The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09
THE OLD PROSECUTORS END
A SEARCH FOR A LOST SPANISH NINE
IN GUATEMALA.
Evidences That IL was Very Rich and was
Suddenly Abandoned for some cause
Many Years Before-The Old Natives spec
linens OF Ore-Ameswort h's Fatal Haste

everywhere on the great COrCilleras, ehuehu-
ing through Mexico and Central America TO the
Andes of South America, there are tales oil lor-
tunes awaiting discovery and these fortunes are
being sought for patiently and industriously by
many n prospector,
A few years ago when the writer was So
J~ourning In the little republic 81 Guatemala ne
met a typical prospector. He was an old Call
fornla miner named Amesworth. who had made
his way down through Mexico, always Following
some ignis fatuus. He hai seen some rich hnds
made In his day. had heard OF a great many
more, but his wi wanderin9s ami ton hau
never yet been rewarded. His many disap-
pointments only acted as a stimulant 70
strengthen his hope and he was sure to turn up
after some protractad disappearance certain
that he had at last found the long-searched Tor
lead. He knew Just where It was, and and just
az soon as he could replenish his outfit he was
going to return and begin preliminary work on
the claim. There usually followel a spoil Of
~idleness about the hotels during which he talked
about mines, his most recent find, and his bril-
liant prospects But Just al he was about to
start on 20 put into execution his plans, some
half breal was sure 10 turn up with a hand
kerchief full Of specimens or a marvellous taIs
90 tell leadinR him away in some other direction.
There was a record Of a lost mine In the VI
Cinity Of Antigua, accorl ing TO which the NINE
coul' be found by passing a certain point on
the mountain from which the candles burning
on the altar Of La Mercedes Church could be
seen through one Of the windows. Old Ames-
worth employees the s~acriStan Of the half %ruinel,
massive old spanish church, to SEQ that candles
we're kent burning on the altar and he spent
weeks climbing and stumbling around on the
mountain at night trying to find the particular
point from which the lights could he seen burn
Ing in the distant church. Al last when he had
given up this search in despair his hope was
Frightened again by the discovery on an old
chart OF a Spanish mine marked near the Pts
calyal River,
Amesworth at once saddled hs pony and
with his blanket roll strapped on behind over
well filed saddle bags and coffee pot dangling
from the saddle horn. he set out over the noun
tains in search of this new mine. Ills search
was rewarded by finding two shafts nearly COW
cred with debris and a tunnel penetrating the
side Of the mountain. lie pitched camp by
the tunnel long enough to collect a few samples
Of tho ore and returning TO Guatemala City his
evidence wnH so conclusive that he round a lew
-peCulatorr to invest a limited amount IN the
abandoned mine. Poems were engaged. the
tunnel and shafts were cleaned out and work
was progressing, fairly well when at thu bottom
grasping in its feshless fingers a rich chunk ~
precious ore. The ncOns at once fled leaving
old Amrsworth and the skeleton alone with the
mine and no amount would induce them 10 re-
turn to the work.
old Amesworth didn't seem 10 be unset by
this outcome, but looked forward hopefully 10
a future day when the Indians would have for
gotten all about the skeleton az the bottom OF
ne mine aud would return to work H., In view
81 this he engaged n couple Of natives loss + ep-
tical than the poems To remove the bones and
engaging the parish priest from the nearest
town TO say mass for tho rerose Of the dad
mans -oul he had them buried with becoming
ceremony. BY the time this was done Ames-
worth had heard Of some other mite, or claim
Of rich OutcroppingS and was wandering OH
again in search of it.
1t was y wonder to everybody who knew
A@mesworth, how he manaSGd to Iiyo and R hII25T
the exception ~ the small capital which he OBJ
tanned for cleaning OUT the abandoned Pis-
Cayal mine. he never was known to look for
money, borrow Il or even ask for a grub stake.
a. il the usual case with. prospectors searching
for the stun. In town he ALWAYS managed 10
aDpnar when one Of his excursions was over.
neatly dressed in black, resembling In a1Dcnr-
ancn more the idle capitalist than he rrosrector,
son in tho interior town ~ Cohan on the fertile
table lands Of Alta Vera PnH. when one dav
Amesworth appeared in front of the door in fun
nihNd Old gentleman in black last socn IN Guat-
emala, but was as active and enthusiastic aS
any young miner who had ever struck a pick or
made n strike. lie was on the trail NJ a lead
thi. time which was particularly rich IN the
yellow metal he was surc I was I'll rlsht, NE
VEN WIS visible IN Inc nOUN'H'n SllN HV0 w INa
enthusiasm he invited m. writer 10 so with him
10 see il. A breakfast was ordered. and otter
breakfast. the writer ordered his horse ssddlod,
pec'or 10 400 HE new discovery.
The road led across a beautiful rolling corn-
TSre nG ar woTk T IN her "Ip GsId. o Ie truGy inc i" OIons
with their loads ~ produce on their backs. Tbs
land Is one Of plenty. But sudden II cane
world, II such a thing we're possible. Groen
hills. green fields, green trees-al disappeared
The tablsland fell AVA, and b.yond rose high
ever variety q red, oranGe aud @eilo%
That's a mining countrvl" exclaimed Ames-
worth. polnhng 10 the mountain peaks. which
stood out like polished copper. 'NotlIn' grows
there, There. mines.
tho tabl. land 1000 feet below. and when the
bottom was reached the shadow Of night Vas
Covering Toys5 S the d ssG valley sD oiid I Srsel Yai IL a dih1 nSiIr d
with but one eve standing IN front, offered the
shelter, Of his lonely abode FOR the night,
ton was attracted 10 a tall chimney towering
over stunted trees and brush. To the inquiries
OF Ame-worth the native laid II was the CHM
-Whv." said he, there is not an acre Of land
In r rSt' ia 5fy' ns, 10. fiS Ssfed PG %"fSai,hed. lie had
never thought OF the fact before, and he had
LIVED there .sev.ntE,six years. he soid, The
since he. could remember, and there, was an.
other chimney a little further on, and n lot Of
ruined bulldogs. which had ALWAYS passed for
q ruined sugar mill. AmeswOrth asked him
II there were anv mines IN the vicinity.
-Mines," and the old mans face Frightened
as, stoOping down under a bed Of PUSHES, he
pulled out several specimens Of ore rich In gold
and copper. The ewes Of Amesworth sparkled
as he weighed the various chunks IN the palm ~
his hand. Il got them from the vein." said
the old mainland no one knows where 1t is
And you mean to tell me those chlnneys
we're put there for a sugar mil2" asked Ames-
worth: aud quickly shifting from Spanish 10
English, That's an old Spanish mining plant,
and this old fellow has got at the real stun"
II was n long time beforethere was any sleep
IN that ranch that night. Various specimens
Of rich ore were weighed and examined, mines
were talked over. and the reasons for the exist
euce Of the extensive plant In that locality
were specialized upon. The old native was
positive that there were neither shafts nor
tunnels any where in the vicinity. and Ames-
worth was equally positive that II could not
have been a sugar mill because there was no
land on which TO grow the sugarcane.
We'll find the dump" were Amcsworth's
final words before going TO bed.
The nnyt morning bright AMI early he was
no, pushing his way though the dew-b-snanrled
brush and exploring the ruins. There were
two chimnavs, a. the old man had said. one Of
them Intact. There we're the remains OF the
furnaces and buildings. which showed that tho
establishment, bsvoni the shadow OF doubt, |
was a mining plant and had bean erected on q |