The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-02-22
Indian
Lodge Tales
Dy
Ford c. frick
THE LEGEND OF FRAY
JUAN DE LA CRUZ

N
~ ago, before any Of us were born,
and when our fathers fathers fathers
were only boys, there came out Of the
Southland many white men. and all
the white men were In search Of the
sparkling gold which lay In the noun
tains where II was hid from all eyes
And these white men were cruel to the
tribesmen and murdered them and
made them slaves, and the tribe was
greatly frightened.
But one day there came another
white man and his name was Juan
De La Cruz. and he called himself
Padre" and he was a great medicine
raan. who worshiped strange gods and
who taught many Of the tribesnien to
worship his gods also. He lived with
the tribe many moons and went among
them In his strange garments and
talked to them and taught them many
things.
He continued to move northward
out Of the desert lands until he came
to the Great White mountains. where
dwelt the gods Of rain. Then his
Indian friends told him not to 30 far
ther, for the mountains were nlled
with great spirits. who were angry
with the Redmen and who would not
permit them TO come within their
lands. But he only laughed at theii
fears and told them his god was the
greatest god Of all. and the Indians
believed him, for he was a great
medicine man and his medicine was
strong.
So he came to the Great White
mountain and entered into the canyons
where the spirits dwell and the In
dinns saw him walk unframed. And
SO they followed him and the whole
party entered the canyon and spent
many days.
One day Juan DE La Cruz found
there much gold and he wns very glad.
And the Indians told him 1t was the
gold of the gods and warned him not
to touch It, but he laughed and said
Il was The Lost Mines" and With
their help he collected great bags OF
the gold. which he loaded on his bur
ros to take with him. That night
there was a great feast and Juan De
La Cruz was very happy. and mt
the spot Of the mine he erected two
large sticks In the form of cross.
and before them he brewed great med
icine.
In the morning. before the journey
4 Nho tofs NJ n
great hill and walked In the sun
light and said strange words to his
gods.
But as he was walking the indians
saw him stumble and fall and he
plunged down the mountain side out Of
sight. And when they reached him he
was dead and his body was broken
and bruised. And the people were
very much afraid.
Then the chiefs held council and
when they were through they called
on the medicine men Of the tribe and
the medicine men told them It was
bad. They said the gods OF the Great
White mountain were stronger than
the white mans god and had caused
him To be hurled over the cliff because
he touched their gold.
They urged the people to return
whence they came and so they went
back to their homelands. But they
left behind them all the gold which
the padre had collected. and they
would not touch II. for It belonged to
the rain gods, who dwelt on the Great
White mountain and II they touched Il
they would die.
When they returned to their home
they told other white men Of the
strange gods which dwelt In the noun
tain, but the white men only laughed.
and many there were who went forth
TO search for the gold. but there were
none who found It. and there II Is to
this day. hidden In the canyon In tn
shadow OF the Great White mountain