In the context of the sentence, the word "inhabited" means that the camps were occupied or lived in by bands of prospectors. It implies that people settled temporarily in these camps for a certain period of time before moving on to seek more promising areas for mining or prospecting.
1 Nevada is one of the very youngest and wildest of the states; nevertheless, it is already scattered with ruins that seem as gray and silent and time-worn as a century old civilization. All these ruins are results of mining efforts made within the last few years. Throughout the wilderness of Nevada, you come upon these dead mining towns everywhere.
2 While exploring the mountain ranges of the state during three summers, I have seen at least five of these deserted towns and villages. Some of them were probably only camps built by bands of prospectors, inhabited for a few months or years, and then carelessly abandoned for more promising fields. Many were real towns, regularly laid out and incorporated, containing well-built hotels, churches, schoolhouses, post offices, and jails, as well as the mills on which they all depended.
Read the sentence from paragraph 2.
Some of them were probably only camps built by bands of prospectors, inhabited for a few months or years, and then carelessly abandoned for more promising fields.
What do you think the word inhabited means as it is used in this sentence?
1 answer