American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-04-24
NO GOLD In
LAVA COUNTRY
so SAY LOCAL PEOPLE WHO
HAVE TRAVELLED THROUGH
THERE.
new THEORY OF THE TRAIL
The Tale Says 1t Was Refuge
for Squaws and Papooses While
Todng Bucks Were on the War
path.

The idea that there might be
gold in the stream flowing from the
lost spring in the lavas north OF
here is secuted by old time resident.
of this section who have visited that
country. With one accord they all
admit the presence of the spring,
and that there is an old trail rum
ming to it, but because of the ma
ture Of the formation there they
discredit the gold story. "Why,"
said one, that whole country is a
mass of lava, scared and crevassed,
there is no sand in which placer
gold might occur, and certainly the
lavas do not carry precious metal
in it's quartz form.
''The scenery, though is magnifi-
cent, and there are many unique
features that are sure to interest
the exploring party which will go
in from Pocatello. The ancient and
storied trail, the vast expanse Of
crisped and cracked molten rock,
the spring and the disappearing
stream that runs from it. will prove
diverting and instructive. There
are crevasses and fissures in the
lava hundreds, perhaps thousands,
of feet deep. After dropping
pebble in one of these breaks the
reverberations of sound, caused by
the richocheting of the pebble as
1t goes down, and the rebound of
the sound as it comes back, will
last for many minutes. On ac-
count of these great and deep crack
a spice of danger is added to the
expedition. All travel must be
in daylight after the trail is left,
and under the direction of an ex-
perienced guide"
There are different stories ex-
planning the existence of the trail
to the spring. Readers of this pa
per ar familiar with the theory ad-l
vanced by Pocatello people, in which
it is claimed that it was water
hole or oasis on the Indian route
Is the northern hunting-ground Lo-
cal people who have an extended |
acquaintance among the Bannock In !
dians, affirm. that the following tale
IS one told by old members of |
The tribe who knew of the trail
and the spring:
In the olden time, when the abort
sinal people of this great section
we're continually at war with their
the Bannocks found great
difficulty in arranging for a place
If safety in which to keep the wo-
men, children, and old men, while
he young men went out ON war
rips. OF necessity they had to
'e left behind, and if left in the
pen country they proved a weak
'oint, which marauding parties Of
he enemy might take advantage of,
nd by a rear or flank movement,
AIRY away the women after killing
he others. Finally, a chief, much
evered because of his wisdom in
ouncil hit upon the plan of build i
lg the trail into the lavas to the ,
amous spring which venturesOme
oung bucks had discovered upon a :
revious tour. and there establ sh-
lg an asylum or hiding place where Z
he non-combatants might rest in ,
ecurity while the young men of the
ar parties secured the plains. Cor :
topped the earth, whichever you g,
refer,), with their friends the h
nemy.
For many decades tn is secret o
amp was maintained by the Ban =
ocks, and proved of inestimable val '
? to them in their various dis
sreements with the neighboring O
Ids, and it is even whispered that is
intervals, very rare indeed, the n
ghting bucks themselves were glad =,
take refuge from unsuccessful
little in the haven of the squaws. Q.
With the passing of the years, ,
Id the coming of the whites, the RI
lstom of tribal wars gradually j,
ed out, and with it the practice of W
'ing the spring refuge. Disuse q
ought neglect, indifference, and r
nally forgetfulness, save in the
'nds of some of the older Indians.
ntil the recent agitation regard
g the discovery of the trail by
ospector. and the consequent or Ii
lnization of an exploring party to T