Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-05-24
LOST TRIBE OF ISRAEL.
Peculiar Race Of People Living Under
ground in Central America.


Colonel ]. c. Tucker, former United
States minister at Martinique, relates
a strange story Of a race Of people liv-
ing in an underground city in Central
America, says the Chicago Chronicle.
Colonel Tucker sometime ago received
information about a race who lived in
cities cut out Of the rocks in the noun
tains in Central America, in an out-of-
the-way place, very difficult to reach
and which no stranger had visited be-
fore him and returned alive. He decid-
ed to investigate. After reaching
certain point Colonel Tucker had to
travel 800 miles through wild jungles,
carrying his provisions on a pack mule
and enduring many hardships on the
way. AS he neared the hidden city his
every movement was watched and re-
ported to the high priest Of the tribe
dwelling there, but no harm was Of
fered him. When he shot pair Of
lions in the jungle, which had been
killing the natives, he did an act that
turned out to be the very thing that
gave him their friendship and protec-
ton.
He was welcomed by the high priest,
who spoke good English, and was
shown through their wonderful city,
hewn out Of solid granite rocks in the
mountain side. To the uninitiated the
surface Of the mountain gave no clew
to the city concealed within 1t. 1t was
entered by secret passages, cunningly
concealed by natures handiwork, and
which led to large, commodious rooms,
handsomely furnished, mostly in old
mahogany. Passages led to hundreds
of other rooms and to a large hall, In
which the strange people met and held
meetings, while smaller openings for
ventilation went upward, ending among
the rocks and jungles above, so ar
ranged that the rain could not enter.
The tradition among these curious
people was that they originally came
from country far away, and that their
mission was to outwit their enemies,
which, in the beginning, pursued them.
At all entrances there were side rooms,
from which, at moments notice, dead
ly gases could be let loose upon any
hostile invaders who might enter, and
which would kill them instantly, 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 this underground city, ex-
cept by certain openings. by which
they study the mysteries Of the night
skies, but they use electricity for light
ing purpose, science they have learn
ed by keeping in touch with the outer
world through their young men.
The colonel says he was an attend
ant at their meetings and was surprised
to find they were going through the
Masonic rituals, which he, being Ma
son 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 their
city. He has done so because he wish
es to preserve the knowledge. He free
ly shows them to his friends, and has
yet made no effort to publish them
The proprietor of well-known eastern
magazine, who visited the city Of Mex
leo, and who was given the privilege
Of reading the manuscripts. with the
proviso that he would not publish their
contents, offered Colonel Tucker first
$4,000 then doubled that amount If the
colonel will pilot him to the city In
the rocks. And he may yet do so.
Colonel Tucker believes that these
people are a part Of the lost tribe OF
Israel. He has many old parchments
they gave him, which he has been un-
able to get anyon. to decipher for him
but which he hopes to have read by
some one of the great scholars of the
world, when the mysteries they contain
in their time-stained hieroglyphics will
be made plain, thus revealing to the
world perhaps the strangest story that
ever linked the dim past with the liv-