Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-09-15
AN ENCHANTED MINE
a Mountains OF Gold Guarded by the
spirit or Massacred Miners

Coast in The state of SinRlos. is a
mountain known as ''Cerro del Orc. I"
or Hill of Gold. 1t rises in majestic
grandeur from the midst of clustering
hills. grand in themselves. but insig-
nificant in the presence OF the silent,
moody. rugged old king. To the cas-
ual observer there is nothing remark
able about this magnificent mountain
whose sides are covered with vegeta-
ton and apparently as smooth as the
grassy slopes of California. seen from
the deck of a passing steamer. Its sim
mensity is not realized until the ascent
is undertaken. Its sides, apparently
so smooth, are found to be traYersed
by deep gorges and assures. shaded
by giant trees, whose interlacing
branches cast a sombre gloom over the
entrance to the deep canyons. 1t is
with hesitation akin to fear that one
enters their oavernous depths There
it is that the people of the neighbOr-
ing hamlets have taken refuge in the
dark days of revolution and invading
wars, leaving their poor hutS and hud-
ding their children together to seek
shelter from the rude storm of human
passion. in the rugged bosom OF the
old mountain of mystery. Many a
gray headed man or woman can re-
member the time when with hurried
steps and many backward glances they
sought shelter in the deepest Businesses
rs the only haven of safety. Fortu.
nate were they who had sufficient
warning to gather up their few cows
and burros, the former furnishing milk
and the latter loaded with corn and
bedding from the home that would
soon be destroyed by the relentless
torch of the invader.
Nothing but war in its cruelest form
could induce Mexican to leave his
home and seek shelter in the gloomy
caves of old Cerro del Orc. for it IS
the abode of spirits and demons No
one cares to venture alone into its
depths. Many queer tales are told Of
the strange sights seen by Venturesome
persons. That it is under a spell of
enchantment is well-known by the old
and firmly believed by the young.
That extensive mining has been done
In this mountain no one can doubt, as
numerous potios where ore was as
sorted, and ruins of arraStras where
the gold was extracted, prove that be-
yOnd doubt; and by digging into the
piles of waste fine specimens Of fine
gold are obtained. But no trace of
mine can be found. Occasionally, in
the neighboring villages, while excaYat-
ing foundations for houses. bars of gold
kar no haan Hsonnrrnt-,.A - -
gold, crudely hammered on. have
been unearthed. But there are no
gold mines known to exist within
leagues of this mountain.
There is strange tradition handed
down that long ago this bill was a
scene of active mining; that the noun
tain side, now so gloomy and silent,
echoed the click of the hammer and
the voice of the muleteer urging the
patient animals as they toiled round
the arrastra, and the singing of the
happy miners rushing down the noun
tain side. their day task done-think-
ing Of the hot tortilias and frijoles
waiting for them at their humble lit
tie homes.
But in an evil day all was changed.
A band of robbers. lured by the glitter
of the abundant gold. swept down
the mountain side like blast of fire,
shot down the mon like dogs, not
leaving soul alive to tell the tale.
Tho treasure they secured was inn
mense. They loaded all the mules
with treasure and left the place, so
lately full of life, a scene of grim death
and desolation. Then il was that the
''Duendos" (fairies) OF the mountain
by enehantment closed up the
entrances of the mines, and it is
said that the spirits of the murdered
miners still dwell in the mines.
Once every year the portals Of the
John toward evening an old man APP
pears at the mouth of the tunnel, and
later the mountainside is peopled as OF
old, the ghostly actors go through the
work as In life, the men with their
hammers, the muleteers at their
rastras. all busily at work. but silent
as the grave. A young man who was
belated while looking for cattle came
unexpectedly upon the scene. He was
fixed without power of motion, and
was forced against his will to see the
ghostly crew at work over the glitter
golden treasures. At IL O'CLOCK the
ghostly captain gave the signal and all
hands quit work, and seizing their nap
kins, containing their midnight lunch,
lii fires to heat their tortillas and cot
fee. The fire was an unearthly blue
and burned with Pickering, uncertain
light The eyes of each and every one
was lit up with an uncanny glow OF
phospherescent light At word they
all resumed work, until the growing of
a cock, at distant hamlet, all vanish
ed and the unwilling spectator found
himself again capable of motion. In
the gray morning lie rush ed franticnlIy
home, tearing his flesh and clothing in
his mad rush through the thorny brush.
Arriving home. he was met by horri-
fed look from his wife. who fell faint
ing to the ground, His hair had turn
ed snow white, and while only Is ears
old he appeared to be an old man of
60.
Years after this some little girls we're
out gathering wild fruit They came
upon level place free from bushes
which they never remembered to have
seen. Looking up they saw the en-
trance to tunnel and just inside was