Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-04-12
THE LyVlL's OWN MINE.
Guarded by Nature, Wild Elephants and
His narb-1ailed Majesty.

Some time ago | heard a story Of a
90 q mine that was said 10 Ice in exist
ence IN the thantahoon province, saws
writer IN the Siam Free Press An
old vilIager that | met told me that the
mine had never been worked. He recol-
lected in his childhood. about fifty
years ago. that party with four ele-
phants visited the place, but he does not
remember whether they found the mine
OF not.
Two or three Cambodians are re-
ported 10 have found nuggets i'm the
bed of the stream but no one has ever
been adventurous enough To follow the
stream To lis source The greatest pos
sible amount OF superstition exists
about this mine. Some allege that those
who 90 there never return. They either
die OF sickness the influence of the
evil one or fall prey 10 wild animals.
Three Englishmen attempted to reach
the source of the stream where this
mine Is reported 10 he but had to aban-
don the idea Tor various reasons. At
starting they had 90 take narrow path
that had been made by "cardamom"
gatherers.
After keeping on this path for two
days they reached a pool of dirty
water Here their guide took them
aside and whispered to them not to
talk of tigers rs the forest i'm that part
Was infested with them and that they
would surely visit the camp if they only
mentioned the name. Promising to be
| discreet they went down To examine the
pool and found the whole place actually
trampled down by wild boars with few
tiger footprints Here they rested for
the night and next day proceeded on
their journey.
Ii the footprints around the peel led
them To believe their guides reports of
wild animals they were now perfectly
convinced, for on either side of the path
they saw the destruction worked by
wild elephants. A little further on they
came To "A spot where the mammoths had
rested for the night. That evening they
found that one OF the carriers who had
charge of the provisions had taken to
his heels. As they had no cooking uten-
sis they were compelled TO cook their
rice in a tobacco tin and along with a
steak of ciyet eat (meo-pa) managed
to make a dinner.
At this spot the guide informed them
il was impossible to 90 on unless they
walked along the stream barefooted.
After walking in this manner for about
five hours they came to the falls. Here
they had to climb up rocks thirty to
forty feet high 10y means of the roots OF
trees growing through the assures, the
guide pointing them out places were
gold had been found After climbing
up higher they came to the junction OF
two streams and the guide now told
them that he did not know the road
further up and that be was afraid.
one OF the party got dysentery here
and they then determined to hurry
back, especially as they had only rice
with them and not even bamboo to
cook it in.
This excursion can only be done in
the months of January, February and
March. 1t would be good opportun-
! ity for a sportsman who desired to
combine bushes, with pleasure. Ponies
and pack animals could not possibly
20: the only way of transport would
be by carriers, and it would be very
hard To obtain more than two or three
men, as the people are 50 superSttious.