON RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, THAT SEEMS CRAZY TO ME
THAT THIS GROUND'S JUS
SITTING HERE LIKE THAT.
RIGHT NOW IF WE CAN
FIND AN EXCAVATOR
WE CAN PARTNER UP WITH HIM.
I THINK THIS IS
OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S A SWEET PLAN.
IT IS.
Karla: COOL.
BOOYAH.
RALLY.
IT'S [BLEEP] GOOD.
IT'S REALLY GOOD.
WE'VE GOT AN OPTION NOW.
LIKE THIS IS AN OPTION.
THIS IS A [BLEEP] GOOD OPTION.
Narrator: THEIR SUCCESS DEPENDS
ON JACKO LEASING THEM A PIECE
OF HIS GOLD RICH GROUND.
WELL, JACKO, THANK YOU
FOR SHOWING US AROUND
AND LETTING US
LEARN AT YOUR PLACE.
SO, IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN
GET SOME GROUND OFF OF YOU?
NOTHING THAT YOU'RE MINING.
YOU WANNA MINE ALL THAT.
GOTCHA.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO
KEEP LOOKING THEN.
-THAT'S A DAMN SHAME.
-OH, YEAH.
♪♪
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW IS
STRUGGLING TO FIND
ANY GROUND TO MINE IN
THE JUNGLES OF GUYANA.
JACKO'S GOT SOME PRETTY
SWEET GROUND THERE,
EH, PARKER?YEAH, HE DOES.
IT'S A SHAME WE
CAN'T GET ANY OF IT.
YEAH, DUDE, I MEAN
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
I DON'T KNOW.
♪♪
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
JACKSON HAS ANOTHER
LEAD FOR PARKER.
FIVE MILES DEEPER INTO THE
JUNGLE HIS COUSIN RUNS A MINE
AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP
PARKER FIND SOME GROUND.
THIS IS IT.
WINSELL RIGHT?
WINSELL.
I'M PARKER.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
YOU'RE THE BOSS.
WINSELL HOW MANY GUYS YOU GOT?
YEAH.
YOU PAY THEM DOLLARS
PER OUNCE OR PERCENTAGE?
CAN WE GIVE YOU A HAND AND LEARN
HOW TO MINE WITH YOU?
THERE JUST ABOUT TO FIRE UP,
SO WE'LL GET IN
AND GET OUR HANDS DIRTY
AND SEE WHAT WE'RE IN FOR.
♪♪
I'VE JUST GOTTA WASH THE [BLEEP]
INTO THE PIT, MAN.
NOT INTENTIONALLY
TRYING TO GET KARLA,
JUST TRYING TO DO MY JOB.
Narrator: WINSELL RUNS
A TWO-PUMP OPERATION,
ONE POWERS THE HOSES
THAT CREATE THE SLURRY,
THE OTHER PUMPS I
UP INTO A SLUICE BOX.
♪♪
Narrator:
KARLA IS DEEP IN THE PIT,
KEEPING ROCKS AND DEBRIS
AWAY FROM THE SUCTION HOSE.
FEELS PRETTY GOOD.
YEAH.
I'M WASHING ROCKS
INTO THAT POND.
RIGHT, MOSES?
WHERE ALL THE GOLD IS.
I'VE BEEN ITCHING TO
GET TO A GOOD OPERATION
AND ACTUALLY TRY
TO MOVE SOME DIRT.
YOU COULD SEE WHY YOU'D DO IT.
DOWN HERE, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF LABOR
AND NOT A LOT OF EQUIPMENT.
AS FAR AS MOVING PARTS
GOES, IT'S TWO PUMPS.
WE'RE MOVING GOOD, HUH, RICK?
MOVING DIRT.
RALLY!
Narrator: THE JETMAN'S JOB
IS THE MOST DANGEROUS
ON THE MINE.
SHOOTING 700 GALLONS PER MINUTE
AND WITH UNPREDICTABLE
SURGES IN PRESSURE,
A RUNAWAY HOSE CAN PROVE
LETHAL TO ANYONE IN ITS PATH.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST LIKE
SHOOTING FROM THE HIP,
LITERALLY.
WHOA!
[BLEEP]!
PARKER!
[BLEEP]!
[BLEEP] IT CLOCKED ME IN
THE KNEE.
YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS
A GIANT [BLEEP] SNAKE
COMING AFTER ME FOR A SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF
PARKER'S ALL RIGHT.
[BLEEP] PARKER'S LIMPING.
THAT EASILY COULD'VE
CLOCKED YOU IN THE HEAD
OR ME IN THE HEAD AND YOU
WOULDN'T BE GETTING UP.
DID IT SLIP OUT OF
YOUR HAND OR WHAT?
YEAH, I LIKE TOOK A STEP
BACKWARDS INTO A HOLE
AND GOT A PRESSURE SURGE AND
[BLEEP] JUST WENT RIGHT OVER.
HIT THE SIDE OF MY KNEE
BUT I'M GOOD.
LET'S GET BACK TO WORK.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: WINSELL SHUTS DOWN
TO SHOW PARKER AND HIS CREW
WHAT THEY PRODUCED.
ARE YOU USUALLY FINDING
QUIT A BIT OF GOLD.
GOOD GROUND YOU'RE ON HERE.
ISN'T IT?
IS THERE SOME GOLD IN THERE?
OH, YEAH.
IF IS SAW SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON
I'D [BLEEP] IN MY PANTS.
WE'D BE RICH.
DO YOU THINK WE
HELPED YOU OUT TODAY
OR DID WE GET IN
THE WAY TOO MUCH?
YEAH.
YEAH.
I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD
BE THE RIGHT ANSWER.
THANKS FOR LETTING US WORK MAN.
I APPRECIATE IT.
Narrator:
WINSELL IS JUST THE FOREMAN.
IF PARKER IS GOING
TO GET HIS OWN CLAIM
HE NEEDS TO SPEAK
TO THE HEAD HONCHO,
GINETTA MELVILLE.
HI, GINETTA.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
WE, YOU KNOW, RICK AND KARLA
AND SAM AND I
WERE HOPING TO SET UP
A BIT OF AN OPERATION
SOMEWHERE IN GUYANA.
IS THERE IS THERE ANY GROUND
AVAILABLE HERE?
REALLY?
NO GROUND AT ALL?
GOTCHA.
THAT'S TOO BAD.
