The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1901-01-02
LONG LOST MINES.
Interesting Legend From Peru,
With Locality Given.

Or all the existing legends which refe
to as yet undiscovered treasure, none |,
more widely spread than that Of the Ire.
1ortillaS. II may be selected as one o
the most possible Of a large class-at leas
we have here a we'll defined and unmis
taxable locality and no actually conflicting
facts. On the remotest headwaters o
the River Secure, branch Of the Mo
more, which joins the MADEIRA, an affluen
Of the Amazon, lies a broken, mountain
Gus country, full Of great gorges, preeipi
tous cliffs and tentiana.
Here one deseends abruptly from ths
region Of eternal snow to tropical fores
where sugar cane and coffee flourish, anc
as we leave the high and wind.swepI
plains and scramble down the deep, dark
gorges to the heat and damp Of the monte
ague Of the most virulent and insisten,
type turks In the rain laden atmosphere
waiting to attack the stranger who has
the hardihood to penetrate these unknown
valleys. Here, II nature suffers the ex'
istence Of disease, she also provides the
remedy-cascarilla, or Peruvian bark
and the only inruders are the bark work
ers and occasional seekers for treasure.
As the traveller leaves the high noun
tain, side far of In the east can be seen
three fiat topped hills, apparently close
together and forming an unmiStakable
land mark, and II the same region Is en-.
tered by ascending the river from the east
ern side, at certain points In the journey,
far ahead in the west, can be seen the
same three mountains, which always ap'
pear only few hundred yards apart.
These are the famous Tres Tortillas
three pancakes), and around these three
mountains have accumulated numerous
traditions, with probably some foundation
in fact. During the Spanish rule Il Is
certain that great quantities Of gold were
mined and washed upon this mountain
range. Old workings are frequently dis.
covered, whole towns built of stone and
adobe, and deserted churches and cathe.
drals are buried In the forest, and from a
hundred evidences II Is clear these regions
have been and may again be a source OF
great wealth. II Is quite possible that In
the neighborhood Of the Tres Tortillas Is
a mine Of great value, and according to
nearly all the current stories this mine
contains a vast treasure, consisting Of
gold ready for transport and left when the
last miners fled, never to return.
OF the various expeditions which have
during the last half century endeavored
to penetrate to this valley, a survivor Of
only one Of them returned and stated that
ne, with a companion, had found the
mouth of the mine, had entered the tunnel
and there had found great mass Of gold
stored for removal. This man at least
possessed enough faith to make another
effort to reach this FL Dorado, and Is be.
lieved to have perished In the attempt
among the mountains. or the other ex.
peditions the result has uniformly been
failure. Owing to inadequate resources,
10 the great natural difficulties Of the
country or to sickness and death, up to
the present Tres Tortillas have kept their
secret and stand like three gigantic sen.
tinels. unapproachable and defiant, guard.
ing a treasure which may be worth a
kings ransom or may be only the phan.
tasy of dream.-Exchange.
Method Of Measuring Water Flow.
To msaSuys the Nnu of ,uatsy in n