Original subtitles

Parker: I JUST WANNA GO ON A BIG EPIC ADVENTURE

AND GET BACK TO THE BASIC ROUTE OF GOLD MINING.

Narrator: PREVIOUSLY, PARKER AND HIS TEAM

TREKKED THROUGH HOSTILE JUNGLE.

MAKE A CALL, MAKE IT QUICK.

PARKER'S TRAIL, PARKER MAKES THE CALL.

OH, MY [BLEEP].

IT'S A TUNNEL.

Narrator: FACED A GROUP ARMED WITH MACHETES.

Parker: WE'RE GONNA SHAKE ONE DOWN RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: AND ONLY FOUND TINY TRACES OF GOLD.

Parker: LET'S MOVE IT ALONG.

Narrator: NOW, THEY'RE HEADING TO THE SITE

OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S LEGENDARY GOLD STRIKE...

Sam: [BLEEP] THIS IS STEEP.....EDIE CREEK.

Parker: THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THE BIGGEST GOLD RUSH

OF THE 20TH CENTURY STARTED.

Narrator: WHERE THE TERRAIN IS TOUGH.

I HAVEN'T SMOKED, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP.

Narrator: THE LOCALS ARE EVEN TOUGHER.

AND THE MINING...

PARKER.

...IS DEADLY.

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

♪♪

WE GOT A PRETTY STEEP CLIMB AHEAD OF US

GONNA KINDA HAVE TO PUNCH IT.

Karla: YEAH I'D SAY JUST PUNCH IT, FRED.

ALRIGHT. WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING.

YEEHAW!

HERE WE GO.

♪♪

[ GRUNTS ]

[ BLEEPS ]

-YEEHAW! -YEAH!

[ LAUGHTER ]

Narrator: PARKER SCHNABEL ALONG WITH FRIENDS KARLA,

SAM AND MILITARY MEDIC FRED LEWIS ARE ON WEEK TWO

OF A FIVE WEEK EXPEDITION TO DISCOVER GOLD

AND HOW IT'S MINED IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA.

WE'RE DRIVING ON MARS.

HITTING EVERY POTHOLE POSSIBLE.

-AND THIS ONE. -SORRY.

[ GRUNTS ]

LAST WEEK, PARKER AND HIS TEAM FOUND LESS

THAN A DOLLAR'S WORTH OF GOLD IN RABAUL.

NOW, THEY'RE ON THE MAINLAND,

TRAVELING THROUGH BULOLO'S OLD ABANDONED GOLD FIELDS

ON THEIR WAY TO THE GROUND ZERO

OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S

ORIGINAL GOLD STRIKE, EDIE CREEK.

♪♪

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT THREE FLAKES

OF GOLD SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE,

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE HEADING TO A PLACE CALLED EDIE CREEK?

THAT'S WHERE THE GOLD WAS ORIGINALLY FOUND,

WHAT LED TO THE BIG GOLD RUSH

HERE IN PNG IN THE '20s AND '30s.

AND IT WAS PRETTY BIG STRIKE AND PRETTY BIG GOLD RUSH.

THERE WAS A LOT OF BIG IRON,

CAME HERE FROM THE YUKON ACTUALLY.

SO HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET THERE AND SEE WHAT THE GROUND IS LIKE.

THAT'S BIG THING FOR ME IS, YOU KNOW,

I DON'T THINK IT'D BE FEASIBLE TO COME MINE HERE,

BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

♪♪

Narrator: IN 1926, AUSTRALIAN PROSPECTORS

DISCOVERED HUGE GOLD DEPOSITS AT EDIE CREEK

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MOROBE PROVINCE.

IT KICK STARTED ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOLD RUSHES

OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

SUCCESSFUL MINES STARTED PRODUCING

AROUND 300 OUNCES IN A YEAR.

AT EDIE CREEK, THEY TOOK 240 OUNCES IN A SINGLE DAY.

THAT LEGENDARY CREEK LIES AT THE SOUTHERN END

OF THE REMOTE AND GEOLOGICALLY UNSTABLE HIGHLANDS.

EARTHQUAKES AND LANDSLIDES ARE A CONSTANT HAZARD.

GETTING THERE, EVEN WITH A FOUR BY FOUR,

IS GOING TO BE TOUGH.

-WHOA! -HANG ON, HANG ON.

WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO.

OH [BLEEP]

[ CHEERING ]

FRED, THAT WAS AWESOME.

HOW YOU DOING, KARLA?

I'M GOOD.

THE TERRAIN HAS CHANGED WELL IN A LITTLE BIT

LIKE YOU SEE SOME MOUNTAINOUS

AND LOTS OF CREEKS AND RIVERS.

WE'RE DEFINITELY GETTING MORE REMOTE.

THE ROADS ARE ROUGH, BUT FRED,

YOU'RE DOING A WICKED JOB OF DRIVING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU KARLA, I APPRECIATE THAT.

OOH.

♪♪

HE WANTS ME TO PULL UP.

YEAH.

YOU GUYS DO ME A FAVOR.

DON'T MAKE SUDDEN MOVEMENTS,

WAIT UNTIL WE KNOW IF THESE GUYS NICE.

♪♪

♪♪

GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?

YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY BIG ONE.

SO WE CAN'T DRIVE ANY FARTHER?

Sam: HOW FAR IS EDIE CREEK FROM HERE?

