El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-19


about o'clock in the afternoon the
same bunch of indians came back, care
fully noting every rock, corner and
footprint, and proceeded back up the
canyon.
when it was fully dark, my compan-
ion and I crawled out, and. keeping
away from the trail, wandered back
in the direction from which we had
come when we left the Pima villages
in Arizona.
1--WE Travelled only nights for fear
OF discovery We carried a canteen of
water and only a very small amount of
provisions. AS scantily as we partook
Of each. they gave out the second day,
but we continued on our course, living
on acOrns, grasses and weeds up to
the end Of the seventh day. when we
came onto a camp. We did not re-
cover our health and get back to nor
NAL condition for over two months.
Gives World His Story.
"On arriving in Los Angeles I drew
maps. gave fun details of our journey
from beginning to end and all the par
ticulars Of what had happened. includ
ing the names OF the men. Not long
after my arrival in Los Angeles I was
taken i'll with typhoid fever and it
was many months before I recovered,
but on my recovery l organized a com
pany to hunt the lost mines. We did
not go to the Pima villages where 7 had
first started from, as l thought 7 could
go more direct to the spot il I entered
from a nearer cut many miles north
OF the Pima villages, but I could not
get on the right trail"
A FruitIess Hunt.
Adams lived many years after this
and went with different parties in
search OF the mines
Not one OF the men who went out
with Adams ever doubted the sincerity
OF the man. To hear him explain il
from one time to the other. any man
had perfect confidence that he was
telling the truth. and that the Adams
"diggins' were not myth, dream
nor vision.
One OF the principal men who assist
ed him when trying to refund the gold
mines was c. A. Shaw. himself an old
miner and prospector, who had fol-
lowed Il for many, many years, very
bright and matter Of fact man He
listened TO Adams for over two years
as he eamped with him night and day.
Adams's story was always the same
and Mr. Shaw was positive Of the truth
fulness OF the man.
Another Hunt Begins-
After Adams's death Mr. Shaw or
ganized party after party and tried
to unravel the hidden treasure by
trailing his way toward the Malpal
mountains OF the Zunis.
Leaving the Pima villages, which are
in the southwestern part Of Arizona,
and travelling in a northeasterly direc-
ton five days. would bring one along
into the northern part OF SocoTro
county. New Mexico. This was Mr..
Shaw's location OF the Adams "diggins
He would come to SocorrO many times
for his provisions and for new starts,
and for days he would drive IN a
northwesterly direction, trying TO 10
cate the place, the mountains and OBJ
fof huf
so often described to him.
On one occasion, as Mr.. Shaw iett
Los Angeles. he determined to investi-
gate that part Of Adams's story that
the men had gone to Fl Wingate Tor
provisions From Los Angeles he went
Straight to Fl. Wingate and found the
same officer in charge who was IN
charge when the nine men had come
there and bought the provisions. the
officer recalled the visit OF the men
and told Mr.. Shaw that about that
time nine men had come in late in the
evening. considerably hurried and eN-
cited, had bought their provisions ana
had told a story Of a company OF y
miners who had found a wonderfully
rich gold mine, and that they nad
pointed in the direction or where they
found II and had told him the number
of DAYS II took them to come to the
fort. The officer gave quite de-
tailed account of the men, Of the ami
mails they had and OF their story OF
the gold find. including statement
that a half breed indian had led them
Adanis's story CorrObOrated.
His story corroborated the story as
told by Adams. The story as told by
the officer. the corroborated directions
and distances and the time taken IN
travelling. locates the famous fabulous
ly rich gold fields only in one direction
Hna Lff mi
a northerly or northwesterly direction
from the point Of the Malpais. dis-
lance from the Malpais OF 90 miles
more or less. The road from old RI
Wingate is easily traced to the point
of the Malpais From the point OF the
Malpais. the road led westerly dis
lance of some ten miles; thence north
erly into a deep canyon, following the /
deep canyon some five miles ana trehce |
up to the right onto the mesa tnehce
over the mesa into the arroyo next 70
the mountains thence bearing up INTO
the craggy part of the arroyo through J
the narrow crags of the rock into the I
14-mile canyon, the head Of which DC /
right by the Adams "diggins.'
First Hand story.
7 have become familiar with TINS /
wonderful gold field story through the
association of Adams, c. a. shaw DICK !
Patterson, and quite a number or other f,
people. ] spent much money with Mr.. I
Shaw and others, assisting him in try /
ing to find the Adams "diggins-" He (
always made his home with me while [
in SocorrO and 1 learned the story OF ,
the "diggins' as handed down from
Adams to Shaw.
There have been hundreds OF people /
who have hunted for these mysterious
mines most all of whom are now dead !
Mr.. Adams himself. would often state
that these mines would never be found /
by any prospector. He said the entire
formation OF the country he and his (
men had passed through after they \
entered the mountains in which the
mines were located was nothing but /
from external appearance the |
country did not appear rough nor 1
broken, but. getting into It deeper, II
was extremely rough and broken. one