, 1877-02-03
Letter from Arizona.

SANFORD, A r. Jan. 6, ls7f.
EDITOR STATESMAN: - Enclosed find a
| few verses that / saw several years ago, and
AT the same time heard Of the wonderful
mountains of gold in Arizona, but thought
! il story invented by the crsz-d mind of
some poor unlucky ruiner who bad staked
| everything for money and lost, bat after liv
ing here one year i, Is no longer doubted as l
/ am acquainted with the parties, and the
wonderful richness Of the Silver King mine,
which l visited few days since, convinced
me that ii was not impossible nor improb-
| able. The mine shows no defined ledge, but
for al least fifty feet wide il il one solid mass
of silver ore, great amount OF which ID
/ pure white silver. | will relate as / heard
| the story of Antelope peak. About twelve
| years ago party OF meu were hunting Tor
/ this mine, the Indians having told them
there was a peak Utterly covered with pure
/ gold; but refused TO accompany any white
men to 1t. They camped al Ihe foot Uf Anie-
! lope, which il high sharp peak In the
| morning the Mexican cook started after the
/ horses, and Mexican like, instead OF going a
| little further around the mountain, elm bed
over In travelling he loosened a stone which
rolled down losyiug large huEget IN sigh.
| When the Mexican returned to camp and
| showed his tiud the men were almost crazy
with Joy. They locked the poor cook Iu
! tent until morning for fear he would Leave;
/ then located their clsIms. miner like, gem
erou,Iy giving the dIscoverer the choice OF
IclaiIns. Now comes the surangest part nt the
story. When the men arrived on top they
J found the bedrock but few inches from the
surface, and dug the gold with their shearh
| knives and irons. taking out thousands ot
| dollars in "a few days. These same Indians
| tell Of a mountain where large pieces OF gold
are held by the rocks, but refuse 10 show IT.
| This 10 doubt will be found in the course of
/ time:
THz MouSrHx or GoLD-A LEGEND OF ARIZONA.
! In Il region Of clraitIess land that lies
/ lar off IN u III ielm of Hepeiiau skies;
| EY rIysrs that drifting golden Ices,
! Bear beauty and song 80 the MeNlc seas
I have sat III the miners b!vouac
VI hen night with lis stas Ike psalm unrolled
! And heard ~ hr le4nrd on his grimy back,
\ miner discourse OF his Mount Of Gold
| And the howl OF the wolf was faint and far,
/ As the moon, like Il ship, irtm star 81 star
( Slllct on and tie plain with a srh-iike sweep,
1 Lay silent AMI WIDE III lis mystic sleep;
And the river below an unIer zone
s,au= syeetly, and chiini :; ,ts cyuLais sang
| Of Il SurTuWful Lind and The WulI alouci
Where oceans have marched and the old wars
rang.
| Anii the gIorifed peaks stood high and white,
Like Kings TINT were called to The Court OF Night,
| And voices OF mystery seemed TO swell
/ on tll- wind ia the pines a. IT rose aud fell
For thus mil The uilble thTOb OF tHTth
The fate Of the miner WAS titly told
With never "A sneer sound Of mnth
From those who had battlet and toi!ed for Gold.
/ But the Mountain of Goli was said to stand
I \ way IN th. i. ptils Of solemn land,
/ Which the rivers explore as they tend afar
| Ou the gHmIherng J.ack of the evening star;
/ And ever like dust the unhaliOwei dead,
The sands of the deSeet do Use IN clouds,
! And gather and sweep with -ho,tly tread
Aroun! 1t, and rustic ike dreiry sArouts.
! And skeleton guard Of mountains bleak,
| Where the brown yultuTe duZ and wActS his beak
J Defends II, aud holTiS IN their grizzly
! The dazze OF splen!or and virgin Chains
That one has seen but those priests of the Sun,
| Who h-i from tn sword OF their Spanish Knight,
And WHO'S shadows still, when the day is done,
! kueel there on the steps OF their altar bright
Twas sought, bat ;Le rider auI horse were lost
/ Their homes WiIteu still, ana their ushes tossed
] With the sands as they dIiit III eternal unrest,
Where tIeiT spirits yet Tils III hopeless queSti
Bat glamour uf mystrry strangely shines
Nhefe the dead lave been Strewn AMI the living
/ stay,
! A.l the g,.rges are ricl with exhanstleSs mines
Untouched - our hearts and our hopes decay
! And the Iolher AVacle holds far
! on tine LAUNDERING chase the trail Of war
And the shark OF the desert, gdunt ani gray,
Slips by like a shade 10 hIs distant prey;
! And yet and for aye, on the yellow breast
OF the dead and i-sOa;e waste, the prize
/ OF that Mountain cf Gold Is saIi 10 rtst
! Like a star that has dropped iTom the dreaming
sky,
i Perhaps It : only miners theme
/ lie CLINT Of some wandering Aztoc's dream!
! A. clouds ia tie WallC sunset SHINE
I Like is'tIJ,S Cf silver Ia S.ss- ot wine
l But nay he not tlIHk when the placer fails,
/ And Poverty turks or the o.l=H trails,
/ That "a es>tlr-s barbara and joys untold
! Are shining, Beyond IN i Mountain Ct Cold.
Yours, GUiLLE"No.