IF WE WERE TO TREK, WOULD IT BE SAFE FOR US?

WHAT DO YOU THINK PARKER?

IT'S SOME LONG WAYS BACK TO DRIVE BACK.

I THINK WE'RE GOING ON FOOT FROM HERE.

TIME TO GET THE BOOTS ON.

Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM NOW HAVE NO CHOICE

BUT TO FOLLOW A NEW ROUTE.

THEY'LL TREK OVER THE LANDSLIDE,

THEN 10 MILES ALONG THE WINDING BULOLO RIVER

THAT CUTS THROUGH THE MOROBE MOUNTAINS.

♪♪

WE'RE ON FOOT NOW. I'M NOT REAL STOKED ABOUT THAT,

BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO?

NOW LOOK AT THAT.

WOULDN'T WANNA FALL DOWN THERE.

THIS IS ALWAYS GONNA BE HARD. JUST GOT TO SUCK IT UP.

Narrator: THE TREK WILL TAKE THEM THROUGH TREACHEROUS JUNGLE,

UP 7,200 FEET WHERE THEY MUST REACH EDIE CREEK

AND SET UP CAMP BEFORE NIGHTFALL.

THIS IS COFFEE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST WEEDS, I THINK.

LOOKS A LOT LIKE MORE LIKE FARM COUNTRY

THAN IT DOES MINING COUNTRY.

♪♪

♪♪

NO, JUST GIVE ME A...

-YOU WANT A BOOSTY? -YEAH.

DAMN IT. WHERE'S MY BOOSTY.

YEAH.

YOU TAKE THE CAMERA?

I'LL BOOST YOU.

ONE, TWO, THREE. [ GRUNTS ]

[ LAUGHTER ]

Parker: DAMN IT. OKAY, GET KARLA UP.

[ LAUGHTER ]

KARLA, YOU MADE THAT LOOK SO EASY.

Karla: THANK YOU.

FRED, YOU MADE THAT LOOK SO NOT EASY.

Fred: GET SPIKES IN MY ASS.

WATCH OUT FOR SMALL LIGHT SNAKES.

IT'S ONLY THE THIRD MOST POISONOUS.

YEAH, I'M SNAKE PARANOID.

DON'T FALL, DON'T FALL, DON'T FALL.

[ LAUGHS ]

I DIDN'T FALL.

SEE THAT TREE HOUSE TO OUR LEFT?

UP THERE A MASSIVE TREE HOUSE OR AT LEAST SOMETHING.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

PARKER, LOOK AT THIS.

Parker: OH, IT'S GOT METAL TRUSSES AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

THAT'S A BIG-ASS TREE HOUSE.

Karla: BIG-ASS METAL TREE HOUSE YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

HMM.

OH, BOY. I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE FARTHER.

THERE'S VERY BIG SPIDERS.

IS THAT A TROMMEL IN THERE PARKER?

IT USED TO BE, IT LOOKS LIKE.

WOW.

YEAH, IT'S A [BLEEP] DREDGE.

THAT'S WILD.

DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE THAT OUT HERE

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

Narrator: DREDGES ARE FLOATING PLATFORMS BUILT

FOR MINING GOLD IN PLACES WHERE PAYDIRT IS COLLECTED

FROM RIVERBEDS AND SLUICED TO COLLECT THE GOLD DEPOSITS.

DURING THE 1930s, EIGHT DREDGES WERE FLOWN INTO BULOLO

FROM AS FAR AWAY AS THE KLONDIKE IN SPECIALLY ADAPTED AIRCRAFT.

OVER 7,000 MEN WERE EMPLOYED TO ASSEMBLE THE DREDGES

AND WORK THE GOLD FIELD.

THEY HELPED TURN BULOLO

INTO THE RICHEST GOLD FIELD IN THE WORLD.

BY 1938, PRODUCTION HAD HIT OVER 400,000 OUNCES A YEAR.

WOW.

Karla: YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEADING TO EDIE CREEK.

WE JUST STUMBLED ACROSS THIS, AND DEFINITELY MEANS

WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

WOW.

IT'S A BIG BEAST, ISN'T IT?

PRETTY UNREAL, HEY?

YEAH, THIS IS INSANE.

Parker: THIS IS A PRETTY BIG ONE.

LIKE I DID, YOU KNOW, 150 YARDS AN HOUR OR SO.

IT'S SOME HARDCORE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THIS THING HERE

AND SET IT UP.

THERE MUST'VE BEEN A LOT OF GOLD TO BE HAD FOR THIS DREDGE

TO BE ABLE TO BE MOVED IN HERE.

Narrator: THE BULOLO AREA WAS FINALLY MINED OUT OF GOLD

IN THE 1950s AND THE HARSH MOUNTAIN TERRAIN

LEADING UP TO EDIE CREEK STOPPED THE HEAVY MACHINERY

FROM ADVANCING ANY FARTHER.

THE DREDGES WERE ABANDONED WHERE THEY STOOD.

♪♪

[ METAL CLANKS ]

OH, WOW.

-COOL, HUH? -YEAH.

SO EDIE CREEK, IT'S THAT WAY.

THAT'S A PRETTY FREAKING STEEP MOUNTAIN.

Sam: LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN THEN.

Parker: I'VE ALWAYS SAID, "GO WHERE THE GOLD IS."

