Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-12-20
hi LOST
GOLD MINE
An Inscription In a Lost Language
Tells Where Il Is Located.

This soldier OF fortune was searching
for some stray asphalt bed in one OF
tire wooded wildernesses OF Venezuela.
Accompanied by two native servants,
a half breed guide and a young com
paniOn from the States, who knew lit
lie Of roughlng il. he had left the dingy
old river steamer at the point where
the Caura flows into the Orinoeo and
rowed slowly up the smaller stream In
n ae province Of Guiana.
TIE chief adventurer had heard, in
his Fambles among the old Inhabitants
OF Caracas. OF lakes OF bitumen I'm this
region which had never been discover
cd by the all consuming companies
which were creating such disturbance
10y their dlsagreements This was the
! land OF the PaTabena Indians, de-
] scendants of the ancient Toltecs. Quiet
aud gregarious Ii was probably
through some wandering trapper from
these Indians that the story OF the
asphalt beds had reached the country
or civilization.
But the chief OF the expedition had
read Of the strange discovery OF the
diamond mines of Golconda, OF the
gold Of the Transvaal. and he was will
! ing to risk something to find the hidden
asphalt beds OF Venezuela. He and his
companions rowed up the Caura for
three days, camping by night In their
little boat. as a partial protection
| against the fauna that abounded on
shore.
On the night of the third day they
found n clear space by the side of the
stream. and there they decided to land.
They slept that night I'm their boat
again. but were up early next morn
ing. ready for the explorations OF the
day. The boat was snugly mOored un-
der clump OF trees whose luxurlant
bougbs overriding the water, and the
travellers started out.
The soldier or fortune found that he
was near Mount Chanaro. right I'm the
heart OF the Parabena country. As he
had been told that these Indians were
very docile. like the North American
Lenapes, he was rather curious than
otherwise TO meet one OF them. But
he encountered no sign OF habitation
or trail on that day. II was all a wild
country. covered with high underbrush
however. were not very close together,
and travel was made corTespopdingly
easy.
Ii was late ia the afternoon. Allison
Glenn and his party We're walking
nlong the mountain side, about a hun
dred yards from where the earth be-
gins TO ascend. No asphalt had been
found. Suddenly the leader of the
party espied n curious projection OF
leaves. stone. and dirt rising some SIX
feet not far ahead.
An examination was made, more as a
matter OF curiosity than anything else.
The dead leaves were brushed away,
and at one end of this long projection
there was found a carving that resem.
bled closely the head OF a huge fish.
The carving was so accurate that
Glenn made up his mind that this was
not a mere freak or nature. and he
ordered his men 10 completely uncover
the rock, for the entire projection mp
peared TO be rock covered over with
the fallen vegetation OF years upon
years.
The sight that met the eyes OF the
travellers when all was made bare was
u startling one. II was a carved piece
OF solid stone. some % feet long and
about I feet from the ground at the
highest point The lines OF the fish
were carefully reproduced, although
with the hand OF an amateur. The
years that bad passed had disintegrat-
ed parts OF the huge rock, but enough
was there 10 make IL certain that this
4. 90
What was still more convincing OF
the fact that man bad been there was
line of hieroglyphics on one side and
near the head of the fish These crude
letters closely resemblkd inscriptions
Glenn had observed on old T~ltec re-
lies preserved in Caracas. But they
meant nothing to him then except the
belief that became firmly rooted in his
mind at once that he had encountered
an unusual mystery.
The next day the adventurers were
early at work clearing away the debris
from around the stone fish. cutting
down the trees and digging into the
surrounding earth. Surely something
must be in this neighbOrhood, II was
reasoned. But nothing was found.
the trees and get good photograph Of
the object with the small camera he
carried. This was done.
No trace of asphalt had been found.
The soldier OF fortune, like all his ilk
at times OF uncertainty, was restless.
He longed TO have the mystery OF
Mount ChanarO solved. He decided Mt
once to return to Caracas and there TO
report his curious find.
Glenn was a taciturn, inqui1ing kind
OF fellow. He liked to ask Questions,
but little relishcd the ANSWERING OF
them. He hal no intention of making
any formal report of his Giscovdry. He
had little opinion. anyway. OF tie aris-
tOcracy of the Venezuelan capital upor
matters of archaeological intercst and
so lie determined once again u seek
his old friends OF the suburbs tf tie
town-Qunint individuals who / ted in
the past. whose language wa4 still
quite as much Indian as Spanish.