jameson treasure hunter ms

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Treasure Hunter [working title]

W.C. Jameson

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Table of Contents

I. Introduction: Neer !ore "lie T#an W#en $n T#e Hunt

II. %uadalu&e !ountain %old

III. Ingots of %old' T#reats of (eat#

I). *tra& *iler

). +ost *&anis# %old in t#e ,alomas *and (unes

)I. " !an -eturned rom t#e (ead

)II. +ost Treasure and Hig# Water

)III. ,ictures (on/t +ie

I0. T#e Curse

0. T#e Canon of t#e (ead

0I. T#e Jesse James Treasure Cae

0II. *&anis# *iler in a 2entuck *ink#ole

0III. 3uicksand

0I). *&anis# %old %uarded b -attlesnakes

0). T#e inal 45&edition

0)I. *ome ,arting Words

Treasure! Its out there. Its whispering to me."non.

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Introduction

Neer !ore "lie t#an W#en on t#e Hunt

or oer four decades I #ae been a &rofessional treasure #unter. (uring do7ens

of 8uests to locate lost mines and buried treasures I #ae faced deat# and in9ur' broken

national and international laws' neglected m famil' and occasionall found fortune.

T#ere are not man of us left' t#ose dreamers and wanderers w#o find adenture in

remote and sometimes unma&&ed regions of t#e globe in searc# of somet#ing t#at ma or

ma not e5ist. We are a breed of men addicted to danger' adenture' and t#e 8uest.

T#e lure of treasure #as ca&tiated mankind since earliest ciili7ation' and men

w#o wanted more out of life t#an t#e ordinar' t#ose w#ose #earts and souls &ulsed and

t#robbed wit# a sense of adenture' went in &ursuit. Indeed' I/m coninced it was not so

muc# t#e &romise of wealt# as it was t#e 8uest' t#e o&&ortunit to 9ourne to unknown

lands' to confront obstacles and danger' and not onl to oercome and surie but to

t#rie in &itting one/s skills and mettle against sometimes oerw#elming odds.

T#e seekersof treasure #ae been wit# us for ages. W#o can forget t#e mt#ical

odsse of Jason and t#e "rgonauts in &ursuit of t#e golden fleece W#o #as not t#rilled

to t#e adentures t#at la between t#e coers of -obert +ouis *teenson/s Treasure

Island,H. -ider Haggard/sKing Solomons Mines' or ;. Traen/s The Treasure of the

Sierra Madres W#o could read J. rank (obie/s Coronados ChildrenorApache Gold

and aui Sil"er and not be com&elled to gat#er u& ma&s and e5&edition gear and go


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searc#ing. We can/t seem to get enoug# of t#ese stories. or men of adenture' t#is kind

of 8uest is as muc# a &art of t#e culture as religion and music.

(uring m teenage ears' I lied wit# t#e memor of finding a cac#e of gold

ingots in t#e %uadalu&e !ountains of West Te5as. I remembered t#e #eft and te5ture of

t#e bullion in m #ands as it was &assed to me from a small cae b t#e men w#o found

it. T#e e5&erience &ossessed me as I relied it eer da. "s a result' I seldom &aid

attention in class. W#ile &ublic sc#ool facult droned on about some dull sub9ect' I drew

stick=men adentures on scra& &ieces of &a&er. I stared out t#e window at t#e brig#t

suns#ine=lumined West Te5as landsca&e' imagining e5&editions I could be &artici&ating

in rat#er t#an being confined indoors. In m reeries' I smelled t#e creosote and cactus

flowers' felt t#e desert bree7e of t#e %uadalu&es' and relis#ed t#e #eat of t#e sun on m

skin 9ust like I did on t#at da I stood outside t#e treasure cae.

I flunked algebra m fres#man ear and barel &assed m ot#er courses. ;ored b

boring teac#ers w#o made eert#ing boring' m ears &erked u& onl occasionall in

4nglis# class w#en some bit of literature or &oetr caug#t m attention' w#en some

com&elling tale suc# as Silas Marnerunfolded and ca&tiated me. I was entranced b t#e

r#t#ms found inMini"er Chee"#b 4dwin "rlington -obinson' and b t#e stories of

Jack +ondon suc# as $hite %angand To &uild a %ire.

