Imperial Valley press., 1937-01-31
"reminiscences or A Rover
"ILLUSONS" BY Whit WeIImsn
By Whit WeIIman

with gold . 3. off the coast of Louisiana in the
Gulf of Mexico. 1t had gone down in the early
1905
where they got the information 1 don't
know, but they had the supposed location down
to the second and minutes of latitude and longi-
tude.
"Of course, took the job, and we sailed from
Portland-through the ditch at Panama and
to this secret spot.
IT put on my suit and went over, taking
machete with me- as I know what those semi
tropical waters are-with 40-foot seaweed.
struck bottom at 1877 feet, and family through
the seaweed could see ships hull. =.
"I made my way toward it-about so feet,
clearing the way with the machete, and clam
bered abroad. It was so Shiny that had to
crawl on hands and knees. It was one Of those
ancient three-masters, with high poop and
sunken amidships. I started down along the
slippery deck, which by this time was sprouting
The skipper's cabin, all finished in mahogany,
was the habitat, guess. Of a school Of sardines.
I finally found hatch-kicked it OF with my
lead boots, and went into the hold.
"I found the gold There 1t was-all piled up
against both sides in rotting sacks which split
open at my touch.
"Most men go crazy at the sight Of gold, but
time to go back up again. More than time. It
took four long hours to bring me up-you must
rise a few feet and then stop-otherwise the
bends get you
I'VE got the gold the next day, but I've never
been down since. The pump went haywire and
they brought me up too fast Not anyone's fault,
especially-just luck. 1 lived in hospital for
months, my life despaired of-but here am,
having pulled through to live In Montanas
mountains Adios, amigo hasta luego."
AN ODD EXPERIENCE
is told by Alice Gibbs Butte, of Castle Rock,
Washington-a tale of old Mexico vanishing
native: believable or not, depending upon ones
idea of how queer the world still is!
II visited Mexico recently my health poor
attempting to get rest, which meant walking
along lonely country roads.
81 rambled and wandered, meeting men walk
ing beside their mules little animals loaded
with farm products. You might well have been
transplanted back a few hundred years or so
into the life of the Middle Ages.
"On many of these walking tours ! stopped
by for Mexican friend, with whom l had be-
come we'll acquainted He was an excellent in
terpreter and jolly companion--fuii or the
legends of that old land
1--WE strolled along one day as usual enjoying
the sun and low mountains In the distance We
came to a long bridge across wide stream.
Suddenly, few rods ahead OF us, we saw an
Indian wrapped in a blanket. 1t was curious,
coming upon MIN 50 Unexpectedly, pCSduoc Lor
the past five minutes we had noticed no one in
front of us We wondered where he'd come
from AS we approached the bridge. he pointed
down at certain beam in the ancient structure
what did he mean? We came up to him
almost close enough to touch him He wasn't
there. He'd simply vanished We Investigated
that bridge and found that the great support
to which he had pointed had grown weak
was almost rotted through!
.sWas this some sort of warning? My friend
said that such manifestations were common
among Mexicans, but that he had personally
never witnessed anything quite like our vanish
ing stranger"
EXPLAINING
the unexplainable is thankless labor. Yet.
everyone has had unusual experiences--adven-
ture, sudden good fortune. unbelievable illusions.
warnings and premonitions Of happiness or dis
aster We're making a collection. Send them In
to The Skipper, Five Star Weekly, $40 Fol-
som Street, San Francisco, Calf.