♪♪

Sam: WOW. SHOULD WE CROSS IT?

THAT FLATBED.

THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG OL' TREK.

I LOVE WET FEET.

Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM ARE TREKKING INTO THE MOUNTAINS

OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA IN SEARCH OF EDIE CREEK

WHERE THE LEGENDARY GOLD STRIKE

OF 1926 KICK STARTED A GOLD RUSH.

♪♪

MY BAG'S GETTING HEAVIER FROM MY OWN SWEAT.

♪♪

Karla: WATCH YOUR STEP HERE.

GUYS, LET'S STOP FOR A SECOND.

MY FEET ARE IN RIBBONS.

PLEASE TELL ME EVERYONE ELSE IS EXHAUSTED.

YEAH. THIS IS NOTHING LIKE I'VE EVER DONE.

REALLY?

YEAH, COMBAT'S HOT, BUT IT'S NOT

THIS [BLEEP] STICKY.

MY FEET ARE IN PIECES. THAT WAS NASTY.

YEAH, OFF TOO A BAD START.

YEAH.

THAT'S GONNA BE A BURDEN FOR THE REST OF THE TRAIL.

Fred: I THINK WE SHOULD WRAP THEM.

THE SWEATIEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS GONNA HOLD TO BE HONEST.

[ Laughing ] THIS IS GOING TO SUCK.

-ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GOOD. -NEXT.

-THANKS A LOT, FRED. -YEP.

Parker: I'VE GOT WEIRD LITTLE TOES.

YOU'VE GONE FROM MEDIC/SNIPER IN THE SPECIAL FORCES

TO FIXING UP MY TOES IN THE MIDDLE OF [BLEEP] JUNGLE.

OWW!. -SORRY.

OKAY, THIS IS GONNA BE WEIRD. I'M GONNA BLOW ON YOUR TOES.

Karla: YOU'RE LETTING HIM DO THAT?

YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE FRED'S MOUTH HAS BEEN.

IT'S BEEN ALL OVER.

A BLISTER CAN TURN INTO A TROPICAL ULCER

IN 24 HOURS HERE, YOU KNOW?

SO IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DISCIPLINE

TO KEEP ON TOP OF THAT BECAUSE, I MEAN,

PARKER OR MY FEET IF THEY GET CONSIDERABLY WORSE,

WE'D END OUR TRIP.

Narrator: TROPICAL ULCERS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS JUNGLE ROT.

A CHRONIC SKIN LESION.

IT'S OFTEN CAUSED BY A SMALL WOUND BECOMING INFECTED

WITH TROPICAL BACTERIA.

IF UNTREATED, IT CAN LEAD

TO POTENTIALLY FATAL BLOOD POISONING.

YEAH, THERE WE GO. GOOD SEAL.

YEAH, I MEAN, THIS CERTAINLY ISN'T IDEAL.

HIKING AND TREKKING AND CHECKING OUT GOLD MINES.

IT ONLY MAKES YOU STRONGER.

NO, IT DOESN'T.

Karla: [ LAUGHS ] I DON'T NEED SOME COMPLAIN WORK.

BLISTERS DEFINITELY DON'T MAKE YOU STRONGER, FRED.

[ LAUGHTER ]

MAKES YOU HAVE OLDER [BLEEP] OLD MAN FEET.

LET'S GO.

LET'S GET TO THE GOLD.

Narrator: TO REACH EDIE CREEK,

PARKER AND HIS TEAM MUST NOW CLIMB TO 7,200 FEET

ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

[ GROANING ]

Karla: USE YOUR HEELS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

JUST LIKE DIG YOUR HEELS IN.

♪♪

♪♪

THERE'S JUST SOME DUDE WITH A SLUICE BOX

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CREEK HERE.

HI. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M PARKER.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

JERRY?

NICE TO MEET YOU, JERRY.

HI, KARLA.

-FRED -FRED?

-YEAH. -HOW ARE YOU?

SAM.

ONE DAY, HOW MUCH GOLD? ONE DAY.

ONE GRAM.

OKAY.

SO HE'S GONNA WORK WITH THE ONE SLUICE,

THEN THEY'LL GO HOME AND THEY'LL COME BACK

AND THEY'LL GET ANOTHER GRAM.

IT'S GOOD.

JERRY HERE, HE'S GOT A VERY BASIC SETUP,

JUST A SLUICE BOX SETUP IN THE CREEK.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY DO IS THEY PUT UP A DAM LIKE THAT

WITH LOGS SO THAT THE STUFF COMING DOWN THE CREEK

WHEN IT RAINS AND WHAT NOT STAYS THERE

FOR A WHILE WHILE THEY WORK.

HE'S JUST LETTING WATER AND MATERIAL JUST RUN

THROUGH THE SLUICE BOX AND JUST PICKING OUT ROCK

AND JUST LETTING THE DIRT FLOW RIGHT INTO THE BOX.

SO DEFINITELY NOT MY STYLE OF MINING,

AND THIS IS HOW MINING IN THE YUKON STARTED 120 YEARS AGO.

AND THEY'RE STILL DOING IT HERE TODAY.

Narrator: OVER 50,000 PEOPLE

IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA SCRAPE A LIVING

BY MICRO-SCALE GOLD MINING IN RURAL AREAS.

MINERS LIKE JERRY EARN AROUND $150 A MONTH,

JUST ENOUGH TO FEED HIS FAMILY OF THREE CHILDREN.

