The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-06
THE MOTHER OF GOLD"

Inc glamour which SHINES ABOUT goiu
and gold-huntipg displayed its most ro-
mantle phases in the incidents connect
ed with the Spanish conquest of Amer
lea. And OF all these nuggets OF
romance. there is none more fascinat.
ing than the Aztec tradition of the
Madre d'Oro. This is still tervid be-
lief on the part of the Mexican Indians,
inheri' ed from their forefathers. Though
Christian in name, they guard their Sc
cret. it is asserted, with ordinances de
rived from the bloody ritual of the old
Aztec creed. After the downfall of the
Montezumae, the priests of shattered
idolatry taught to chosen circle that
the old dynasty would in predestined
time return again with resistless power
and sweep the Spaniard from the land.
And to aid this enterprise, when tbs age
should ripen, the secret of the great
natural treasure-house of the Montezu.
mas was kept and transmitted by its
jealous guardians through all the gene
raiions.
The Golden Valley" is supposed to
exist somewhere in northern Mexico,
buried amidst precipices inaccessible ex.
cept through passes known only to the
elect. And, indeed, among the tribe
consecrated to this holy vigil there are
but three of the most aged priests who
know the exact entrance of the cavern
which is the gateway of the valley and
all the wonders hidden in the secret.
These seers are unknown to the other
tribesmen. The identity is revealed only
when death removes one, and his sue
cessor is to be chosen. knowledge of
the mystery is conveyed to the newly
initiated sage in way which precludes
all the other tribesmen from knowing
who he is.
When the time of election comes. all
those not affiliated with the sacred
lodge of priests. after having prepared
food for ten days absence, desert the
village. and travel five days march to-
ward the setting sun. The exodus of
men, women, and children is sweeping,
and only the more aged priests remain.
They too, after a few hours, undertake
brief pilgrimage, each one proceeding
to some deignated point within half
days journey, but with cooked food to
last one week. Here Re remains alb.
sorbed in prayer and reverie, alone,
motionless as Hindoo fakir. Right to
go and come is reserved to the two sur
vivors in the precious secret, who are
known to each other only. Before the
end OF the third day any one of the
sharers in the lonely vigil may receive
visit from the priestly pair. and then he
knows that he has been elected to com
plete the trio. They greet him With the
ancient Aztec formula, and bid him fol
low, and guide him to the cavern portal
of the Valley of Gold. Here he is shown
the marvels Of the interior of which he
is to be future guardian. all the mys-
terry of the Montezuma cult revealed,
and the signs explained by which the
coming of the Mexican Messiah will be
rendered clear. Initiation into this
arcanum. according to the legend, is
made terrible by rites which none but
the strongest minds can endure unshak-
en-. and among them is feasting on the
body of the dead priest. whose success
sor is thus consecrated. All traces of
footsteps and other suspicious signs are
carefully removed from the approaches
to the cave. and the new guardian re.
tires to his place of vigil until the sew
enth day, when the priestly absentees
return to the village, which three days
later takes on it's ordinary aspect,
with the Homecoming of the people.
In this way the secret of the Three is
successfully guarded. and never dies.
The Golden Valley legend paints
paradise of beauty within its frowning
mountain barriers, such as no other
spot can parallel. in every thing to de-
light the heart of man. 1t is about five
miles long and two miles wide, and
from its soil spring such beautiful trees
and flowers. through it's balmy and
sparkling air dart such bright ued
singing birds that no fancy could divine
them. Furnished insects looking like
jewels sail in the sunlight. and golden
sealed snakes glide through the grass.
Stretching across the valley lies the
huge ledge with its great veins of
gold. the masses of virgin metal shining
with a dazzling brilliancy. so that the
angles of the nuggets embedded in the
clear quartz looks like big diamonds. A
clear stream flows over the ledge into
big pool, at the bottom of which
Jumps of gold glitter. Everywhere the
yellow lustre greets the eye.
Growing beside the waterfall. the le
gend says, is tree of vast size and
beautiful foliage, and at it's base lies a
huge gold snake guarding the heaped-
up treasures under its coils. This is
the Mexican war-god. Huitzilopochtli
who has assumed this shape, and watches
there like Fafnir, the dragon of leu
tonic legend that guards the Nibeluogen
treasure in the epic of that name. Gold
in the sparkling air and sunshine
gold in the ledge, gold in the