Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-09-23
Ell ESPIRITU DEL ORC.
A Superstition of the Mexican
Mines.
A baglignant Spirit Which Grasps
Lone Miners in the Embrace
of Death.

That "the love OF money is the root
of all evil is amaXim attributed by us
to heather philosopher with whom
we have had historical connection: but
it is mistake. The idea might have
bsen original with our ancient teachers,
but at the same time the western world
can claim it in legend that strikes
deeper and is more impressive than the
eplgrsmmatic sayings of Aristides or
Diogenes.
Prevalent among the native miners
Of Mexico, more especially throughout
the States of Chihuahua, Durango and
Nuevo Leon, there is a myth handed
down from the Toltecs to the Aztecs,
and through them to tine present half
breeds, respecting an ogre whose Indian
name translated into Spanish is
"Espiritu del Oro," or the Spirit of
Gold. This imaginary being is reality
to the superstitlous people, who yet
live much in accordance with the pre-
cepts of the ancient teachings and re-
ligions, and even taken up and earnestly
believed in by the ignorant Meicans. By
common report this ogre is a dwarf of
most hideous aspect. HIS head far
above the natural size Is fronted with q
face more hideous and horrible than
that OF any other gnome or goblin IN
the Aztec or Mexican category OF
mythical devils. His eyes are eyes of
tirelike resplendance glowing like Goals
in the darkest recesses. His arms are
long, reaching almost 10 his feet when
standing erect, and his strength is so
phenomenal that no man, thought giant
he might be, has ever yet been known
to get away when once in his clutches.
He inhabits the dark drift and pas
sage ways in the deepest and richest
gold mines, where, without other light
Than that emitted by his luminous
eyes, he passes from point to point,
remaining invisible when he SO wishes.
When he meets a miner carrying his
load Of precious mineral, climbing up
some ladder unaccompanied, threading
the tortuous inclines, he pounces upon
him and ehokes him to death. He has
never yet been known TO appear to a
company, and in only a few Instances
have lone miners seen his ogre-like form
gliding through the gal!eres and escaped
the death by strangulation that he
always deals out.
When IN going or coming from their
work the miners come upon a dea0
companion, whose face is swollen and
distorted beyond measure, and whose
eyes protrudIng from their sockets, tell
a tale of fear and horror, they cast him
into the deepest hole and it is hence
forth known that the mine is haunted
and cursed by the demon. From that
time on the workmen refuse to 60 be-
low the surface except in bodies,
neither will they separate after gong
down, and if there are a few more
repetitions of the struggling it will be
found impossible to find a man willing
to work for aoy price.
Sometimes it lie said the demon comes
like fog or mist. moving sileatly
through the vaults tunnels like a white
shadow, but blighting every human
that he succeeds in enwrapping. In
this form he has been seen many times
and the witnesses escaped, though they
say it was always In darkness, their
lamps having gone out with the first
taint of his breath.
Where gold is found in large quanti-
ties, this ogre is sure to be, sooner
or later, and his appearance is sure
sign of great richness. The man to
whom he appears though, is doomed;
and SO strong is the belief that though
he may escape once, he does not try to
avoid the spectre again. In proof Of
this, Temochin Indian at the Dolores
mine, in Sonora, told me that not a
month before, one of the workmen had
been found in one of the galleries in a