THAT'S A PIECE OF GOLD THERE, HUH?

-YEAH. -WOW.

-IT'S GOOD. -[ LAUGHS ]

Parker: FIRST PROPER GOLD THAT WE'VE SEEN.

THAT'S REALLY HARD TO COMPREHEND

WHAT THESE GUYS GO THROUGH AND THE PAY OFF FOR IT.

IT KINDA PUTS A LOT OF THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE.

Sam: THANK YOU.

WE GO EDIE CREEK.

HERE.

UP.

LONG?

[ GROANS ]

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE IT ALONG.

♪♪

Karla: IF YOU DO SLIP OR FALL, LET ME KNOW, SAM.

Sam: OKAY. YOU'LL CATCH ME, RIGHT?

YEAH.

Narrator: IT'S NOW JUST THREE HOURS UNTIL SUNDOWN

AND THERE'S STILL ANOTHER THOUSAND FEET TO CLIMB.

-YOU ALL RIGHT? -YEAH.

WATCH IT.

AT THIS HEIGHT, THE VOLUME OF OXYGEN IN THE AIR

HAS DECREASED BY ALMOST 4%, RAISING THEIR CHANCES

OF FATIGUE AND ALTITUDE SICKNESS.

Parker: WE MUST HAVE WALKED A LONG WAY.

Fred: WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO.

♪♪

PARKER, DOES IT LEVEL UP UP TOP?

I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.

I GOT US AT 6,900 FEET, TOO

SO IT'S WHY IT'S HARD TO BREATHE.

[ EXHALES SHARPLY ]

IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE COMING IN HERE

AS ONE OF THE EARLY PROSPECTORS, WITH NO SUPPORT,

CARRYING EVERYTHING ON YOUR BACK,

HAVING TO CUT TRAIL AS YOU WENT.

YEAH, DON'T FALL THAT WAY, WHATEVER YOU DO.

SO [BLEEP] STEEP.

OH MY [BLEEP]. LOOK AT THAT.

♪♪

HEY, PARKER, WE CAME FROM ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE TODAY.

YEAH, WE WERE A WAYS DOWN THERE.

Fred: THIS IS IT, WE'RE RIGHT ON IT.

7,082 FEET PLUS OR MINUS 16 FEET.

SO WE'RE UP THERE, RIGHT? WE'RE AT FROST LEVEL.

PRETTY COOL.

Karla: WHOA! MADE IT TO THE TOP.

FEEL AWESOME.

NOW THAT'S A [BLEEP] HIKE.

IT'S ALWAYS COOL TO BE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS,

ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE HISTORY HERE.

SO, YOU GUYS HEAR VOICES?

-YEAH. -OH, WHAT THE [BLEEP].

CRAP.

♪♪

-HI. -HELLO.

HI.

WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO SAY HI

RATHER THAN STARE AT THEM FROM UP HERE.

WE JUST HIKED UP HERE.

WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR GOLD MINES

AND CHECKING OUT THE MINING AROUND HERE.

Sam: CAN WE COME DOWN?

THANK YOU.

HI, I'M PARKER. NICE TO MEET YOU.

YOU GUYS LIVE HERE?

Fred: THIS IS EDIE CREEK, RIGHT?

OH, COOL.

HEY, WE GOT IT RIGHT. -WE DID.

[ LAUGHTER ]

DO YOU FIND MUCH GOLD HERE?

SO THAT'S THE VEIN THAT YOU'RE CHASING.

GOTCHA. THIS GOT ALL GOT COVERED IN, HUH?

WELL, SHE HAS TO DIG IT OUT AGAIN. WOW.

Sam: HOW MUCH GOLD DID YOU FIND TODAY?

NO GOLD?

BECAUSE OF THE LANDSLIDE?

WE'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD PRETTY HARD HERE.

HIKING UP HERE HAS TAKEN IT OUT ALL OF US.

TODAY WE TREKKED PRETTY FAR, AND IT'S GETTING LATE,

AND WE WERE WONDERING IF THERE'S A PLACE

THAT WE CAN STAY FOR THE NIGHT

AND TOMORROW WE COULD HELP DIG WHATEVER YOU NEED HELP WITH.

WE HAVE MUSCLES TO HELP. DO YOU HAVE A PLACE?

IS IT OKAY IF WE WOULD STAY?

THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU.

Sam: WONDERFUL, THANK YOU.

Parker: AND KARLA VOLUNTEERED US FOR A DAY'S WORK TOMORROW

FOR A NICE SLEEP TONIGHT, WHICH I'M MORE THAN HAPPY

TO TAKE AT THE MOMENT.

Fred: HOW ARE THOSE FEET DOING, GUYS?

Sam: MINE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GONNA COME OFF IN MY BOOT

WHEN I TAKE IT OFF.

Karla: I CAN'T WAIT TO TAKE MY BOOTS OFF.

-WOW. -LOOK AT THAT VIEW.

BEAUTIFUL.

♪♪

-HELLO. AFTERNOON. -AFTERNOON.

-HOW ARE YOU? -SHE'S MY MOMMY.

OH, WOW. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

MARTHA. MARTHA.

MARTHA IS MY SISTER'S NAME.

PLEASED TO MEET YOU, MARTHA.