THANK YOU ANYWAY.
NO DICE.
AW REALLY.
YEAH, GOT IT ALL TIED UP
AND THEY'RE GONNA MINE IT ALL.
RIGHT?YEAH.
I GUESS YOU CAN'T REALLY
BLAME THEM FOR THAT.
NO. IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THAT'S TOO BAD.
Narrator:
IT'S CLEAR THE GUYANA GOLD RUSH
HAS CREATED MORE MINERS THAN
THERE ARE CLAIMS TO MINE.
NOBODY WANTS TO LEASE OU
THEIR VALUABLE GROUND.
WHAT'S [BLEEP] OBVIOUS HERE
IS THAT WE WAS MISJUDGED
BIG TIME THAT WE
COULD JUST, YOU KNOW,
[BLEEP] ROLL ON IN HERE
AND JUST EXPECT SOMEBODY
TO GIVE US A CLAIM.
LIKE, WHY?
LIKE, WE WOULDN'T DO THAT UP
IN THE KLONDIKE REALLY.
LIKE, SOMEBODY JUST SHOWED UP
LIKE, OH, WE REALLY WANNA MINE.
WELL, TOO [BLEEP] BAD.
WE'RE MINING HERE.
Parker: I REALLY THOUGHT THA
I'D BE FAIRLY EASY
TO FIND SOMEBODY THA
WOULD HAVE SOME GROUND
AND THAT WE COULD
GO MINING ON IT.
IT AIN'T SEEMING THAT WAY.
I MEAN, JACKO HAS
REALLY GOOD GROUND.
I MEAN MAYBE JACKO
KNOWS SOMEONE ELSE
THAT HAS SOME GROUND
THAT THEY'LL LEASE US.
IT MIGHT BE SMART TO JUST GO
AND GIVE IT ONE MORE
CHANCE WITH HIM.
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.
IF I DRAGGED OUR ASSES ALL
THE WAY DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING
I DON'T EVEN WAN
TO THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
SO IF I RUN INTO A JAGUAR,
WHAT'S MY MOVE?
Narrator:
WEIGHING IN AT 250 POUNDS,
JAGUARS ARE THE LARGES
BIG CAT IN GUYANA.
WITH A JAW DESIGNED TO
CUT THROUGH CAIMAN SKIN
AND TURTLE SHELLS,
POUND FOR POUND THE JAGUAR
HAS THE STRONGEST BITE
OF ANY CAT IN THE WORLD.
SO I HEARD THAT YOU'VE BEEN
IN A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR.
SO, DO YOU HAVE SCARS FROM THAT?
SO, WALK AWAY.
CAN DO.
♪♪
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS CREW
ARE ON THE RICHEST GROUND
THEY'VE EVER SEEN,
BUT UNLIKE THE KLONDIKE,
NOBODY IS WILLING TO
LEASE THEM A CLAIM.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO
MINE GOLD IN GUYANA
THEY'LL NEED ADVICE FROM
AN EXPERIENCED MINER,
LIKE THEIR NEW FRIEND JACKO.
HOW YOU DOING JACKO?
YOU KNOW WE'VE TALKED
TO SOME OTHER GUYS
AND NOBODY SEEMS
TO BE TOO WILLING
TO LET US MINE ON THEIR GROUND.
IF WE CAN'T FIND
ANYTHING AROUND HERE
WHAT DO YOU RECKON WE SHOULD DO?
Narrator: DEEP IN THE JUNGLES
OF SOUTHERN GUYANA
THERE'S A QUARTER MILLION OUNCES
OF GOLD
BURIED IN MARUDI MOUNTAIN.
SO, THERE'S A GOLD
RUSH IN MARUDI.
IT'S HARD TO GET TO.
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.
Narrator: FROM MAHDIA IT'S
A 270-MILE JOURNEY SOUTH
TOWARDS THE BRAZILIAN BORDER
THROUGH JUNGLE AND SAVANNAH
INTO ONE OF GUYANA'S
REMOTEST AREAS,
THE GOLD FIELDS OF MARUDI.
IT'S A LONG TRIP
TO GET DOWN THERE
AND WE'RE BASICALLY GONNA
START OVER, YOU KNOW.
WE KIND OF PU
SOME TIME IN HERE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF
A SHOCK TO FIND OU
THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA FIND
ANY GROUND HERE TO MINE.
SO, IT'S A BUMMER.
IN MY MIND WE EITHER GO
HOME OR GO TO MARUDI.
Narrator:
WITH THE POTARO REGION A BUS
THE CREW HAS A TOUGH
DECISION TO MAKE.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?
THERE'S PEOPLE
PULLING GOLD OUT HERE.
IT'S TOO BAD WE COULDN'
FIND A CHUNK FOR US.
Narrator: SHOULD THEY DOUBLE
DOWN ON ANOTHER EPIC TREK
IN SEARCH OF A GOLD
RICH CLAIM THEY CAN MINE,
OR GIVE UP ON THEIR
DREAM OF GUYANESE GOLD?
I MEAN WE COULD TRY TO
GET TO THIS PLACE MARUDI.
I'VE STILL GOT RESERVATIONS
ABOUT THIS WHOLE JUNGLE THING.
THIS IS A LONG WAYS TO GO
BASED ON SOME TALL TALE, BUT
YEAH, ME TOO.
I THINK ANYBODY WOULD
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE
HEADING TO MARUDI.
IT SEEMS WE CAN'T STAY HERE.
WE GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE.
Sam: DO YOU HAVE THE
STOMACH FOR MORE?
Karla: OH, I'M ALL FOR IT.
A TRIP INTO THE UNKNOWN,
I LOVE THAT KIND OF [BLEEP].
I THINK WE DO IT.
YOU KNOW?
LET'S GO FIND THE [BLEEP] GOLD.
SUPER IN MAN.
YEAH, [BLEEP] IT.
YEAH?!
[ LAUGHS ]
ARE YOU IN?
-IN.
YES!
HEY ERIC, CAN YOU TAKE
US TO THE AIR STRIP?
♪♪
DOING IT.
[BLEEP].
GO BIG OR GO HOME.
IT FEELS [BLEEP] GOOD
AND IT'S GONNA BE A HELL OF
AN ADVENTURE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
♪♪
Narrator:
UP AHEAD ON PARKER'S TRAIL
I WANT A GOLD NUGGE
ABOUT THIS BIG.
