Gunnison's Bonanza

"Gunnison's Bonanza" by Dick Purcell is a mid-20th century science fiction story following Gunnison, a determined prospector heading to the perilous Ghanati region of Mars, driven by the desire for wealth. Amidst an interplanetary world that discourages independent exploration, Gunnison’s journey highlights themes of ambition and the unforeseen bonds of friendship. He ventures to the Ghanati, hoping to strike gold, but after surviving harsh conditions and encounters with native Martian creatures, Gunnison discovers gentle, humanoid natives. Earning their trust and finding some success in his hunt for gold dust, his life is cut short by a fatal accident involving local wildlife. In his passing, the natives, grieving deeply, honor him with a burial among priceless gold artifacts, ironically granting him the riches he craved but could never possess. This is a reflection on the meaning of wealth.