Year: 1879

4 Wonderful Region-BeIfeved to Contain


Untold Wealth, but Which Every Body


Fears to Explore.


From the LeadviIIe Chronicle.]


About a dozen miles from the famous
Twin Lakes, which are the wonder of
this continent in regard to scenery, and
perhaps % miles from the magic city of
Leadville, the traveller on the new road
to the new mining district surrounding
independence Gulch, comes to clear,
sinuous little stream known as Half
Moon Greek. 1t tears down the eastern
slope of the great divide, through beds
of SHOWS whose undermost LAYER has
never felt the warm rays of the sun, and
over grassy plots where fragrant and
delicate flowers are nursed in the noun
tain storms. Follow its course down
ward and it viii lose itself in Lake
Greek, which feeds the twins mentioned,
and by following itup perhaps an hours
ride from where the road strikes the
creek, it is lost sight of in Half-Moon
Canyon, through whose overhanging
pines and cliffs the sun s rays never fail
to the shadowed waters.


The mouth of the canyon is barrel
shaped and the entrance JvCr the first
hundred yards is made by swinging from
one rock to another in the stream by
means of Overhanging boughs and
branches At every step the scene be-
comes more enchanting, the luXuriant
underground at times reaching nearly to
the waters edge, and again quite shut
ting out the view few rods to the front.
The enchanted explorer on coming to
these parts might readily believe that he
had reached the end, were it not for the
music of the waters, which may be heard
seemingly miles away cOursing down
through the shadowed cavern, all sound
being thrown out through the canyon to
its mouth. When in about the distance
named the canyon opens out twice the
size of that portion of it now passed and
on the right bank the traveller comes to
a trail, which ends at a great bowlder
here, but is well defined as it reaches in
to the canyon, as if made by the con-
slant tread of an armed sentinel, whose
duty it might be to halt all intruders
from below In this break in the can
yOn, and for perhaps another hundred
yards, the trail has been followed by the
gOld-seeker and huntsman, when both
are turned back through absolute fear
of what may be found beyond. The
trail is all well beaten at this point, as
over the part passed, but again the pines
Oyerhang the canyon, the stream widens,
and the traveller loses his determination
to see further


More than one man, protesting great
er courage than those who had gone be-
fore, has gained this point, wondered at
what might be unfoldeded to him beyond,
and, like the rest, retraced his steps,
cOngratulating himself that he was al
lowed unmolested to return. Some say
that it is inhabited only by bears and
mountain lions, and that the beaten path
has been made by them to the great
bOwlder, where it ends, and that these
wild beasts are now, and perhaps always
have been, virtual prisoners within their
own grounds.


A gentleman who has lately visited the
wonderful and unknown canyon, was
interviewed by a reporter for the Chr0h-
icIe. Like perhaps hundred others, he
went to see and perhaps discover the
unknown beyond, but his heart failed
him, and he was quite satisfied to hear
related the strange stories of those who
had made bold enough to reach the
point named. This gentleman was told
that miners had brought out quartz
picked from the sides of the canyon,
which contained more gold than rock; 4;
that many of them believed that its
y
one was bold enough to pass on to as
certain the truth, because of the stories
told in regard to the canyon. One of
these was to the effect that some years
ago two prOspectOrs, lured on by
what they had found up to the
second wall spoken of above, passed on
and never returned. Our informant de-
clares that there is no doubt but that two
men passed in search of gold, and that
they never returre ed is a fact attested by
those who waited anXiOusly for their re-
port. The Chronicle man suggested
that they might have passed out through
some opening in the canyon as yet I'M
known, but this idea was exploded by
the statement to our informant by those
who were left behind, that if they had
lived they would have certainly returned
and reported.


Yet another story, and one which ap-
pals the traveller, is to the effect that the
James boys use this canyon as cover
and hiding-place. One man has posi-
lively asserted that while prospect
ing upon the summit of a noun
tain which overlOOks the break in the
canyon, that he saw an armed sentinel
pacing to and fro over the trail. At first
sight he thought the person to be a hun
ter, but as his strange movements at
tracted his attention he made close
watch, is sure that the mans business
there was that of a guard, and is ready
to swear to not only this part of the
story, but that at one time he observed
two men there, and that he believes it
was the purpose of the second to relieve
the first from duty. Whether these
stories be true or false, one thing is GER
tain, no man to-day can be driven or
coaxed for greater distance than about
500 yards through Half-Moon Canyon.