The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

When EthnoIogist Hodge, of the Bureau
of Ethnology, returned from southwest
| ern tour short time ago he brought with
| him a vast fund of information regarding
| mines in California, ARIZONA, and Mexico,
and of wealth that had been obtained from
| them and lost. The location of some or
| these mines yet remains a secret and their
whereabouts may not be discovered in
many years to come.
~ learned OF one case said Mr.. Hodge,
| which 1 believe to be true, that Will con-
vey an idea of how easy it was number
of years ago to find great wealth and to
! lose it. A number of Mexicans became in
! fected with the California gold fever in
the early days of that State, and they went
| to the new Ell Dorado with hope of OBJ
tanning some OF the wealth that came from
| the ground. This particular expedition
was fortunate in the extreme and after
several months of hard work they amassed
a great quantity of the precious metal, and
arranged for their return home
Attacked by Indians.
They procured large burro train,
which was weighted down with gold, and
started on their homeward journey. The
trail was an easy one to follow and the
party experienced no trouble until they
reached a point somewhere between two
small places now known as Mccarthy
and Grant. about fifteen miles apart on
the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad. in Western
Central New Mexico. where plain traces
of Indians were discovered.
Some little scouting convinced the
Mexicans that large band of Navajos
we're about to assail them. and they i'm
medately prepared to save their gold. The
precious metal was removed from the tired
backs of the burros and buried in the
earth.
THE hiding place was marked for fu-
ture identification and the Mexicans pre-
rared Cor flight from the Indians. In this
they were too late. The savages swept
down upon them in great numbers and
killed all but one OF the little band. He
succeeded in reaching a settlement and
told his stor giving meagre description
of the spot where the treasure had been
hidden.
THE Mexican departed in search of
some trusty men to help him recover the
gold. but some mishap must have befalien
him, for he never was heard of afterward.
Some of the Mexican settlers to whom he
had told his story organized small party
and went in quest of the treasure. When
the found what they believed to be the
place they began excavatinS. While doing
so one of the men hit with his shovel
peculiarly marked stone which emitted
weird and uncanny sound.
Frightened at the sound the Mexican
fed TO his companions and declared that
evil spirits haunted the place. The super
z.;,;ouo follows immediately convinced
themselves that in cavern beneath the
soil the ghosts OF the murdered miners re-
NAMED on guard over the buried treasure
and they fed from the spot.
The location became forgotten after this
incident for none Of the superstitious
Mexicans could be induced to make anoth
er effort To iiuu the gold, which l have rea-
sons for believing is still in hiding and
waiting for.some fortunate man TO uncover.
while in the Southwest | learned OF an
other buried treasure. About twelve years
ago a man named adams. an american by
birth. entered the coal mining camp OF
Gallup. or the Santa Re Pacific Railroad In
Western New Mexico. He came from the
Navajo country. and WAS literally weighed
down with large sized nuggets OF pure gold.
adams informed the people that he
and several companions had discovered
rich mine in the Navajo reservation, and
that while they we're gathering from the
surface of the ground huge nuggets such
as he carried with him the Indians swoop-
ed down on them. All but himself were
killed
"a party vi. organized to get to this
land o. gold, but Adams, who held the
key to the situation. succumbed to the
excitement OF his terrible ordeal and
harrow escape went raving mad, and had