Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-08-02
HIDDEN TREASURES REVEALED.
THE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE OF
SOME GEORGIA GENTLEMEN.

natl Commercial. Gazette says:
A party of well-known Atlanta
gentlemen, Messrs. W. p. Carter
Alfred Nixon, II. b. Wrenn anC
Frederick Maxwell, just returned
from a hunting aud fishing trip t.
the everglades of FlOnda, tell 1
wonderful story about a discovery
made by them in the depth of Thu
vast swamp, which will no dOuO
go far toward dispelling the myste
~ which has hitherto so closely
developed the primeval inhabitant'
of this continent, the Moun'
Builders.
The party had been out for abou
two weeks and had not been very
successful, game being compare
lively scarce. Learning from th'
natives that they would find bette
sport by gong deeper into the re
cesses OF this trackless swamp, al
though warned at the same time OF
the dangers of doing so, owing tC
the difficulty of threading onel
way back through its tangled
mazes, they decided 10 penetrate
the famous everglades.
Securing a light boat, manned
by two negroes, with provisions tt
last them for a fortnight, they
started down one Of the sluggish
streams leading toward the heart
of the swamp. Toward the end Of
the fourth day, during which time
shooting and fishing had both beer
a good deal better, they we're sur
prised TO find themselves lssuo from
the tangled jungle aud float out on
a large, beautiful lake. In the
centre Of this sheet of water was
an irregular. shaped island, proba
bly, a half mile in length and al
most the same in width, standing
considerably above the level OF the
surrounding marshes, and compar
atively bare Of vegetation. On this
island was a circular mound abou
one hundred feet high, covered
with various kinds of trees. Tit
hunters at once landed with thu
purpose of exploring what they i'm
medlately surmised to be a relic o.
the ancient mound builders. They
soon found that the trees were OF
species that they had never seer
before, the wood being of a remark
able close fiber and hardness, an(
when, after considerable time an(
labor, the two negroes succeeded
IN telling one OF the smallest, TIT
rings showed 1t to be almost TIVE
thousand years old.
Mr.. Carter, the first to arrive a
the summit of the emiDence, dis
covered a shaft sunk in the bowel
of the mound. No rope being pro
durable, a grape vine was substi
tuted, and Mr.. Carter began BIZ
decent into the darkness Of thu
opening. After having been low
cred a short distance, feeling at TIN
same time on the sides with
suck, he perceived a sudden widen
ing of the shaft, and, striking
match, found a corridor extending
on both sides as tar as he could SCI
by the feeble light. Telling hiI
friends of bis find, he daringly en-
tered the gallery, where he wal
quickly jolned by Mr.. Maxwell, an(
the two started out to explore th'
mysteries ofthe mound. They haC
proceeded but a few yards wheI
the gallery suddenly enlarged anC
disclosed to them chamber abou
fifteen feet high and twenty fee
square. Here strange sight me-
their eyes. In rows around the
room we're queerly shaped collins
made of the wood of the trees which
grew on the mound, and covered
with unintelhgible characters
Grouped around each coffin wert
gold pots and utensils of grea
value, also inscribed with hero
glyphics. In the middle Of the
room was a miniature mound, and
in this we're found pots, images
and various brio brac. Searching
further, they found several simial
chambers, some empty and some
filed with all manner of strange
and curious articles.
Returning to the shaft and de
scending further, another corridor
was found connecting with more
rooms than the first one, hut OF
reaching the bottom the explorers
discovered a third gallery leading
into chamber the splendor anC
msgni6ceDce of which fairly tool
away their breath. While the walli
of the ROOMS on the other levels
we're of earth, the walls OF this were
of beaten silver, the ceiling Of &
kind of unknown blue metal
thckly strewn with diamonds tC
represent. stars, and the floor o.
brass. On one side Of this room
war thirteen gold thrones, exquis
itely carved, on which sat as many
nummies, these no doubt being
the deceased kings Of this people
Opposite each throne was a marble
statue-probably representing th'
king it faced. III the centre of the
chamber was a molnd similar t
those in the other ro0Ws, IN which
were found cOronets, scepters anC
q