YEAH. [ LAUGHS ]

[ LAUGHTER ]

DEFINITELY A VERY COOL PLACE THAT WE'VE STUMBLED UPON.

WE'VE LANDED ON OUR FEET HERE.

Fred: YEAH, DEFINITELY.

SO IF WE'RE GONNA STAY HERE, WE'D LIKE TO HELP YOU GUYS.

SO WOULD WE HELP TO DIG THE LANDSLIDE WITH YOU?

YES.

SO THE GOLD IS IN THE ROCK HERE?

YES.

IF IT'S IN A ROCK, THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE A CRUSHER SOMEWHERE,

BUT THEY'RE JUST USING PANS.

THEY'VE A CROWBAR OR UH, WHAT'S THAT CALLED?

I THINK IT MIGHT BE MANUAL CRUSHING.

REALLY?

YOU DIG THE GOLDS IN THE ROCK, RIGHT?

DO YOU...?

YES.

A CROWBAR AND AN IRON SPADE.

AND YOU CRUSH THE ROCK?

Parker: WOW.

THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SOME QUITE HARD WORK

AHEAD OF US HERE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

♪♪

[ WIND WHISTLING ]

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Sam: HOW'S DINNER COMING, KARLA?

OH, WE'RE PRETTY -- CABBAGE IS ALMOST DONE.

Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM ARE CAMPING NEAR EDIE CREEK,

THE SITE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S LEGENDARY GOLD STRIKE.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

SO, KARLA, THIS IS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE MEAL, RIGHT?

-WHAT, THE NOODLES? -YEAH.

BETTER THAN NOTHING, YOU GOTTA SHARE.

DAMN RIGHT.

THESE GUYS FEEL REALLY FRIENDLY AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE A SHELTER,

WE GET TO EAT WITH THESE GUYS.

IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE.

WORK WITH THE HANDS? RIGHT.

IT'S A TOUGH LIVING DOING THAT BY HANDS.

AND, IS THE VEIN THAT YOU GUYS ARE CHASING,

IT'S JUST GOING RIGHT INTO THE MOUNTAIN SIDE?

YES.

HOW THICK IS THE VEIN THAT YOU'RE CHASING?

IS IT REAL SMALL? YEAH.

REALLY? WOW.

OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA GET

A BIG TASTE OF MINING HERE,

THE LIFESTYLE HERE, WHAT THE GOLD'S LIKE,

AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN LEARN IS A HUGE BONUS.

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

NOW, I DIDN'T BRING ANY BOOKS WITH ME

BUT I HAVE A BUNCH OF PHOTOS OF MICK LEAHY'S JOURNAL.

MICK DID A HUGE AMOUNT OF EXPLORATION IN PNG IN,

WHEN DID HE COME HERE? '27 OR SOMETHING?

Sam: YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

MICK LEAHY DISCOVERED A WHOLE GROUP

OF TRIBES THAT NOBODY IN THE WORLD KNEW ABOUT.

IT'S WILD STORIES.

I'VE GOT A FEW HERE.

"ON SIXTH OF MAY, A BAND OF WARRIORS

ATTACKED THEIR CAMP AT DAWN.

SNATCHED FROM THEIR SLEEP, MICK AND PADDY BURST OUT

FROM THEIR TENT WITH THEIR REVOLVERS.

MICK BARELY HAD TIME TO FIRE OFF ONE SHOT

BEFORE HE WAS SMASHED OVER THE HEAD WITH A STONE CLUB.

PADDY LEAHY WAS STRUCK BY TWO ARROWS IN THE CHEST,

BUT CONTINUED TO FIGHT.

AT LEAST TWO KUKUKUKU WERE KILLED AT THE SCENE."

THAT'S BRUTAL.

Narrator: ALONG WITH HIS THREE BROTHERS,

MICK LEAHY WAS ONE OF THE MANY MEN ENTICED BY THE GOLD RUSH.

IN 1931, HE PROSPECTED FOR GOLD IN THE UNEXPLORED HIGHLANDS

AND MADE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ISOLATED KUKUKUKU TRIBE,

DISCOVERING THE REGION WAS INHABITED

BY NEARLY ONE MILLION PEOPLE.

"FOR THE SINGLE JOURNEY, THE MYTH OF THE EMPTY HEART

OF NEW GUINEA WAS FOREVER LAID TO REST.

WE FOUND GRASS VALLEYS TEEMING WITH VIRAL TRIBESMEN

IN A REGION THAT WAS SUPPOSED

TO BE AN EMPTY WASTE OF MOUNTAINS."

WILD.

HEY, BOYS. DO YOU SEE THIS?

THESE ARE THE KUKUKUKUS. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE KUKUKUKUS?

YOU BOYS ARE?

FOR REAL?

[ LAUGHTER ]

Karla: GO [MUMBLES].

[ LAUGHTER ]

I'VE NEVER BEEN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

WHERE YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO THE PATH, YOU KNOW?

THESE KIDS ARE THE ANCESTORS OF THE KUKUKUKUS

THAT ATTACKED MICK LEAHY IN 1930.

ABSOLUTE, JUST ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

♪♪

♪♪

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

♪♪

Narrator: HAVING AGREED TO HELP CLEAR A LANDSLIDE

ON THE MINE SITE...

Diana: COME ON, WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU GUYS.

...DIANA IS KEEN FOR PARKER AND HIS TEAM TO GET TO WORK.

