Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-05-20
THE ENCHANTED TOWNS.
Superstition and Tradition in the
Mexican Wilds.
The Beautiful vcrmniion sea-searching
for Lost cities aud Heavenly scenes
An OLD Indian Guide RevIves =
Current Legend.
IorlgInal.l


Iorlginall
No scenery in Southern or Central
Mexico exceeds in point of grandeur
and beauty the view from the heights
of the Sierra Madrc. Standing on the
top Of this range and looking to the
west one sees on the horizon long
line OF gold, which has boon called the
Vermillion Sea- The panorama pre-
scnted is such as Mexico only contains:
Peaks to their very SUBMITS covered
with vcrdure, canyons whose vast depths
the light Of the sun never penetrates.
cliffs. springing from the regions of
perpetual summer, on whose brows the
clouds etcrnally rest. In the near dis
tancc may be seen the foot Hills, gradual
ly shading of into the vast plain bound
ed on the further side by the "Vcrmil-
lion Sea-" The hight of the sun shin
ing on the grand scenery, or bursting
through some cloud-capped mountain
peak, gives the whole AN air of grand
eur and beauty calculated TO astound
one even familiar with Alpine scenery.
In what is now the border between
the States Of Durango and Sinaloa, this
region eliminates in mountains of rug
ged grandeur and canyons of dizzy
depths, remarkable even in Mexico.
Los Tres Frailes, FL Cerro Pelon and
Quaguento lift their rock-crowned
heads above the clouds into the glare
of eternal sun, and from their feet.
through canyons which only the Yose-
mite can rival, flow the rivers San
Lorenzo, Piastla and Preside. These
streams, almost dry in the dry seasons,
are swelled To roaring torrents by the
rains. Surely nothing is more sublime
than the mad, dashing torrent thunder
ing down mountain cascades to the sea
OF gold. Countless rainbows represent
ing every color of the prism, has crys-
talized the beauties of lSan Lorenzo
waterfalls for the wo8ld TO admire.
Surely more fitting Subject could not
tempt an artist, and id the near future
we may expect sonfe ambitious student,
tired Of copyissses Ne great masters, TO
ep,aa INC Study Of Los Tres Frailes,
and bring back with him fame and
money. There he will find heights
sufficient for his Imagination, rugged
grandeur, lights, shades and color that
would delight the heart of any painter.
IL is in these canyons that tradition
says the Reals PcrdidOs u ERcantados-
the lost or enchanted towns-are situ-
ated. Often around the camp fire, or
on the deer trail, climbing those rugged
heights. or hiding from the fierce rays
OF the sun beneath some spreading
tepiguage, the traveller listens to some
gray-haircd Aztec recounting the lost
srln of Il \
Barras, which even the old Spanish
records mention, until fired by their
enthusiasm. he has almost resolved to
search for the orange groves, deserted
haciendas and rich mines said TO exist
in some of these craggy canyons. The
outrageous peaks and deep, unfathom-
able canyons, are in places almost
without inhabitants. An occasional
Prospector searching for the Reals Per-
didos, or lost mining towns, a fugitive
from justice or an occasional yaquero,
searching for lost stock, are all who
enter that traeklcss labyrinth of rocks,
forests. and rivers. But the lower
country Is not entirely populated with
enchanted towns. LIS Realities are
hidden away in hooks aad corners of
this world set on edge--Yentaur, Guam
samay, San Dumas, Fyoltita. San Vim
cente, Bacis, Hirahuapau and San jose
de Guagnaias, all mining towns, some
scarcely worthy the name, struggle
for existence against the barren
rock. swollen torrents and ever
varying luck of the miner. How true
the adage OF the Mexican miner: La
Espcraazd Drfiere al nRimO; (hope
dies last OF all. y and well he Illus
trates IT, pounding away at barren
veins. hoping against hope. With
Hdsfd Ia mnorte o Ia sHerfc; (''til
death or luck" as his motto he works
away, and the muerte more often his
fate than the SUerte. When a lucky
miner has succeeded in making "a
raise" he is in constant danger OF los
ing both his property and his life from
the banditti which hover about as yult-
nrcs about a dead carcass. That fab
ulous wealth lies concealed in the bow
els OF those hills. there can be no qucs-
ton; but Il will require n different class
Of miners and different state OF society
than now exists In Mexico TO dcvelopIt.
The full blood Aztec seems to delight
in recounting the lost glories of |
the MOntezumas than TO add 10 them. |
That the Mexicans were aware of the |
almost fabulous woslth contained in
these regions even before the appear.
ance Of fernando Coltez, there can
be no doubt
The many legends of the Reals
Fcrdidos q Eneanfados 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
were known to contain. As stories
ever change TO suit the age, constantly
II Is very easy TO conceive
how these buried mines of gold ard
silver peeping out from the mountain
sides could be changed 10 cities and
Of wcalrh untold awaiting
the discorerer. The more ignorant
miners OF the present day still believe
these stories and legends TO be true;
hence, with Hasfa IA mncrtc o Ia SNcrfe
Iirmiy resolved la his heart. he works
away with zeal which could not be
otherwise inspired II he would depend
more on pluck, ingenuity and modern
mining machinery he would succeed
ietter than 10 put his whole de-
lendoncc on luck aud the delusive hope I
4 finding buried or enchanted cities. (
They mason that these towns, like
'ompell. have been suried Ia some |
peat Eruption or rarfhquake. and that Z
Iposnres untold no within them. The
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