WOW.
THAT'S THE TYPE OF GOLD
THAT CAME FROM MARUDI.
HOLY COW.
THAT MUST BE WELL OVER AN OUNCE.
CAIMAN IS ON OUR LEFT.
SORRY, BUDDY,
BUT YOU'RE DINNER.
WE JUST GOTTA DO THIS QUICK.
WATCH OUT!
PARKER!
[BLEEP]
WHERE'S PARKER?
♪♪
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD.
WHERE ALL THE GOLD IS.
YOU CAN SEE WHY YOU DO IT.
AS FAR AS MOVING PARTS
GOES, IT'S TWO PUMPS.
WE'RE MOVING DIRT, HUH, RICK.
WE'RE MOVING DIRT.
RALLY!
PULL.
[ BLEEP ]
PARKER.
STOP THE PUMP.
STOP THE [BLEEP] PUMP.
♪♪
WE'VE GOT GOLD.
IF I SAW SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON
I'D [BLEEP] IN MY PANTS.
THAT'S 10 TIMES MORE THAN
I'D BE RUNNING IN KLONDIKE.
♪♪
LET'S GO FIND THE [BLEEP] GOLD.
SUPER IN, MAN.
OKAY, IT'S RECORDING.
LETS GO.
DO YOU THINK WE'D BE ABLE
TO FIND SOME GROUND TO MINE?
♪♪
HEY, AT LEAST IT'S NO
SCORCHING HOT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ALL GETTING WEATHER.
AAH! WHAT IS THAT?
[BLEEP] THAT HURTS.
PARKER MISJUDGED THIS
ONE [BLEEP] BIG TIME.
IF I DRAGGED OUR ASSES ALL
THE WAY DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING
I DON'T EVEN WAN
TO THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
WE NEED TO FIND SOME GOLD.
--Captions by VITAC--
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
OH, YEAH.
THAT WAS A GOOD SLEEP.
Woman: WE WOKE UP IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGH
TO THE COOLEST SOUND
OF HOWLER MONKEYS,
LIKE A GROWLING THROATY
HEAVY METAL SONG.
THE COMBO OF LIKE THE WINDSTORM
AND A HEAVY METAL SONG
PRETTY MUCH.
YOU UP PARKER?
-MORNING.
-MORNING.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING?
KARLA'S GETTING
THE WATER BOILING,
SO WE SHOULD HAVE COFFEE SOON.
I NEED A [BLEEP] HAIRCUT.
Narrator:
DURING THE YUKON'S OFF SEASON
PARKER AND FRIENDS
RICK, KARLA AND SAM
TRAVELED 6,000 MILES
FROM THE FROZEN KLONDIKE
TO GUYANA SOUTH AMERICA
AND THE GOLD FIELDS OF
THE REMOTE POTARO REGION.
PARKER WANTS TO LEARN
HOW GUYANA PRODUCED
AROUND $800 MILLION
WORTH OF GOLD LAST YEAR,
NEARLY NINE TIMES
MORE THAN THE YUKON.
WHAT'S THE PLAN SCHNABEL?
MY THICK STARTING
POINT IS JUST LEARNING
HOW THE LOCALS DO IT,
YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT WHA
THE GROUND'S LIKE HERE
AND WHAT THE MINING
STYLES ARE LIKE.
THERE'S DEFINITELY
A LOT OF GOLD HERE.
MY MISSION HERE IS TO FIND
THE BEST POSSIBLE GROUND
THAT WE CAN AND THEN TRY
TO GET A CLAIM THERE.
AND HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S
SOME OPERATIONS AROUND
WHERE TODD WAS AT THEN
THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
SO, WE JUST START WHERE TODD
FAILED AND FIGURE OUT WHY.
YEAH.
GOOD PLAN.
LET'S FINISH OUR
COFFEE AND MOVE OUT.
Narrator:
FOUR YEARS AGO TODD HOFFMAN
RAN A HIGH TECH
OPERATION NEAR HERE
AND ONLY FOUND TWO
OUNCES OF GOLD.
PARKER MUST LEARN
A BETTER WAY OF MINING
IN ORDER TO RUN HIS OWN
OPERATION SUCCESSFULLY.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO GETTING MY TEETH
INTO THE MINING HERE
AND FIGURING OU
EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT.
Man: YOU KNOW PARKER'S
GOAL'S PRETTY CLEAR.
HE WANTS TO LEARN, AS DO I.
FIND A SPOT.
PROSPECT FOR SOME GOLD.
AND I'M ONBOARD WITH THAT.
HERE I'M LEARNING YOU
KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT'S THERE'S NO
A SCORPION OR BULLET AN
OR SOMETHING IN YOUR CLOTHES.
-IS EVERYONE SET?
-YEAH.
-READY TO ROCK.
-OH, YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO FIND
OLD HOFFMAN'S CLAIM.
YEAH.
THIS IS KIND OF
A DREAM JOB FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, CRASHING
OUT IN THE JUNGLE,
MEETING COOL PEOPLE,
HAVING AN ADVENTURE
AND LOOKING FOR TREASURE.
WE WANNA ACTUALLY BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THIS TRIP
AND FIND GOLD.
I'M GETTING MY SWEATING
IN FOR THE YEAR.
AW, [BLEEP].
Narrator: PARKER HAS ARRANGED TO
MEET A LOCAL PROSPECTOR
WHO'S AGREED TO
FIND TODD'S CLAIM
AND TEACH HIM LOCAL
MINING TECHNIQUES.
Man: HOW ARE YOU DOING?
-IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
-PARKER, RIGHT?
TONY? NICE TO MEET YOU.
Narrator: A WEEK AGO PARKER
MET JACKSON MELVILLE
IN THE FRONTIER TOWN OF MAHDIA.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND
WHERE TODD HOFFMAN,
A BIG AMERICAN DUDE,
WHERE HE WAS MINING.
YOU DO.
Narrator:
JACKSON AND HIS FATHER TONY
WERE TODD'S PROSPECTORS
AND MINED WITH HIM
FOR FOUR MONTHS.
WE HAD A BIT OF A ROUGH
TIME BUT WE'RE HERE NOW
THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
WE FOUND TODD'S CAMP OU
BY THE AIR STRIP THERE
BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE
WHERE HIS MINE IS AT.
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN
COME SHOW US THE WAY?
