The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-05-27

Perdiios o Eaca,itados date back |
perhaps bupdred 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
magnifying. it is very easy to conceive
how these bu led mines of gold and
silver pecping out from the mountain
sides could be changed to cities and
haciendas Of wealth untold awaiting
the discovcrer. The more Ignorant
miners Of the pre- ent day still believe
these stories and legends to be true;
hence, with Hasta la nsuerte o la saerte
firmly resolved in 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
better than to put his whole de-
pendence on luck and rhe .delusiye hope
Of finding buried or enchanted cities.
They reason that these towns, like
Pompeii, have been buried in some
great irruption or cal thquake, 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-headed Indians
would rival the Arabian Nights. The
Spanish proverh : POGO barbG, POGO GER
grenza ("lit''H7 ,eard, little shame }
is'frequently app.ied to the garrul0ns
Indian to discredit any thing he may
say. Surely one would have to be very
| ofedulous 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 a
tropical sun; with the handicapped
Los Frailes, Ell Cerro Pelon and Qua
guento, looking like earth's gigantic
sentinels, or towers reaching up to the
| skies And white-haired Indian guide
relating stranS~ Sarics of Reals Peri
dos. and he 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 pulque, which is
the favorite beverage of Mexico, and
lighted an antique pipe which seemed
to 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 a short distance away. |
don't know that the old rascal ever en-
joyed himself better, while l was IN
constant dread lest some wild mountain
brigands, who infest the Sierra Madre
might suddenly appear from some con-
venient chaparral and deprive me OF
the few reals and pesetas of silver
possessed, or take away our animals
and arms, leaving us helpless in the
mountain wilds. Ramirez seemed to
have no concern about the wild
marauders. and took matters as coolly
as if he had been in the heart of civiliza-
ton. To my urgent requests to go on,
he answered.:
"Don't be ia 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 Vermill;on Sea-"
81 have almost given up the idea Of
exploring the canyons, Ramirez"
said, for having heard so many stories
of the wild robbers, was afraid tc
venture too near those dangerous
looking places.
"Why, senor?" asked Ramirez, fix
ing his great dark eyes on me.
81 am afraid of these mountain rob
bers who lurk in the canyons.
"Well, sometimes the pronunciado
do get among these canyons, but w
are more likely to find prospectors
hunting for the Reals Perdidos y Encan
tados. They are harmless and woul'
help u.s." After moments pause
with sigh he continued: II may no
be the one, but whoever he is. he vii
be rich."
: "What do you mean?" l asked.
"Whoever finds the enchanted town
J will be rich"
"Are YOU so foolish as to believe an
, thing of the kind existsp" asked il
no little amazement.
He opened his eyes, and for fe,
20 40 cryNh a v,Int
picture of astonlshment and indigns
,, ton. At last removing his pipe tn
.. Aztec said:
81 am very sorry senior said that.
shows that much as may be known G
. other countries, nothing is known 9
!, Mexico, or the history of the Aztec;
The Reals Perdidos are true"
mining towns may be lost"
answered, "and doubtless are. The
, may be buried beneath land-slides
earthquakes, and sometime in tn
: future be dug out; but greatly fea
!, that they will never pay for the disco,
cry if found. As to there being Ell
8 chanted towns and cities, inhabited @
uninhabited, believe that to be who'll
myth"
e Though using the best Mexican s
e my command, am yet in doul
e whether the old Aztec fully understoo
n me. He seemed, however, to cate
). the drift of my idea, and as if to cor
e vince the most skeptical mind, pre-
q posed to narrate one of those strang
e legends. As l had heard many befor,
j. and knew that while they aboundal
n the extravagant, they were rich i, il
h cident, l consented to listen to another