The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1924-02-09
LOST Mine NOW
HELD BY BATS
Rich Ore Deposits in Mexico,
Owned by Spanish Frlars,
Made Impregnable.

Washington.-A sudden interest In
buried treasure In Mexico probably is
only variant of the passion for lost
mines that continually grips certain
optimists Of the southern republic,
especially on the west coast, according
to a bulletin from the headquarters Of
the National Geographic society.
Everyone on the coast seems to
have at least one lost mine," says
Herbert Corey In a communication to
the society on which the bulletin Is
based. "Some rest on tradition only,
while others have a sure documentary
foundation.
Entrance Concealed by Friars.
There Is the tale of the mine near
Arispe, for instance, the entrance to
which was concealed by the Spanish
friars just before they were wiped
out by reversion of their converts to
ancient form.
"a century or so later a searcher In
the monastic archives In Madrid found
the story. By this time the very ex.
istence Of the old mine had been for
gotten. One can see the opening of
the tunnel from the door Of the
church, the priestly writing ran.
"Scores of prospectors took sights
from. the doorway without success.
Then a bit Of plaster fell away from
an old wall and revealed a forgotten
door. bricked up and covered over.
'The one old-timer who remem-
bered the legend brought out his glass
and searched the hills. Sure enough,
far up on the side Of canyon he saw
something which seemed worth investi-
eating. II was the gateway to the lost
mine.
A "sure-Fire" Friars' Mine.
"Not long ago an American got the
papers to one of the veritable. sure
IRE friars' mines.
"A friar mine Is one that was
worked by the priest-conquerors In the
fine days of old. They could pick and
choose in those days, and they were
good pickers and choosers. No one
has ever heard Of a salted mine being
worked of on friar. The very best
mines in Mexico today are those that
were opened by the sturdy old church
men.
$50 when the American found his
mine he looked on himself as a made
man.
at only have to unwater It, he said,
licking his lips.
"Then the hard luck Of the west
coast began to operate. Someone must
have broken series of mirrors on the
west coast. Things can happen there
that could not possibly happen any
where else.
Bat Guano Found In Caves.
"On the west coast are bats-mil-
lions, billions, numerical incredibilities
Of bats-which live In caves. One of
the important industries of the coast
Is the gathering Of bat guano from
these dark holes. One sees the burro
trains come in, day in and day out, the
little animals pattering refectively un-
der the feather-bed-sized sacks of the
fertilizer.
"Some Of the caves contain enough
guano to load an entire freight train.
Such a cave must contain the accumu-
lation of centuries.
"Well-and here Is the hard luck
the bats had succeeded to the friar,
his heirs and assigns, In the possession
of that mine. For almost two centuries
they had lived In It, until all the lower
reaches were filled with guano.
~Then the water came In and
light odorous quick-silvery mud was
produced. 1t was too thick to be
pumped and the water ran In too rapid
ly to permit the unwatering and un-
guanolng Of the mine by buckets.
$50 there you are. A perfectly good
mine. so far. as any one knows, has
been made impregnable by the most
Harmless creature on the footstool."