SWEET.
CAN WE BORROW YOUR ATVs?
AWESOME.
Narrator: MODERN DAY PROSPECTORS
USE ATVs TO GET AROUND
THE JUNGLE'S DIRT ROADS.
LOOK, RICK, YOU LOOK
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW,
SOME KIND OF
MOTORCYCLE POLICEMAN
OR SOMEONE FROM WORLD WAR II.
THEY'RE GONNA LEAD THE WAY TO
TODD'S MINE SITE.
HOLD ON TIGHT.
♪♪
♪♪
YEAH!
♪♪
WHOA!
♪♪
♪♪
THAT WAS FUN.
WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO
WHERE TODD'S MINE SITE WAS.
I GUESS THE ROAD KIND OF
GOT A LITTLE GROWN IN.
YOU GOT BIG TROMMELS
DOWN HERE, RIGHT?
I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE OF
THOSE IN THE COUNTRY.
♪♪
♪♪
I MEAN, THERE'S NO DITCH HERE.
THEY MAY HAVE BEEN
SLUICING IN THIS DITCH.
QUICKSAND.
WOW.
WHOA.
HERE.
WATCH YOUR KNEES.
YEP, DON'T PULL YOUR KNEE
OUT OF JOINT.
Man: I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY
THAT THEY WERE SETTLING HERE.
[ LAUGHING ]
HELLO.
IF THEY HAD, LIKE,
MULTIPLE EXCAVATORS,
MULTIPLE ROCK TRUCKS, A LOADER.
THE LAST THING I WOULD THINK
ABOUT BRINGING OUT HERE
IS A WHEELED MACHINE.
YOU SINK OUT OF SIGHT.
Narrator: TODD SPENT OVER THREE
QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS
HERE WE GO.
SETTING UP HIS OPERATION
HERE IN THE JUNGLE.
I'M ALREADY SPINNING.
Narrator: AFTER FIVE MONTHS
OF BATTLING THE RAIN
AND MUD HE LEFT WITH LESS
THAN $3,000 WORTH OF GOLD.
THIS FRICKIN' JUNGLE SCARES ME.
SO, LESS ROADS,
LESS INFRASTRUCTURE
OR ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
EXACTLY, YEAH.
YOU GUYS KNOW THIS COUNTRY
LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND
AND KNOW THE DIRT LIKE
THE BACK OF YOUR HAND.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD
OF MINING THAN WE'RE USED TO.
Narrator:
IF PARKER IS GOING TO SUCCEED
HE'LL HAVE TO MINE
WITHOUT HEAVY MACHINERY
AND PROSPECT DEEP
INTO THE JUNGLE.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
-LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AN OPENING.
-YEAH.
Narrator:
ON THE WAY BACK TO CAMP
THE CREW COMES ACROSS
TODD'S ABANDONED AIRSTRIP.
♪♪
Man: WHY DIDN'T WE GET THESE
QUADS TO START WITH?
♪♪
♪♪
[ LAUGHTER ]
♪♪
YEEHAW!
♪♪
THERE'S A LOT OF EXPLORING TO DO
AND A LOT OF LEARNING TO DO
AND A LOT OF STUFF TO SEE.
WE FOUND TODD'S MINING OPERATION
AND FINDING THE GOLD
MINERS AROUND HERE.
OUCH! [BLEEP]!
OUCH.
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
NO, [BLEEP] SOMETHING
BIT ME OR STUNG ME.
[BLEEP]
OUCH.
[BLEEP]
I JUST LAID DOWN AND LAID BACK
AND THEN SOMETHING [BLEEP]
STUNG ME RIGHT IN THE BACK.
RIGHT HERE.
LEFT SHOULDER BLADE.
OH, I SEE IT.
WHAT THE [BLEEP] IS THAT?
THERE HE IS.
THAT'S A BULLET ANT.
Narrator:
IT'S CALLED A BULLET AN
BECAUSE IT'S BITE
CONTAINS PARALYZING VENOM
AS PAINFUL AS A GUNSHOT.
[BLEEP] THAT HURTS.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Man: OH, LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THIS CENTIPEDE.
IT'S LIKE A FOO
AND A HALF LONG.
IT LOOKS LIKE A GIANT WORM.
IT IS A GIANT WORM.
IT'S NOT A CENTIPEDE.
IT'S A GIANT WORM.
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT EARTHWORMS
BEING DEADLY HERE, DID THEY?
EVERYTHING'S DEADLY HERE SAM.
GOING TO SEE SOME GOLD.
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW HAVE
COME TO MINE
THEIR OWN JUNGLE CLAIM BU
FIRST THEY HAVE TO LEARN
FROM LOCAL PROSPECTORS
TONY AND JACKSON MELVILLE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING
PROSPECTING WITH TONY.
HE'S BEEN DOING
THIS FOR 40 YEARS.
HE WON'T EVEN TELL
US WHERE HE'S GOING.
HE SAYS THAT THERE'S
BANDITS THAT WILL COME
AND TAKE THEIR GOLD,
TAKE THEIR GROUND
AND APPARENTLY I
GETS A LITTLE NASTY.
I FEEL JUST STRUGGLE
WITH THE SPIDERS
LET ALONE WITH
[BLEEP] ARMED BANDITS.
GET IT RICK.
GOOD JOB.
I'M GETTING IT.
LITTLE CREEK HERE.
Narrator: TONY AND JACKSON
HAVE SPENT THREE DAYS
PROSPECTING IN THIS CREEK.
HOW COME YOU PICKED RIGHT HERE?
Narrator: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF YEARS AGO,
MEANDERING RIVERS DEPOSITED
POCKETS OF GOLD RICH GRAVEL
IN THEIR BENDS.
OVER TIME A LAYER OF SAND
BURIED THE GOLD RICH GRAVEL.
MODERN DAY PROSPECTORS
USE STEAL RODS TO LOCATE
THESE GOLD RICH POCKETS.
♪♪
GOTCHA.
THIS IS A SPOTTY EVEN
TO THE POINT WHERE
EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS A GOOD
LITTLE SPOT RIGHT THERE
HE MOVED FIVE FEET AWAY
THERE MIGHT BE NOTHING.
OH, GRAVEL.
OH, YOU HEAR THAT.
I'M FIGHTING ALL MY
PANNING INSTINCTS
IN ORDER TO TRY TO
DO THIS PROPERLY.