♪♪

SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVEN'T PRETTY FOUND ANY GOLD

SINCE THAT SLIDE HAPPENED, HUH?

NO, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FINDING MUCH AT ALL, I DON'T THINK.

JUST A LOT OF DIRT.

YEAH.

IT'S ONLY ABOUT 20 SCOOPS WITH AN EXCAVATOR,

BUT WITH THE SHOVEL IT'S A FEW MORE THAN THAT.

[ LAUGHS ]

-SHALL WE? -YEAH, YEAH.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, WHERE'S DEMAS AT?

-MORNING. -MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, MORNING.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING UP HERE IS ACTUALLY CHASING THE VEIN

OR LIKE THE SOURCE OF THE GOLD

IN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL.

THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE NEVER BEEN A PART OF.

PARKER.

WHAT'S UP?

YEAH, YEAH. HE WANTS TO SHOW YOU THE VEIN.

OOH.

NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

Narrator: THE MOUNTAIN ROCK HOLDS A NETWORK

OF QUARTZ VEINS WHICH CONTAIN SCATTERED GOLD DEPOSITS.

THEY WERE FORMED WHEN SEISMIC ACTIVITY

PUSHED MINERAL-RICH MAGMA TOWARDS THE SURFACE.

THE LAVA CRYSTALLIZED, BECOMING A SILICA FLUID

WHICH THEN PUSHED ITS WAY THROUGH CRACKS,

FORMING QUARTZ VEINS WHERE THE GOLD NOW LIES.

♪♪

Parker: SO WHAT DEMAS IS DOING HERE IS ACTUALLY HARDROCK MINING.

WHAT WE DO IN THE YUKON IS PLASMA MINING.

YOU KNOW, THE GOLD IS IN THE CREEK BED

AND WE'RE JUST WASHING GRAVEL.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT STYLE OF MINING.

THE GOLD THAT DEMAS IS FINDING IS IN THE ROCK, IN THE VEIN.

I'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY HARDROCK MINING BEFORE,

SO IT'S A VERY NEW EXPERIENCE TO ME.

BOTH THE LANDSLIDE THAT CAME DOWN, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET IN THERE AND HELP OUT.

SO ALL OF THIS HAS TO GET MOVED?

-YES. -WOW. WHAT A MESS.

Fred: IT'S A LOT OF DIRT.

[BLEEP] DANGEROUS, TOO.

♪♪

SO ALL OF THIS HAS TO GET MOVED?

-YES. -WOW.

Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM ARE WORKING

FOR A LOCAL FAMILY WHOSE GOLD MINE HAS BEEN BURIED

UNDER 120 TONS OF LANDSLIDE.

WHAT A MESS.

ARE YOU'RE GONNA USE WATER TO WASH IT AWAY?

AND THE WATER IS ALL THE WAY UP AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IS?

WELL, THAT'S A LONG WAYS FOR THAT WATER TO COME.

♪♪

I THINK WE'RE JUST HEADING UP TO THEIR WATER SPOT.

HE MUST HAVE SOME SORT OF RAIN WATER RESERVOIR.

THIS DITCH GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHERE THEIR LANDSLIDE IS

SO WE CAN WASH IT OUT HOPEFULLY.

WATER IS A VERY GOOD WAY OF GETTING MATERIAL TO MOVE

IF YOU'VE GOT THE DROP FOR IT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ELEVATION DIFFERENCE FOR THAT TO WORK.

♪♪

[ ALL PANTING ]

THIS IS YOUR WATER RESERVOIR? GOTCHA.

DEMAS' SETUP HERE IS AS BASIC AS IT GETS.

WELL, HE HAS A PUMP I GUESS. WE'LL SEE IF IT WORKS.

♪♪

YEP.

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

Fred: WHOO-HOO!

THIS HOSE IS GONNA RUN INTO THAT IRRIGATION DITCH

WE WERE WALKING UP BESIDE

AND THAT'S GONNA RUN DOWN TO THE MINE SITE.

GUESS WE'RE OFF TO WORK.

♪♪

Karla: BLOCK IT?

♪♪

HERE IT COMES.

IT'S A GOOD SIGN THAT THE PUMP IS WORKING.

[ ENGINE RUNNING ]

♪♪

Parker: THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT THIS STYLE OF MINING

IS THAT YOU'RE FORCED TO WORK WITH THE ELEMENTS.

WE WORK AGAINST THE ELEMENTS.

WHEN THERE'S TOO MUCH WATER, WE PUMP IT OUT.

WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WATER, WE PUMP IT IN.

THIS IS SUBSISTENCE.

♪♪

Narrator: AT THE TOP OF THE LANDSLIDE,

KARLA IS WORKING AT A DAM

TO HOLD THE WATER BEING PUMPED DOWN FROM ABOVE.

THE WATER WILL BE STORED IN THIS MAKESHIFT POOL

UNTIL THERE'S ENOUGH TO WASH AWAY

SOME OF THE LANDSLIDE BELOW.

Karla: WELL, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE SYSTEM, SO WHEN THEY NEED HIGH PRESSURE

THEY PULL THE DAM AND GET A WATERFALL

AND SOME PRETTY GOOD PRESSURE.

OKAY, GO ON.

[ INDISTINCT YELLING ]

Karla: READY?

LET HER RIP!

-HERE IT GOES! -OH, YEAH!

