Connecticut western news., 1909-07-22
LOST LEAD MINE .
 IN TOWN OF SHARON
AMATEUR" RECALLS THE STORY
Known Only to Early Indians Its Se- Cret Has Never Been Learned - Certainty That Such a Mine Exists and is Rich in Mineral.

and is Rich in Mineral.
 Legends of lost mines possess a singu- lar fascination for many people, and the hope of re-discovering certain traditional mines of fabulous wealth has lured not few prospectors to their grave. And know whereof speak.
 Many years ago knew a man we'll enough to call him friend. We were unlike in many ways, but equally loved the 5ea and its mysteries. His calling was an extremely hazardous one. He supplied wild beasts and wilder men (Savages) to governments and others, who utilized them in various ways. Cool, fearless, resolute, intrepid, man to succeed in any enterprise calling for boldiness and determination. Yet he laid down lis life in the interior of Australia, far from the sea he loved so well, ill attempting, from legends heard and knowledge obtained from Australian savages, to locate gold mine of unbe- lieveable richness.
 Knowledge of this mans character has often caused me to speculate as to the manner of his death. But his end Is shrouded ill the veil of mystery which. even to this day, partially envelops the interior of that far away island. More. over, neither his life nor death have any direct connection with the bit of local history which 1 started to write, and the Editor always objects if I wan der from the point. He apparently dlstrusts my diffusiveness, and invari- ably trims things to suit his own rhetor- ical taste. However the story of the man knew will yet be told.
 This nasty sketch has to do witt another matter, certain lead mTne of exceptionally pure ore, which tradition asserts to have existed somewhere ln the range of mountains between IndiuI Pond and Nudge. Tradition, i'll this particular case, is we'll supported by trustworthy evidence, and there can bt little doubt that this mine is a reality. although 1.-the secret of it's location jsalously guarded by it's Indian posses sors, and since their passage shrouded ill mystery-has never, Rso far as known, been obtained by any white man. although desperate efforts to obtain this knowledge were made by several,
 The native red men of this region were Mohicans. members of the great Indian family immortslized by Cooper. AS far back as the middle of the eighteenth century these Indians had apparent access to lead ore of great purity, and although before that date they had deeded away every right to their lands in this vicinity, including Indian Noun tain, yet the source of this supply they refused to reveal, though often impor- tuned by many different white men. At and after this date the Indians began to disperse, until in the latter part of the century only a remnant of the once populous Wequadnach encampment re- mained. This remnant, however, were still well supplied with lead, which they themselves fashioned into bullets, and which undoubtedly came from this vici- nity, since they seemed able to secure new supply upon one or two days notice.
 Nearly all of the early settlers tried to penetrate the secret of the source of this supply and it seems remarkable that none succeeded, for the Indians were at times closely watched, lead being a very valuable commodity, so much so that the Provincial Congress, at the begin ming of the Revolutionary War, ap- pointed special committee on lead, sul- phur and flint, This committee sent a Scotch miner named John Mcdonald to prospect for lead at Shekomeko, few miles west of Wsquadnach This man labored at Rhekomeko several months and shipped soma ore to Bristol, Eng. copper to the ton.
 But am again wandering. Among the later dwellers ill the vicinity of In dian Pond was an Andrew Lake, who owned the farm now belonging to E. P. Hazard. This MT. Lake died about forty years ago and MT. Hazard remsm- bers we'll hearing him talk about the secret lead mine and the efforts of him. self and others to locate it. The old Chief of MT. Lakes time would never send one man for his supply of lead. but at least three were despatched who took different routes and whom 1t was i'm possible to trace.
 Even the approximate location of the mine was at that time unknown, some ] contending that it WAS on the inner