THAT'S THE AMERICAN
WAY OF PANNING
AND NOT AN AMERICAN PAN.
IT DOESN'T WORK TOO WELL.RIGHT.
THE PANS THAT WE USE IN
THE STATES ARE FLAT BOTTOM
AND IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT STYLE.
YEAH, I MEAN GETTING
USED TO THESE
IS GONNA BE PRETTY DIFFICULT.
YEAH, I CAN'T DO THAT.
Narrator: TO HAVE ANY CHANCE
OF FINDING GOLD
PARKER WILL HAVE TO
LEARN TO PROSPEC
USING A LOCAL CONE-SHAPED PAN.
LIKE THAT?
THERE'S A LOT OF MOTION GOING ON
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS THOUGH.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE THIS POIN
YOU JUST WASH IT LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT.
BEAUTIFUL LOOKING GOLD.
YOU FOUND A NICE
LITTLE SPOT HERE.
THIS IS PRETTY DAMN COOL.
PROSPECTING GUYANA STYLE.YEAH.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S
PRETTY GOOD GROUND TOO,
BUT THAT'S THE BEST LAYER
RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU DID A LOT OF SHOVELING
TO GET THERE, HUH.
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE 30 OR
40 MAYBE EVEN MORE COLOR.
SOME NICE CHUNKS TOO.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE ACTUALLY.
I CAN'T WAIT TO
HAVE OUR OWN HOLE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JUNGLE.
CAN YOU RICK?
NO, I WANT MY OWN HOLE.
YOU CAN'T WAIT.
YOU WANT YOUR OWN HOLE.
I WANT MY OWN HOLE.
CAN OUR HOLES BE
NEXT TO EACH OTHER?
YES, LET'S HAVE MATCHING HOLES.PERFECT.
SO, DO YOU THINK THA
WE'D BE ABLE TO FIND
SOME GROUND AROUND HERE TO MINE?
♪♪
RIGHT.
THANKS FOR LETTING US DABBLE.
THIS ISN'T REALLY WORKING
OUT HOW WE PLANNED.
♪♪
WHAT ARE THINKING PARKER?
I WAS JUST THINKING WE CAN
DO A PAN ON THIS CREEK.
Narrator: STILL ON TONY'S
GROUND, PARKER STOPS
TO PUT HIS NEW FOUND
SKILLS TO THE TEST.
THAT'S SOME NICE LOOKING
GRAVEL DOWN HERE TOO. SWEET.
THERE'S A NICE HOLE.
I'M TRYING TO GE
USED TO THIS FUNKY PAN
BUT IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT.
WE'VE GOT GOLD.
-WHAT?
-REALLY?
YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
FOUR COLORS IN
A LINE RIGHT THERE.
OH, IT'S REAL FINE, HUH.
THERE'S ONE.
THERE'S ONE.
AND THERE'S ONE.
BUT IT'S OUR FIRST GOLD.
WOW, THAT'S CRAZY.
JUST PANNED OUT OF
THE CREEK LIKE THAT.
BOOYAH.
GOLD.
[BLEEP] BRIGHT MOMENT IN
THE DEPTH OF THE JUNGLE.
THAT MAKES MY 500 BUG
BITES FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.
IT'S REALLY COOL TO JUST FIND
A LITTLE CREEK LIKE THAT,
FIND SOME GOOD GRAVEL
AND PAN OUT SOME GOLD.
THAT IS A NICE REMINDER
OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
I'M, UH
[BLEEP] PUMPED.
♪♪
♪♪
HOW YOU FEELING RICK?
LIKE [BLEEP].
Narrator: HAVING TASTED HIS
FIRST GOLD IN GUYANA
PARKER NEEDS HIS
OWN GROUND TO MINE
BUT THE JUNGLE IS
TAKING IT'S TOLL.
RICK WOKE UP AT THREE
OR FOUR THIS MORNING
WITH VERY BAD STOMACH PROBLEMS.
Woman: WEATHERED, WE'RE ALL
GETTING WEATHERED.
Narrator: WITH A FEVER OF 102,
RICK NEEDS RES
AND HYDRATION TO BRING
HIS TEMPERATURE DOWN.
EVERYDAY THAT WE SPEND
LOST AND CONFUSED
IS A DAY THAT WE'RE
NOT MEETING GOLD MINERS
OR NOT LOOKING FOR GROUND.
THAT'S PRETTY [BLEEP]
IRRITATING.
♪♪
HOW YOU DOING, MAN?
I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.
DON'T [BLEEP] WASTE A DAY.
I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY
TO SEE AROUND HERE.
YEAH, WE NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE
AND FIND SOME GROUND.
I'LL BUDDY UP WITH RICK.
YOU BUDDY WITH
HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME
YOU GUYS GET BACK
I'LL BE [BLEEP] BETTER.
BE SAFE.
WILL DO.
THERE'S A FAIR BIT OF
MINING ACTIVITY AROUND HERE.
Narrator:
TO FIND A CLAIM IN THE JUNGLE
PARKER NEEDS TO TRACK
DOWN SOME LOCAL MINERS.
SO, YOU GO FIRST.
SHOULD WE GO IN THERE?
UP TO MAN.
TOTALLY YOUR CALL.
THIS IS PARKER'S TRAIL.
♪♪
PARKER, WHAT'S THAT?
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE
AN OLD WASH PLANT.
A BIG OLD OPERATION.
YEAH, QUITE COMPLICATED
SETUP HERE.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT'S
BEEN OUT OF OPERATION
FOR QUITE AWHILE.
OH, THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE.
HOW'S IT GOING?
OH, YEAH, I'M PARKER.
THIS IS SAM.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
HOW'S THE MINING LIFE?
Narrator: JACKO HAS BEEN
MINING THESE JUNGLES
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
FINALLY MEETING SOME
MINERS THIS IS COOL.
YEAH, THIS IS REALLY COOL.
WE'RE FINALLY MEETING
SOME PROPER LOCALS
AND THEY SEEM TO KNOW WHAT'S UP.
SO, YOU DID ALL THIS?
RIGHT.
ALL THAT GRAVEL THERE.
YEAH.
I WANNA SEE THIS
PLACE IN ACTION.
[ BIRD SCREECHING ]OH, AWESOME!
CAN WE COME BACK TOMORROW
AND SEE YOU RUN SOME DIRT?