-IT'S COMING! -WHOO!

♪♪

Sam: HOLY [BLEEP]!

Woman: [ SPEAKS NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

IT WORKS GOOD.

Sam: [BLEEP] YEAH, FRED!

WHOO-HOO!

THE OLD TIMERS IN THE YUKON USED TO HAVE A GATE

WITH SOME WOOD HOOKED UP TO IT THAT WHEN THE WATER LEVEL

HIT A CERTAIN POINT, IT WOULD OPEN AND FLOOD THE WATER OUT,

AND THEN THE GATE WOULD CLOSE AND THE DAM

WOULD BUILD BACK UP.

AND THIS IS SAME EXACT THING, THEY'D JUST HAVE

THE PEOPLE UP THERE RUNNING THE GATE.

MUCH MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN I EXPECTED.

♪♪

I'M SMOKED! I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP.

I DON'T THINK HE THOUGHT I WAS DOING GOOD ENOUGH.

OKAY, I CAN DO THAT.

DIG DEEP.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

WITH ONE LITTLE WATER PUMP, THEY'RE BASICALLY CREATING

MAN-MADE WATERFALLS TO BLOW ALL THE OVERBURDEN AWAY.

THEY'VE CUT THIS BIG TRENCH INTO THE MIDDLE OF IT.

HOPEFULLY, A FEW MORE OF THESE, AND MORE MANPOWER

FROM US AND THEM, WE'LL GET DOWN TO THE GOLD VEIN.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY START MINING THE STUFF.

♪♪

FILMED IN A LOT OF GOLD MINES AROUND THE WORLD,

AND I'VE NEVER SEEN IT DONE LIKE THIS BEFORE.

♪♪

OH, YEAH!

♪♪

Sam: DEMAS! PARKER'S DOING GOOD?

PARKER, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF A JOB HERE.

[ LAUGHS ]

BIG ROCK!

IT'S [BLEEP] HARD WORK!

IT'S REAL CLOSE. I CAN ALMOST TOUCH IT.

[ SPADE CLUNKING ]

PARKER!

THIS IS THE VEIN I CAN SEE HERE?

-YEAH, YEAH. -THIS WHITE?

-YEAH, YEAH. -WHOO!

THAT'S COOL.

Narrator: AT THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE LANDSLIDE,

A TINY SECTION OF THE ROCK THAT HOLDS

THE GOLD RICH VEIN HAS BEEN EXPOSED.

Sam: THIS LITTLE VEIN HERE, PROBABLY LESS THAN AN INCH THICK

IN SOME PLACES, APPARENTLY THIS HAS GOLD IN IT.

NOT HAPPY TILL WE GET THE GOLD?

-YES, YES. -[ LAUGHS ]

DEMAS, DO YOU WANT US TO KEEP DIGGING?

SO YOU'RE TRYING TO OPEN A BIT MORE UP?

-YES. -OH, YEAH. WE'RE ON IT.

♪♪

Sam: HOW FAR OFF FILL IS IT?

ANOTHER FOOT AND A HALF!

OH, [BLEEP]!

WHOA! HEADS UP!

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. HATCH UP THE DAM!

I'M TRYING!

-LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU, MAN! -LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT!

-[BLEEP] -PARKER!

[BLEEP]

UGH! [BLEEP]

[BLEEP]

♪♪

Narrator: IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, THE UNSTABLE

GEOLOGY OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS,

COUPLED WITH FREQUENT HEAVY RAINSTORMS

MAKES THE PATHS AND ROADS TREACHEROUS.

Danny: OKAY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE AT THE MOMENT.

Narrator: PARKER'S SUPPORT TEAM USE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES,

BUT EVEN THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE UNPREDICTABLE LANDSCAPE.

Danny: THIS ROAD IS ABOUT AS BAD AS IT GETS.

LANDSLIDES, BOULDERS, A LOT.

David: OVERNIGHT, WE'VE HAD VERY, VERY HEAVY RAIN.

GETTING THE VEHICLES THROUGH IS REALLY, REALLY TREACHEROUS.

AND WE'VE GOT A THOUSAND METER DROP-OFF.

IF YOU GO OVER THAT, IT'S GAME OVER.

Craig: IT'S JUST PART OF WHAT THESE GUYS DEAL WITH

EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW?

THEY'RE TRYING TO GET UP AND DOWN THESE MINES,

AND IT'S NOT EASY.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THEY GO BY FOOT MOST OF THE TIME.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

♪♪

Sam: HOW FAR OFF FILL IS IT?

ANOTHER FOOT AND A HALF!

Narrator: PARKER AND HIS TEAM ARE HELPING CLEAR

OVERBURDEN FROM A STEEP GOLD MINE.

BUT AT THE TOP OF THE SITE...

OH, [BLEEP]!

THE DAMMED RESERVOIR HAS BURST.

WHOA, HEADS UP!

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!

-LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT! -LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU, MAN!

-[BLEEP] -PARKER!

[BLEEP]

UGH! [BLEEP]

Fred: PARKER!

Parker: [ GRUNTS ]

♪♪

♪♪

PARKER!

WE GOT HIM!

UGH! [BLEEP]

[ COUGHING ]

HOLY [BLEEP]

[ COUGHING CONTINUES ]

ARE YOU OKAY?

WAIT, ARE YOU INTACT?

ARE YOU OKAY?

