The Red Cloud chief., 1910-05-12
PANAMA J

the border line OF Costa Rica and Chiriqui have al
ways been hostile and in several instances hav,
risen against the whites and massacred them. Tht
Talamanca Indians, who still inhabit these parts
were especially bellicose.
The existence of the "Tisingal' mine has never
been doubted. nor is II considered the product OF
the fertile imagination of the natives of Chiriqui
At Cana, in the province OF Panama, at the pres
ent time there is being operated a gold mine for
merly worked by the Spaniards. Several years
ago, while blasting In one of the galleries of the
Cana mine an aperture was 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 a good state of preservation.
The mouth OF this mine had been so completely
hidden that mining operations had been carried
on for years almost paralleling 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 figures, arrow points, etc. Since this
time there have been found in Chirlqui hundreds
or these Indian graves, known to the present day
natives by the name OF "guacas." The writer him.
self opened up one grave from which he took IS
pieces of pottery.
1t is a well-known fact that the half ma.
tives OF Chiriqui, knowing the whereabouts OF a
rich "guacal." prefer to work 1t alone and to sell
the gold found only in such quantities as their
needs may require. They are 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
race. A 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 obtainable, and that on several occa.
sions they found the water of the springs muddied.
apparently but a few minutes before their arrival
IL this report be true, and there is every reason to
believe that IL Is, inasmuch as it Is but a repetition
of former ones of a similar nature, then il is quite
evident that the party were not cogniZant Of the
customs, ikings and language of the natives with
whom they had to deal,
Odd inscriptions and decorations are found
carved on volcanic powders in many parts of Chi.
riqui, and these inscriptions, according to the In.
dians, indicate the burylng grounds OF the caciques
Many OF these decorations appear on the pottery
found In the graves and In the chronological report
referred to are classified.
Collaborating copper ore has been found In many
districts IN Chiriqui. especially In that of Bugaba.
IN which "Tisingal" is in all probability located,
the analysis of which has shown Is per cent cop.
per bearing two per cent. gold.
The Panamanian government is at the present
time planning the construction of a 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
or Chiriqui VIII. give way before the advance of
civilization and tho earth will give up another of
her treasures SO well hidden for centuries by ma.
lures barriers aided by the avenging hand.of the
" yanqtished American.