The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-08-20
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Peculiar Race ~ People Kavam@ um6sE-
ground An centra1 AmeF1ea.
Colonel J. o. Tucker. former United
States minister at Martinique. relates
q strange story OF race OF people liv-
ing IN an underground city In Cen
tral America. Colonel Tucker some
time ago received information about
race who live IN cities cut out Of the
rocks In the mountains OF Central
America. In an 0ut.Of-the-way place.
very dinieult to reach. and which no
stranger had visited before him and
returned alive. He decided TO investi.
gate. After reaching a certain point
Colonel Tucker had to travel 500 miles
through wild jungles, carrying bis pro-
visions on a pack mule and enduring
many hardships on te way. As be
neared the hidden city his every move
ment was watched and reported 70 the
high priest Of the tribe dwelling there.
but no harm Was offered him. When
be shot a pair Of lions In the tungies.
which had been killing TIN natives. he
did an act that turned out to be the
very thing that gave him their friend
ship and protection.
He was welcomed BY the high priset,
who spoke good English. and wme
shown through their wonderful city,
hewn out Of the solid granite rocks
in the mountain side. To the uniniat-
ed the surface Of the mountain gave
no elew to the city concealed within
II. II was entered by secret passages.
e''Tningly concealed by natures handi'
work, and which led to large. commo-
diOus rooms, handsomely furnished.
mostly in old mahogany. Passages led
to hundreds OF other rooms. and to
= large hall. In which the strange peo-
pie met and held meetings, while small
Ter openings for ventilation went up
ward. ending among the rocks and
iungies above. 30 arranged that the
rain could not enter.
The tradition among these curious
people was that they originally came
| from a country far away. and that
their mission was to outwit their enc
mics. which. In the beginning. pursued
them At all entrances there were
side rooms. from which, at a moments
notice. deadly gases could be let loose
upon any hostile invaders who might
enter. and which would XIII them In
stantly. while by sliding doors Of stone
the gas would be kept from entering
the city.
The light Of the sun, moon or stars
never enters their underground city.
except through certain openings. By
which they study the mysteries Of this
night skies. but they Use electricity
for lighting purposes. a science they
have learned BY keeping In touch with
the outer world through their young
/ men.
The colonel says be was an attend.
| ant at their meetings and was sur,
prised TO find they were going through
Masonic rituals. which be. being a
Mason Of high degree, understood
This was an inheritance Of theirs from
their ancestors OF the unknown past
Colonel Tucker has written many
chapters about these people and theiI
city. He has done 80 because hs
wishes to preserve the knowledge. He
freely shows them to his friends. and
has as yet made no effort to publish
them. The proprietor Of q well-knOWu
Eastern magazine. who visited ths
City Of Mexico. and who was given
the privilege Of reading the manu-
scripts, with the proviso that he would
not publish their contents. offered OIL
onel Tucker hrst 5000 and then
doubled that amount II the colonel
would pilot him to the city In tbs
rocks. And he may yet do 20.
Colonel Tucker believes these people
are part Of the lost tribe Of Israel
He has many old parchments theJ
gave him which he has been unable
TO find anyone TO decipher for him
but which be hopes to have read bJ
some one OF the great scholars Of tbs
world. when the mysteries they con
tain In their time-stalned hieroglyphlci
will be made plain, thus revealing Il
the world perhaps the strnngest story
that ever linked the dim past with th.
living present.