Sierra County advocate., 1894-08-31
taken out. The Americans pushed


ply. Search in the old debris re
suited in the discovesy of various
specimene, all pointing to great
antiquity.
But the most interesting finds
are the so called Wonder caves,
which are really old tunnels made
by the ancients and sealed up
when deserted. They were found
in the east side of the mountain
and were totally unsupported, as
they had been Theoretically closed
and skillfully concealed. The
caves are down 20 or rs feet below
the surface, extending 1000 feet
from the apex of the mountain.
They are from 20 to 35 feet ID
width, and rise to height of six
or eight feet. When standing on
top of the debris heaps in the bot.
tom they appear to radiate from a
common center. When the inves-
tigators stepped into these mines
there were great expectations.
From the care with which they
were concealed it was supposed
that some great treasure had been
concealed, but the only treasure
were implements OF archaeological
value. The men found % feet of
rubbish below their feet, and from
six to eight feet clear above, show
ing that the original clearing had
been hallway nearly thirty feet
in height. The walls of this hall
were beautifully traced in places
with gold bearing quartz and deli
cate lines of turquoise, so that the
discoverers at first thought they
had found cave of treasure In
stead of wonders. The roof was
carefully supported by plllars
from eight to twenty-five feet
thick. Down in the refuse they
found bits of ancient Aztec pottery
dotted with pieces of turquoise
and shells, showing how they had
been used to form the MOSAIC.
The Investigators supposed
from the traces of gold that the
mine could be worked for that
alone, but the attempt was given
up and it is now worked only by
the Indians and a few whites, who
produce only enough turquoise to
sell along the railroad to curiosity
seekers.
Some of these objects OF ancient
use found in these and ether an
cient mines are very curious. AL
Los Cerrillos the debris covers
several acres. Here have beer
found various objects, from idols
to Aztec pottery. An example O
how the turquoise was used was
seen in a prairie dog of cleal
white stone with turquoise eyes
near Tempe, ArIz. A Zuntar wa'
found containing a shell obtained
from some coast Indian. Thii
was coated with asbestos and dot
ted with plates of turquoise anc
earDets, so that it took the shape
of Mosaic toad. Among the ha
man remains found was the skull
evidently of some chief, that wal
covered with inlayings of turquoise
and long strings Of beads IN vari
GUS shspes as charms to hang
about the neck. Similar strings
cut into heart and other shapes ar
sold today, and string of hun
dred and fifty or two hundreC
Is valued rs a fair exchange for
pony or horse.
In this country the principa
turquoise producing localities, be
sides those described, are Miners
Park, Mohave county, Ariz, Col
umbus, New, Holy Gross noun
tain Colo, and Taylor's ranch
Fresno county, Cal. In none O
these places is the mining carrie
on 10 any great extent, or except ii
desultory fashion. Tourists ar
sometimes deceived by Connection
turquoise, which Is simply mad
by obtaining certain stones Ga
; right color.