$t#er t#an being a member of t#e football and track teams' I was a loner. T#e few

friends I #ung out wit# from time to time were loners too. W#at we #ad in common was

our understanding of and craing for solitude' but t#eir dreams' if t#e #ad an' seemed

different from mine.

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I barel graduated from #ig# sc#ool. (uring t#e final #our of t#e last da of m

senior ear' I' along wit# a fellow student' was forced to seek &ermission from t#e

&rinci&al to receie m di&loma. I/m coninced #e sim&l took &it on us because m

friend sobbed like a bab during w#at amounted to an e5it interiew.

"fter being granted a&&roal to graduate' I 9um&ed into a car wit# friends w#o

were determined to make some misc#ief t#at afternoon. (uring a #ig#=s&eed &olice

c#ase' t#e car slammed into a teleone &ole. 2nocked unconscious' I suffered broken

ribs and bled from do7ens of tin cuts on m face as a result of m #ead going t#roug#

t#e side window of a 1?>? ,lmout#. T#e &olicemen took &it and released us' and I

walked t#roug# t#e graduation ceremon t#at eening in &ain and looking like a ictim of

a knife attack.

"fter #ig# sc#ool I worked at a ariet of occu&ations @ lifeguard' ranc# #and'

dockworker' disc 9ocke' rodeo rider' free lance writer' and artist @ but t#ese left me

unsatisfied. W#ile tring to make a liing' I earned to be e5&loring t#e wilderness in

searc# of lost mines and buried treasures.

"t nineteen and disgusted wit# dead=end 9obs' I filled a small &ack wit# some dr

biscuits' 9erked meat' and a denim 9acket and' wit#out telling anone' crossed t#e -io

%rande into !e5ico and walked nearl t#ree #undred miles into t#e *ierra !adres.

T#ere' liing among and working wit# Indians and campesinos,I got caug#t u& in a ciil

war between t#e indigenes and t#e wealt# hacendadosw#o coeted t#e natie

#omelands. *iding wit# t#e outnumbered and outarmed Indians' I found mself inoled

in a war wit# t#e mercenar armies of t#e landowners and ranc#ers. " ear later' I

returned to Te5as' dee&l scarred and saddened b t#e lengt#s to w#ic# men will go in

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order to ac8uire &ro&ert and wealt#. I was #eartened' #oweer' to e5&erience t#e

friends#i& and ins&iration of &eo&le w#o would defend to t#e deat# w#at was dear to

t#em.

Tring to make some sense of life' I read eert#ing I could get m #ands on:

,lato' (arwin' *teinbeck' orrester' Twain' and ot#ers. I absorbed t#e words' t#e

ilosoies' t#e adentures' like a s&onge' but #ad no one to talk wit# about an of it. It

occurred to me t#at college was w#ere one found like=minded souls w#o read similar

books. W#en I was twent=one ears old I enrolled as a fres#man at Te5as Western

College' now t#e Bniersit of Te5as at 4l ,aso. W#o could #ae known t#at I would

eentuall graduate wit# #onors' ultimatel receie a ,#.(.' and aut#or more t#an fift

books.

(uring t#e summer following t#at first ear of #ig#er education' I undertook m

first solo e5&edition: a searc# for t#e famous +ost *ublett !ine in t#e %uadalu&e

!ountains' some 11 miles east of 4l ,aso. irst' t#oug#' I read eert#ing on t#e sub9ect

I could find and discussed m &lans and &re&arations wit# ot#er &rofessional treasure

#unters. I de&arted' alone' in searc# of t#e gold t#at #ad eluded so man &reious

searc#ers for more t#an a centur and s&ent more t#an two weeks on foot in t#e range.

T#e recoer of treasure from t#at enture funded m ne5t #unt' t#en t#e ne5t.

I #ae been inoled in nearl two #undred e5&editions' some lasting onl a few

das' some for more t#an si5 weeks. I #ae searc#ed for treasure in t#e Bnited *tates and

!e5ico and more t#an four decades later I am still on t#e #unt. !an of m e5&editions

ielded little or no treasure but su&&lied an abundance of adenture. rom a few of t#em'

m &artners and I ac8uired enoug# wealt# to &a off #ouses and &urc#ase new e#icles.

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Wit# some of t#e mone I &aid college tuition for mself as well as for m c#ildren.

"lwas' we set aside enoug# to fund t#e ne5t enture.

