The Iuka vidette., 1910-05-12
PANAMA :
hip ar mr. IA5rnSZ/c ar MH<zAH

the border line of Costa Rica and Chirqui have al
ways been hostile and in several instances have
risen against the whites and massacred them The
Talamanca Indians, who still inhabit these parts.
especially bellicose.
The existence of the "Tisngal" mine has never
been doubted, is 1t considered the product of
the fertile imagination Of the natives of Chriqui
At Cana. in the province of Panama, at the pres
ent time there is being operated gold mine for
merly worked by the Spaniards Several years
ago, while blasting in one of the galleries OF the
Cana mine aperture made into what proved
to be buried the remains of a gold mine worked
several centuries ago. Leather buckets, with
straps that fit around the forehead and around the
shoulders of the mine workers and instruments of
steel were found in good state of preservation.
The mouth of this mine had been so completely
hidden that mining operations had been carried
for years almost paralleing the entrance shaft,
without the engineers suspecting its proximity.
Records of the old Cana mine are in existence but
its exact location had never been fixed before.
Gold can be found in almost all the rivers of
Chiriqui In 1859 there were discovered the first
Indian graves, from which were taken gold orna-
ments, stone Rgures arrow points, ETC. Since this
time there have been found in Chiriqui hundreds
of these Indian graves, known to the present day
natives by the name of 'guacas." The writer him
self opened up grave from which he took IS
pieces of pottery.
1t is a well-known fact that the halfIndian ma
tives of Chiriqui. knowing the whereabouts of a
rich "guacal" prefer to work it alone and to sell
the gold found only in such quantities as their
needs may require They suspicious of the
white man. this suspicion and distrust being inbred
in them and handed down in tradition from their
ancestors, who in truth had cause to hate that
hunting and exploring party that recently
returned from the vicinity of Buenos Aires and
Boruca in The heart of the indian country to the
west of David, reported that although they were
not openly attacked by the Indians yet they were
conscious of being constantly watched; that food
was scarcely obtanable and that several occa-
sions they found the water of the springs muddied.
apparently but few minutes before their arrival.
II this report be true, and there is every to
believe that it is, inasmuch it is but repetition
of former ones of similar nature, then it is quite
evident that the party were not cognzant of the
customs likngs and language Of the natives with
whom they had to deal a e
Odd inscriptions and decorations found
carved on volcanic powders in many parts of Chi
riqui and these Inscriptions. according to the In
dians indicate the burying grounds of the cacques
Many OF these decorations appear on the pottery
found in the graves and in the Astrological report
referred to s-o classified
Collaborating copper has been found in many
districts In Chiriqui. especially in that Of Bugaba
in which sTisingar' is in all probability located
the analysis of which has shown 15 per cent. cop
per bearing two per cent gold
The Panamanian government is at the present
time planning the construction of railroad from
David in Chiriqui to, the city of Panama. which
when built, will greatly open up this part of the
country and make 1t more accessible. The Indians
of Chiriqui will give way before the advance OF
civilization and the earth will give up another OF
her treasures so well hidden for centuries by ma
ture's barriers aided by the avenging hand of the
vanquished American.