THANKS, MAN.
I APPRECIATE IT.
THERE'S A BIG STORM COMING
AND IT'S GETTING DARK,
SO WE GOTTA GE
THE HELL OUT OF HERE
AND GET BACK TO CAMP.
[ SCREECHING ]
[ THUNDER CRASHING ]
JACKO RUNS HIS OWN OPERATION
MAYBE HE CAN HELP
US GET A CLAIM.
WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING
TO FIND SOME GOLD.
HOW HARD CAN THAT BE?
[ THUNDER CRASHING ]
-MORNING.
-GOOD MORNING.
-HE'S ALIVE.
-OH, YEAH.
YOU LOOK BETTER.
MAN, I FEEL A LOT BETTER.
WE HAD A REALLY PEACEFUL
DAY WITHOUT RICK ABUSING ME.
I HOPE YOU DIDN'
GET USED TO IT.
WELL, YOU'RE FEELING BETTER
ENOUGH TO DO SOME STUFF TODAY?
YEAH MAN.
I'M NOT SCREWING AROUND.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE'LL GET READY TO
-IS EVERYONE SET?
-YEAH.
Narrator:
RICK IS BACK ON HIS FEE
AND THE CREW HEADS
OUT TO SEE IF JACKO
CAN HELP THEM FIND A CLAIM.
♪♪
SEE SOME GOLD?
OH, THE WATER'S DONE.
Narrator: JACKO IS SETTING
UP HIS ONLY PIECE
OF HIGH TECH EQUIPMENT,
A 20 YEAR OLD FOUR INCH PUMP.
NO FUNNEL?
YOU GOT A LEAF.
AND THE PUMP ITSELF IS
AS BARE BONES AS IT GETS.
IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A STARTER.
YOU JUST CRANK HER, HAND CRANK.
-YOU GOT IT GOING.
-YEAH.
THIS IS DEFINITELY
PRETTY OLD SCHOOL.
LIKE, AS CHEAP AS YOU CAN DO IT.
Narrator: BURYING TREE
BRANCHES IN THE SAND
IS AN INGENIOUS LOCAL SOLUTION
TO PREVENT EXCESS WATER
FROM UNDERMINING THE PUMP.
I NEVER USED TREES DURING GOLD
MINING SO MUCH IN MY LIFE.
A WHOLE NEW IDEA OF WHA
A PUSH STICK IS THOUGH.
IT'S JUST LIKE
LITERALLY THE BUSHES.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DON'
HAVE THE RIGHT PULLEY
OR MOTOR OR SOMETHING.
IT'S LIKE HERE'S SOME TREES.
♪♪
HEY, AT LEAST IT'S NO
SCORCHING HOT RIGHT NOW.
I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE I
WILL NEVER EVER BE DRY AGAIN
ONCE IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: JACKO PUMPS WATER FROM
THE POND
THROUGH A LAID-FLAT PIPE
TO KARLA, WHO'S WASHING
THE PAY DIR
THROUGH HIS
BASIC GROUND SLUICE.
FINE GOLD
FROM THE GRAVELS AND SAND
IS TRAPPED IN MATS
BENEATH THE WATER.
IT'S LIKE STEPPING
BACK IN TIME, ISN'T IT?
IT REALLY IS, LIKE EVERYTHING,
EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
THIS COULD BE FROM 100 YEARS AGO
IN THE YUKON.
Narrator:
IN THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH,
OLD TIMERS EXTRACTED MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS WORTH OF GOLD
USING THE SAME BASIC MINING
TECHNIQUES JACKO IS USING TODAY.
Parker: I THINK THAT YOU AND I
AND RICK AND KARLA
COULD TOTALLY SET UP
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DAMN EFFICIEN
WAY OF MOVING MATERIAL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH GOLD HE FINDS.
WE'RE GONNA DO A CLEAN
UP WITH HIM HERE SOON
AND I WOULD THINK
THEY'D SHOW US.
DO YOUR THING?
HOW MUCH MATERIAL DO YOU THINK
YOU RUN OVER THIS SLUICE?
YEAH.
Narrator: THAT EQUATES TO JUS
TWO YARDS OF PAY DIR
FOR TWO DAYS OF HARD LABOR.
Man: A BIG WASH PLANT RUNS
OVER 200 YARDS AN HOUR.
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator:
JACKO PANS THE CONCENTRATE,
SLOWLY SEPARATING
THE FINE GOLD FROM THE DIRT.
GUYANA GOLD.
Narrator: HE THEN TAKES IT TO
HIS GOLD ROOM TO PROCESS.
I LIKE A LOT OF HORSEPOWER.
AND, UH, DOWN HERE
IT'S ALL MANPOWER.
JUST GET IN THERE AND FIGHT YOUR
WAY THROUGH IT.
Narrator:
TWO YARDS OF DIRT DELIVERS
A FIFTH OF AN OUNCE OF GOLD.
IT'S LABOR INTENSIVE
BUT THE PAYOFF PER YARD
IS EXTREMELY HIGH.
SO, THAT'S WORTH LIKE $250 U.S.
HEY.
IT'S SAFE.
SO, THAT'S 250 BUCKS FOR
TWO YARDS OF MATERIAL.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT?
THAT'S LIKE 10 TIMES
MORE THAN OUR AVERAGE
THAT WE RUN IN THE KLONDIKE.
WE'D BE STYLING A PROFILING IF
WE EARNED THAT UP IN THE YUKON.
Narrator:
JACKO'S GOLD-RICH GROUND
IS EXACTLY WHA
PARKER IS LOOKING FOR.
Parker: 100 YARDS AN HOUR
FOR 10 HOURS A DAY
AND YOU'D BE DOING
100 GRAM A DAY
ON THE GROUND JACKO'S
ON RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, THAT SEEMS CRAZY TO ME
THAT THIS GROUND'S JUS
SITTING HERE LIKE THAT.
RIGHT NOW IF WE CAN
FIND AN EXCAVATOR
WE CAN PARTNER UP WITH HIM.
I THINK THIS IS
OUR PLAN RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S A SWEET PLAN.
IT IS.
Karla: COOL.
BOOYAH.
RALLY.
IT'S [BLEEP] GOOD.
IT'S REALLY GOOD.
WE'VE GOT AN OPTION NOW.
LIKE THIS IS AN OPTION.
