Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-06-03

these regions even before the appear.
ancs of fernando Cortez, there can
be no doubt.
The many legends of the Reals
Perdidos o Encantados date back
perhaps hundred years before the
conquest by the Spaniards. These le-
gends are beyond doubt founded on the
enormous wealth the mountain mines
ever change to suit the age, constantly
magnifying, it is very easy to conceive
how these buried mines of gold and
silver peeping out from the mountain
sides could be changed to cities and
haciendas of wealth untold awaiting
the discovcrer. The more ignorant
miners of the present day still believe
these stories and legends to be true;
hence, with Hasta la muertc o la suerte
firmly resolved in his heart, he works
away with zeal which could not be
otherwise inspired. If he would depend
more on pluck, ingenuity and modern
mining machinery he would succeed
better than to put his whole de-
pendence on luck and the deluSive hope
of finding buried or enchanted cities.
They reason that these towns, like
Pompeii, have been buried in some
great irruption or earthquake, and that
treasures untold lie within them. The
more superstitious speak of them as
being enchanted, and the stories told
by some of the white-hcaded Indians
would rival the Arabian Nights. The
Spanish proverb POGO barba, POGO GER
Is iff1n nd 1i<f1n ch \
is frequently applied to the garrulous
Indian to diScredit any thing he may
say. Surely one would have to be very
credulous to believe some of them.
The legends are worthy of repetition
from their richness in Imagination, if
from no other cause.
Let the reader imagine himself
beneath some wide-spreading tepi-
guage, to avoid the fierce rays of
tropical sun: with the Handicapped
Los Frailes, Ell Ccrro Pelon and Ola
.guento, looking like earth's gigantic
sentinels, or towers reaching up to the
skies, and white-haired Indian guide
rekating strange stories of Reals Peri
dos. and lie will have some feelings
similar to the writer's.
My narrator was an old Indian
named Ramirez, whose chief occupa-
ton was guiding tourists and miners
who visit this almost unknown part of
the world. Ramirez had RECALLED him
self with drink of pulqWe. which is
the favorite beverage of Mexico, and
lighted an antique pipe which seemed
10 afford him infinite satisfaction. His
bronzed skin contrasted strangely with
his white jacket and trousers, and i'm
mense sombrero on the ground at his
side. Ramirez was half sitting and
half reclining on the ground, lazily
watching the donkeys and mustang,
lariatted short distance away. l
don't know that the old rascal ever en-
joyed himself better, while l was IN
constant dread lest some wild mountain
brigands, who iniest the Sierra 3ladre
might suddenly appear from some con-
venient chaparral and deprive me of
the few reals and pesetas of silver l
possessed, or take away our animals
and arms, leaving us helpless in the !
wilds. Ramirez seemed to
have no concern about the wild
and took matters rs cOollv
as if he had been in the heart of civiliza-
ton. To my urgent requests to go on,
he answered:
Don't be in too great haste, senior;
we can not reach them before night
fall. 1t is never safe to travel when
the sun is so hot. We will be able to
pass the night on the top of Quaguento,
from which you can get good view of
the Vermillion Sea-"
81 have almost given up the idea of
the canyons, Ramirez" /
said, for having heard so many stories
of the wild robbers, was afraid to
venture too near those dangerous
looking places.
"Why, senor?' asked Ramirez, fix
ing his great dark eyes on me.
Il am afraid of these mountain rob-
bers who lurk in the canyons
.'Well, sometimes the pronunciados
do get among these canyons. but we
are more likely to find prospectors,
hunting for the Reals Perdidos . Encan-
tados. They are harmless and would
help us" After moments pause,
with sigh he continued: 81 may not
be the one, but whoever he is. he will |
be rich"
What do you mean?" 1 asked.
whoever finds the enchanted towns
will be rich
Are you so foolish as to believe any
thing of the kind eXists??" l asked in
no little amazement.
He opened his eyes. and for few
never saw such complete |
picture of astonlshment and indigna-
ton. At last removing his pipe the
Aztec said:
IL am very sorry senior said that. 1t
shows that much as may be known of
other countries, nothing is known of
Mexico, or the history of the Aztecs. |
The Reals Perdidos are true"
mining towns may be lost" l
sand doubtless are. They |
may be buried beneath land-slides.
earthquakes, and sometime in the |
future be dug out; but l greatly fear
that they will never pay for the dlscov-
ery if found. As to there being en-
towns and cities, inhabited or
believe that to be wholly
4 myth"
Though using the best Mexican at |