The National tribune., 1902-12-11
SONORA.
A Country Whose Reputed Wealth Has Ex.
cited MANY Generations.

once more to you for light concerning the
| history of the Island of Tiburon, in the
Gulf of California, of which 1 have read
different sketches for the last 15 or 20
years Yesterday 1 struck a new one. say
ing. among other things, that it is gen
| orally supposed that the different expedi-
tions of Americans who in years past made
bold to 20 there and explore the island
we're destroyed, as well as their ships.
Lately, however, they have discovered
something which leads them to believe that
some of the men, among them one Capt.
Porter, are held as prisoners. Now, tol
make it plain, the points ! wish light on
are these:
/. Is this island inhabited by some sort
of an Indian race?
2 Are they supposed to have existed as
a race prior to the time of the North Amer
lean Indian!
3. Is this we see floating around III tl,e
newspapers in reference to the island sup
posed to be real history, or mere myth or
fable?
These newspaper articles generally refer
to rich minerals supposed to be in the
mountains of the island, and to some treas
| ure-laden vessel that once ran up the gulf
and buried its riches on the island. l can
not understand how this information could
ever have been obtained, il all expeditions
nave. OH e4iCoutIttluiS tut SdNd-tS VI tiit
island, either been killed or held in abso-
lutte bondage.-C. W. FULLER, 2l2 North
11th St, Fort Smith, Ark.
lTiburOn is part of the State OF Sonora,
| Mex, which has for centuries been re-
ported to have gold and silver in fabulous
amounts, aud TO get which has been a
perennial temptation to adventurers both
Spanish and American. The legend which
| has been potent in exciting these is that i'll
| the early days of the Spanish Conquest.
| the miTes were worked 50 protitably that
n large city was built III which was one
stately building capable of Guartering LOCO
Dragons. But the Spaniards were so cruel
| TO their Indian slaves. that at last gen
eral uprising resulted, in which all the
| Spaniards We're exterminated. Thereafter
| the fierce Indian tribes would permit no
white man to enter the territory. In the
years following the discovery of gold i'll
| California several parties of american
prospectors who attempted to penetrate
| into Sonora We're cut off and massacred.
The legend OF this enormous wealth had
such influence that DIR. VIM. NJ. Gwin,
| then u Senator from California. tried to
induce President Buchanan to send down
there Il regiment of Dragons to capture
| the country. The war coming ON inter-
| fered with this, and he. being rebel, went
| to the Emperor Napoleon to secure from
him a recommendation to Emperor Max
imlian for force to conquer the terri
| tory, and open it TO miners, whom Gwin
represented would speedily occupy the
| State and make it the buiwark of the En-
pire. Maximilian had too much else on
his mind. and neglected to do this when
Gwin went back to Napoleon Ill, and Sc
cured an order on Marshal Bazaine for
| 5000 soldiers. Gwin at that time foresaw
the overthrow of the rebellion, and pro
posed to make home for the rebels fly
ing from the United States. who would be
only too glad to fight ''tie Yankees" in
support of the Empire, which, Gwin also
correctly foresaw, would soon be attacked
| by us; but BaZaine, having matters of Il
serious character on his mind then, failed
| to comply with the order, and the scheme
fell through.
| There is so much fiction in regard to
| the country, that it is hard to separate 1t
| from the facts. The country is being grad
ually opened up by the Mexican troops,
and the last stronghold appears to be ou
Tiburon Island, in the Gulf Of California,
which is held by the Yaquis and Seris,
very fierce tribes, who have given the
Mexicans world of trouble. but are now
being brought under control. Their head
quarters are on the island. Prof. McGee,
| the ethnolOsist, has succeeded in penetrat-
| ing Tiburon Island, and though finding the
| Indians very savage, reports them not so
| fierce as has been represented. Some at
tempt has been made to find out about
them ethnOlogically, but so far We have
obtained nothing ut all satisfactory. But
little has been said. of late years OF the
fabulous wealth formerly believed TO be in
the country. and it is now thought that
most or nearly all the stories are gross ex-
aggeratiOns. The treasure ship is one of
the innumerable fables, i'll which Sonora is
far richer than anything else.-Edtor Ma
tiOnal Tribune.