The Empire County argus., 1855-11-17

And love and glory that may raise
This soul to God in after days.
Extract from Kinos Notes of Travel in Sonora.
Last summer Mexican had the good fortune to
discover rich quartz vein upon tine Aqua Caliente
ranch, in the neighborhood of the celebrated silver
placers called " Las Blanchas,' out of which he
took some So, ,000--so goes the story. With this
pile he went to Altar for the purpose of legally
securing the mine. Meanwhile some of his coun-
trymen got wind of the affair, and in the lately
so peaceful Intutamon there broke forth an excite
ment similar to that of the Gold Bluffs. In q few
days the town was empty. Fifty peaceful citizens,
at least, armed with pick axes and pans, wandered
towards the new Ell Dorado while other companies
from below arrived; and fame magnifed the So 900
to $4,000. No one, in the excitement, thought of
the accursed Apaches; the only thing any one fear
ed was that he should come too late.
Arrived in the region, they could not have found
affairs as favorable as they expected, for but few
stopped to work; the greater number proceeded to
the neighboring 'Planchas,' and commenced pros
pecting for the pure silver nuggets 1t is said that
seven Yankees and other strangers, who had been
rowing around here for long time, (and Yankee
never does such thing as that in vain) discovered
the famous Arizona silver mine and chopped out
the silver in pieces with axes, that they might
make no noise in blasting.
There were some of these noted individuals who
came with the express purpose Of seeking the Ari-
zona but they probably found the climate not
very well suieed for hard labor, and besides they
had not left California to look for hard work.
They encamped here and enjoyed themselves with
pleasant living, little work, plentiful hunting, and,
in fine, had no thought for the morrow.
They were sort Of Forty-niners who had not
come to California on account of trihes-they were
"men of spirit" By and by it was possible that
something great might be opportunely discovered.
Indeed, they were pretty well persuaded that an
era was about to occur in their lives; but it had
not yet occurred the Arizona lay still in the dark
and the suspicious of the Mexicans did them injus-
tce.
The gently sloping hill, where were found in the
last century the thousand pound Jumps, was work
ed anew, though without system, while our stran-
gers and Yankees leisurely looked on and probably
took up few claims.
Suddenly an hon,bre called C Ell Chino found an
eighteen pound piece. The excitement blazed out
work. Silver Jumps, however, are not as plentiful
as are to be wished, and the makes digging and
delving uncomfortable, and people do not live in
Sonora to work themselves to death,
All at once the Yankees are seen to pack up
with despatch and hurry away. The Mexicans
looked upon the whole affair first with astOnsh-
ment then with thoughtfulness, and low for the
first many bethought themselves of the Apaches.
Many saw white columns of smoke rising up in
the mountains, others saw live Indians, many bro't
to mind the conveniences of domestic life the fine
watermelons and tortillas, and were yexed on ac-
count OF the thoughtlessness Of exposing themselves
to SO much danger and trouble. The Nlexcans
also are not made of ice, and when it is hot they
sweat as well as other folks. Presently came Don
Tomas, Yankee, with the news that horde of
ApacheS were in full march, and would according
to his calculations reach the " Planchas time
in the night With these words he sank the spurs
into his horse and galloped off In short time
the whole region and the g Planchas were left to
the Apaches, and the silver Jumps to posterity.
The latter stories say nothing about this sudden
fight, but among the people wonderful stories are
current of troops of Indians who were seen by the
moonlight among the mountains and smoke and
fire were seen far and wide. Some seemed to hear
the Apaches hunting, others doubted whether such
was really the case, and maintained that the lndi-
ans were in their imaginations.
The /" "Planchas" and silver heaps, which had
been suddenly left, did not enjoy SO long peace
as the Mexicans expected-for shortly after their
fight the strangers came back again, and as they
saw nobody about commenced grinning and went
freshly to work. This was decidedly smart" but
unfortunately the talent of the Yankees was not
rewarded, for after long and vain labor, they went
away with long faces, and without having found
be more silver where the eighteen pounds came
from.
Ell Chino, the aforesaid happy discoverer, began
to build an adobe house, and had scarcely finished
the walls when the feast-day in Oquitoa interrupt
ed his labors. He went thither, and in an evil
hour squandered the remnant of his silver upon the
gaming table Besides this he lost his horse and
serape-and the house in all probability must re-
main incomplete for an indefinite length of time