[ PANTING ]

THAT WENT FROM ZERO TO 100 IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

LET'S GET OUT OF THIS [BLEEP].

-OKAY, THIS IS SLIPPING. -YEAH.

LET'S GET OUT, LET'S GET OUT. WALK.

I'VE GOT YOU BEHIND.

[ GRUNT ] I JUST HAVE NUMB FINGERS.

[ GRUNTS ]

COME HERE.

-[ GRUNTS ] -SIT, SIT, SIT.

SERIOUSLY.

UM, I [BLEEP] OPEN MY EYES,

[BLEEP] IN MY MOUTH.

AW, THAT HURTS, FRED.

-THIS ONE? -BOTH THOSE TWO.

[ BLEEP ]

LEGS OKAY?

THANKS, BUDDY.

[ GRUNTS ] UM...

ALL MY FINGERS ARE NUMB.

[ BLEEP ]

[ BLOWS ]

LET'S GET YOU UP TOP, SIT YOU DOWN.

IT'S ALREADY STARTING TO SWELL.

LET'S JUST GET YOU UP THERE.

[ SIGH ]

AW. [ GRUNTS ]

♪♪

THAT WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL.

AT ONE POINT, IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS JUST GONNA

GET HIS FEET SWEPT FROM UNDER HIM AND GO ALL THE WAY

DOWN THE VALLEY TO WHERE WE STARTED OUR TREK, YOU KNOW.

EVEN PARKER WOULDN'T BE IN A GOOD SHAPE AFTER THAT.

HONESTLY, I THOUGHT HE WAS A GONER.

THE DAM UP HERE IS HELD WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CLAY,

AND IT BROKE.

YOU KNOW, ONCE IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE.

AND THERE'S POWER BEHIND THAT WATER.

I WAS YELLING, BUT BY THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: AFTER SUCH A DANGEROUS FALL OVER ROCKS

AND THROUGH COLD WATER, PARKER MUST GET WARM

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HYPOTHERMIA.

♪♪

-OH, THANK YOU. -HERE YOU GO, BUD.

EXCELLENT.

[ CUP CLINKS ] OOH.

OH, THE ADRENALINE'S --

-YOU'RE GONNA GET TIRED. -YEAH, AND SAD.

I HAD A TEAMMATE GET SHOT IN THE ARMPIT.

Fred: DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT, AND HE WAS DEAD IN 10 MINUTES.

AND HE HAD NO IDEA.

LIKE, ADRENALINE'S CRAZY.

TWO OR THREE HOURS FROM NOW, HE'S GONNA START FEELING PAIN.

HE'S REALLY NOT GONNA FEEL VERY GOOD.

Karla: THIS ONE SOUNDED SERIOUS.

YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY OF IT, AT ALL, FROM UP THERE?

NO, NO!

WE THOUGHT YOU HAD TRIED TO STOP

THE DAM FLOW FOR SOME REASON...I DID, I DID.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS JUST LIKE --

I HEARD YOU GUYS YELLING, "AH!"

SO I TRIED TO STOP IT.

WELL, YOU CAN'T HEAR ANY COMMUNICATION

OVER A WALL OF WATER.

YEAH, BUDDY, YOU WERE [BLEEP] WASHING MACHINING

DOWN THAT THING.

I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO STOP.

PEOPLE ALWAYS UNDERESTIMATE WATER.

YEAH.

Sam: YOU ARE A [BLEEP].

YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE GOING UNDER

WHEN FRED GOT TO YOU.

Fred: HE WAS UNDER.

-I WAS JUST TRYING TO STOP. -HE WASN'T GOING UNDER.

Karla: IT'S KINDA SCARY TO THINK, TOO, HOW REMOTE WE ARE.

WE ARE WAY IN THE BUSH, WAY IN PNG.

JUST TO GET ANY ACTUAL HELP, EVEN TO GET A HELICOPTER

IN HERE WOULD BE HOURS OR MAYBE A DAY.

YEAH.

I HAVEN'T FELT LIKE THAT OUT OF CONTROL

OF A SITUATION IN A VERY LONG TIME.

IT SHOWS YOU HOW FAST THINGS CAN GO TERRIBLY WRONG.

[ SIGHS ]

THIS IS PNG, THIS ISN'T CUSHY UNITED STATES, OR ENGLAND.

THIS IS THE JUNGLE.

THINGS CAN TURN ON YOU FAST.

JUST KINDA CHANGES THINGS A LITTLE BIT.

[BLEEP] DANGEROUS.

I DON'T HAVE MANY FRIENDS. I CAN'T LOSE THE ONES I HAVE.

IT WAS SCARY. [BLEEP]

I'M JUST GLAD I DIDN'T GO DOWN THE [BLEEP] MOUNTAIN.

IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN ONE ROCK TO KNOCK ME OUT,

AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: NEXT TIME...

MERCURY'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYTHING, EXCEPT CATCHING GOLD.

Karla: SERIOUSLY, IT WILL KILL YOU.

FOR THEM, THE STAKES ARE VERY HIGH.

UH, IT'S JUST HORRIBLE.

WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP.

DO IT!

♪♪

HOPEFULLY IT WORKS! CHEERS!

[ BLEEP ]

WE HAD A MASSIVE FLASH FLOOD OUT OF NOWHERE.

WE'RE STRANDED OUT HERE.