THIS IS A [BLEEP] GOOD OPTION.
Narrator: THEIR SUCCESS DEPENDS
ON JACKO LEASING THEM A PIECE
OF HIS GOLD RICH GROUND.
WELL, JACKO, THANK YOU
FOR SHOWING US AROUND
AND LETTING US
LEARN AT YOUR PLACE.
SO, IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN
GET SOME GROUND OFF OF YOU?
NOTHING THAT YOU'RE MINING.
YOU WANNA MINE ALL THAT.
GOTCHA.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO
KEEP LOOKING THEN.
-THAT'S A DAMN SHAME.
-OH, YEAH.
♪♪
Narrator: PARKER'S CREW IS
STRUGGLING TO FIND
ANY GROUND TO MINE IN
THE JUNGLES OF GUYANA.
JACKO'S GOT SOME PRETTY
SWEET GROUND THERE,
EH, PARKER?YEAH, HE DOES.
IT'S A SHAME WE
CAN'T GET ANY OF IT.
YEAH, DUDE, I MEAN
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
I DON'T KNOW.
♪♪
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
JACKSON HAS ANOTHER
LEAD FOR PARKER.
FIVE MILES DEEPER INTO THE
JUNGLE HIS COUSIN RUNS A MINE
AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP
PARKER FIND SOME GROUND.
THIS IS IT.
WINSELL RIGHT?
WINSELL.
I'M PARKER.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
YOU'RE THE BOSS.
WINSELL HOW MANY GUYS YOU GOT?
YEAH.
YOU PAY THEM DOLLARS
PER OUNCE OR PERCENTAGE?
CAN WE GIVE YOU A HAND AND LEARN
HOW TO MINE WITH YOU?
THERE JUST ABOUT TO FIRE UP,
SO WE'LL GET IN
AND GET OUR HANDS DIRTY
AND SEE WHAT WE'RE IN FOR.
♪♪
I'VE JUST GOTTA WASH THE [BLEEP]
INTO THE PIT, MAN.
NOT INTENTIONALLY
TRYING TO GET KARLA,
JUST TRYING TO DO MY JOB.
Narrator: WINSELL RUNS
A TWO-PUMP OPERATION,
ONE POWERS THE HOSES
THAT CREATE THE SLURRY,
THE OTHER PUMPS I
UP INTO A SLUICE BOX.
♪♪
Narrator:
KARLA IS DEEP IN THE PIT,
KEEPING ROCKS AND DEBRIS
AWAY FROM THE SUCTION HOSE.
FEELS PRETTY GOOD.
YEAH.
I'M WASHING ROCKS
INTO THAT POND.
RIGHT, MOSES?
WHERE ALL THE GOLD IS.
I'VE BEEN ITCHING TO
GET TO A GOOD OPERATION
AND ACTUALLY TRY
TO MOVE SOME DIRT.
YOU COULD SEE WHY YOU'D DO IT.
DOWN HERE, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF LABOR
AND NOT A LOT OF EQUIPMENT.
AS FAR AS MOVING PARTS
GOES, IT'S TWO PUMPS.
WE'RE MOVING GOOD, HUH, RICK?
MOVING DIRT.
RALLY!
Narrator: THE JETMAN'S JOB
IS THE MOST DANGEROUS
ON THE MINE.
SHOOTING 700 GALLONS PER MINUTE
AND WITH UNPREDICTABLE
SURGES IN PRESSURE,
A RUNAWAY HOSE CAN PROVE
LETHAL TO ANYONE IN ITS PATH.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST LIKE
SHOOTING FROM THE HIP,
LITERALLY.
WHOA!
[BLEEP]!
PARKER!
[BLEEP]!
[BLEEP] IT CLOCKED ME IN
THE KNEE.
YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS
A GIANT [BLEEP] SNAKE
COMING AFTER ME FOR A SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF
PARKER'S ALL RIGHT.
[BLEEP] PARKER'S LIMPING.
THAT EASILY COULD'VE
CLOCKED YOU IN THE HEAD
OR ME IN THE HEAD AND YOU
WOULDN'T BE GETTING UP.
DID IT SLIP OUT OF
YOUR HAND OR WHAT?
YEAH, I LIKE TOOK A STEP
BACKWARDS INTO A HOLE
AND GOT A PRESSURE SURGE AND
[BLEEP] JUST WENT RIGHT OVER.
HIT THE SIDE OF MY KNEE
BUT I'M GOOD.
LET'S GET BACK TO WORK.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Narrator: WINSELL SHUTS DOWN
TO SHOW PARKER AND HIS CREW
WHAT THEY PRODUCED.
ARE YOU USUALLY FINDING
QUIT A BIT OF GOLD.
GOOD GROUND YOU'RE ON HERE.
ISN'T IT?
IS THERE SOME GOLD IN THERE?
OH, YEAH.
IF IS SAW SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN THE YUKON
I'D [BLEEP] IN MY PANTS.
WE'D BE RICH.
DO YOU THINK WE
HELPED YOU OUT TODAY
OR DID WE GET IN
THE WAY TOO MUCH?
YEAH.
YEAH.
I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD
BE THE RIGHT ANSWER.
THANKS FOR LETTING US WORK MAN.
I APPRECIATE IT.
Narrator:
WINSELL IS JUST THE FOREMAN.
IF PARKER IS GOING
TO GET HIS OWN CLAIM
HE NEEDS TO SPEAK
TO THE HEAD HONCHO,
GINETTA MELVILLE.
HI, GINETTA.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
WE, YOU KNOW, RICK AND KARLA
AND SAM AND I
WERE HOPING TO SET UP
A BIT OF AN OPERATION
SOMEWHERE IN GUYANA.
IS THERE IS THERE ANY GROUND
AVAILABLE HERE?
REALLY?
NO GROUND AT ALL?
GOTCHA.
THAT'S TOO BAD.
THANK YOU ANYWAY.
NO DICE.
AW REALLY.
YEAH, GOT IT ALL TIED UP
AND THEY'RE GONNA MINE IT ALL.
RIGHT?YEAH.
I GUESS YOU CAN'T REALLY
BLAME THEM FOR THAT.
NO. IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THAT'S TOO BAD.
Narrator:
IT'S CLEAR THE GUYANA GOLD RUSH
HAS CREATED MORE MINERS THAN
THERE ARE CLAIMS TO MINE.
NOBODY WANTS TO LEASE OU
THEIR VALUABLE GROUND.
WHAT'S [BLEEP] OBVIOUS HERE
IS THAT WE WAS MISJUDGED
BIG TIME THAT WE
COULD JUST, YOU KNOW,
[BLEEP] ROLL ON IN HERE
AND JUST EXPECT SOMEBODY
TO GIVE US A CLAIM.
LIKE, WHY?
LIKE, WE WOULDN'T DO THAT UP
IN THE KLONDIKE REALLY.
LIKE, SOMEBODY JUST SHOWED UP
LIKE, OH, WE REALLY WANNA MINE.
WELL, TOO [BLEEP] BAD.
WE'RE MINING HERE.
Parker: I REALLY THOUGHT THA
I'D BE FAIRLY EASY
TO FIND SOMEBODY THA
WOULD HAVE SOME GROUND
AND THAT WE COULD
GO MINING ON IT.
IT AIN'T SEEMING THAT WAY.
I MEAN, JACKO HAS
REALLY GOOD GROUND.
I MEAN MAYBE JACKO
KNOWS SOMEONE ELSE
THAT HAS SOME GROUND
THAT THEY'LL LEASE US.
IT MIGHT BE SMART TO JUST GO
AND GIVE IT ONE MORE
CHANCE WITH HIM.
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.
IF I DRAGGED OUR ASSES ALL
THE WAY DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING
I DON'T EVEN WAN
TO THINK ABOUT IT.
♪♪
SO IF I RUN INTO A JAGUAR,
WHAT'S MY MOVE?
Narrator:
WEIGHING IN AT 250 POUNDS,
JAGUARS ARE THE LARGES
BIG CAT IN GUYANA.
WITH A JAW DESIGNED TO
CUT THROUGH CAIMAN SKIN
AND TURTLE SHELLS,
POUND FOR POUND THE JAGUAR
HAS THE STRONGEST BITE
OF ANY CAT IN THE WORLD.
SO I HEARD THAT YOU'VE BEEN
IN A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR.
SO, DO YOU HAVE SCARS FROM THAT?
SO, WALK AWAY.
CAN DO.
♪♪
Narrator: PARKER AND HIS CREW
ARE ON THE RICHEST GROUND
THEY'VE EVER SEEN,
BUT UNLIKE THE KLONDIKE,
NOBODY IS WILLING TO
LEASE THEM A CLAIM.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO
MINE GOLD IN GUYANA
THEY'LL NEED ADVICE FROM
AN EXPERIENCED MINER,
LIKE THEIR NEW FRIEND JACKO.
HOW YOU DOING JACKO?
YOU KNOW WE'VE TALKED
TO SOME OTHER GUYS
AND NOBODY SEEMS
TO BE TOO WILLING
TO LET US MINE ON THEIR GROUND.
IF WE CAN'T FIND
ANYTHING AROUND HERE
WHAT DO YOU RECKON WE SHOULD DO?
Narrator: DEEP IN THE JUNGLES
OF SOUTHERN GUYANA
THERE'S A QUARTER MILLION OUNCES
OF GOLD
BURIED IN MARUDI MOUNTAIN.
SO, THERE'S A GOLD
RUSH IN MARUDI.
IT'S HARD TO GET TO.
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.
Narrator: FROM MAHDIA IT'S
A 270-MILE JOURNEY SOUTH
TOWARDS THE BRAZILIAN BORDER
THROUGH JUNGLE AND SAVANNAH
INTO ONE OF GUYANA'S
REMOTEST AREAS,
THE GOLD FIELDS OF MARUDI.
IT'S A LONG TRIP
TO GET DOWN THERE
AND WE'RE BASICALLY GONNA
START OVER, YOU KNOW.
WE KIND OF PU
SOME TIME IN HERE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF
A SHOCK TO FIND OU
THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA FIND
ANY GROUND HERE TO MINE.
SO, IT'S A BUMMER.
IN MY MIND WE EITHER GO
HOME OR GO TO MARUDI.
Narrator:
WITH THE POTARO REGION A BUS
THE CREW HAS A TOUGH
DECISION TO MAKE.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?
THERE'S PEOPLE
PULLING GOLD OUT HERE.
IT'S TOO BAD WE COULDN'
FIND A CHUNK FOR US.
Narrator: SHOULD THEY DOUBLE
DOWN ON ANOTHER EPIC TREK
IN SEARCH OF A GOLD
RICH CLAIM THEY CAN MINE,
OR GIVE UP ON THEIR
DREAM OF GUYANESE GOLD?
I MEAN WE COULD TRY TO
GET TO THIS PLACE MARUDI.
I'VE STILL GOT RESERVATIONS
ABOUT THIS WHOLE JUNGLE THING.
THIS IS A LONG WAYS TO GO
BASED ON SOME TALL TALE, BUT
YEAH, ME TOO.
I THINK ANYBODY WOULD
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE
HEADING TO MARUDI.
IT SEEMS WE CAN'T STAY HERE.
WE GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE.
Sam: DO YOU HAVE THE
STOMACH FOR MORE?
Karla: OH, I'M ALL FOR IT.
A TRIP INTO THE UNKNOWN,
I LOVE THAT KIND OF [BLEEP].
I THINK WE DO IT.
YOU KNOW?
LET'S GO FIND THE [BLEEP] GOLD.
SUPER IN MAN.
YEAH, [BLEEP] IT.
YEAH?!
[ LAUGHS ]
ARE YOU IN?
-IN.
YES!
HEY ERIC, CAN YOU TAKE
US TO THE AIR STRIP?
♪♪
DOING IT.
[BLEEP].
GO BIG OR GO HOME.
IT FEELS [BLEEP] GOOD
AND IT'S GONNA BE A HELL OF
AN ADVENTURE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
♪♪
Narrator:
UP AHEAD ON PARKER'S TRAIL
I WANT A GOLD NUGGE
ABOUT THIS BIG.
WOW.
THAT'S THE TYPE OF GOLD
THAT CAME FROM MARUDI.
HOLY COW.
THAT MUST BE WELL OVER AN OUNCE.
CAIMAN IS ON OUR LEFT.
SORRY, BUDDY,
BUT YOU'RE DINNER.
WE JUST GOTTA DO THIS QUICK.
WATCH OUT!
PARKER!
[BLEEP]
WHERE'S PARKER?