(uring t#e 1?Ds' I #ad t#e misfortune of being t#e sub9ect of a news&a&er re&ort

about a lost treasure t#at I was researc#ing. T#e article was sndicated in do7ens of

&a&ers around t#e countr. T#e word was out' m identit known to t#ousands' and t#e

calls started coming' followed b isits to m #ouse b men w#o wanted to 9oin me on

m e5&editions andEor fund t#em for a s#are of t#e recoered treasure.

I turned eer one of t#em down. "nonmit is a great all for a &rofessional

treasure #unter. I #ae worked wit# t#e same t#ree &artners for four decades and no one

else' and we o&erated in total secrec. We communicated our actiities' often our

destinations' to no one' not een famil members. We carried no cameras' no ideo cams'

no ta&e recorders to an sites. !a&s t#at we used to identif and locate s&ecific treasures

were destroed because we wanted no eidence of w#at we found or w#ere we found it.

Here/s w#. ar too man treasure #unters' &articularl ones new to t#e business'

cannot wait to make an announcement to t#e &ress about a discoer. %enerall' t#is is a

result of unbridled anit' an uncontained ego t#at re8uires &ublicit and notoriet' and

comes to no good end. In eer case m &artners and I knew of' t#e e5isting laws forced

t#e finders to relin8uis# t#eir discoer. !ost state and federal salage recoer laws

re8uire t#at ant#ing found t#at can be determined to #ae F#istoricG alue be turned oer

to t#e res&ectie goernment. )irtuall eert#ing recoered' w#et#er gold and siler

ingots and coins or artifacts t#at #ad been lost or cac#ed during some bgone time' #as

#istoric alue. T#oug# t#e finders ma #ae inested t#ousands of dollars as well as

mont#s' &er#a&s ears' of time and energ into locating a treasure' t#e don/t get to kee&


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it. urt#ermore' if t#e find was on &riate' state' or federal lands' laws relating to tres&ass

will likel #ae been broken. If a recoer is made' c#arges of t#eft often follow.

W#eneer we recoered a treasure in !e5ico' we were forced to smuggle it across t#e

border' often after &aing #undreds of dollars in mordida' bribe mone' to local officials

and &olice.

It is im&ortant to understand t#at almost eert#ing treasure recoer

&rofessionals like me do is illegal. T#us' t#e bi7arre and unreasonable laws related to

treasure recoer #ae turned #onest' dedicated' and #ard=working fortune #unters into

outlaws. "nnouncing a discoer inariabl leads to negatie and unwanted

deelo&ments' &rimaril t#e loss of an treasure t#at ma #ae been found. "s mentors

e5&lained to me ears ago: T#e fewer &eo&le inoled t#e better' and silence is t#e

bword.

!ost of t#e labor inoled wit# an gien treasure #unting e5&edition takes &lace

in libraries and arc#ies studing researc# materials. F-esearc# is t#e ke'G sas aut#or

and recoer s&ecialist Clie Cussler' Fand ou can neer do enoug#.G He goes on to

state t#at researc# can eit#er lower t#e odds or tell ou t#at a 8uest ma be #o&eless.

*ometimes ninet &ercent or more of m time was taken u& wit# researc# on an gien

&ro9ect. W#en I e5&lain t#is to #o&eful treasure #unters' t#e grow discouraged'

&referring to beliee t#at it is all glamour' e5citement' and wealt#. T#e more work we did

&rior to an e5&edition' t#e more soisticated t#e &re&aration' t#e greater t#e c#ances we

#ad for success.

or t#e last t#irt ears' we/e told anone w#o wanted to 9oin us on an

e5&edition t#at t#e #ad to be able to run seen miles carring a full &ack and a rifle'


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must be a marksman' must not be timid about s#ooting someone if necessar' and must

not be afraid to die. T#at criteria eliminated eerone.

T#is line of work can be dangerous. Treasure #unter ain (onnell once referred

to treasure searc# and recoer as Fblood s&ort.G I #ae fallen from cliffs' #ad ro&es break

during climbs' been caug#t in mine s#aft cae=ins' contended wit# flas# floods' been s#ot

at' watc#ed men die' and #ad to deal wit# rattlesnakes' water moccasins' scor&ions' and

&oisonous centi&edes. I #ae fled for m life from &ark rangers' &olicemen' landowners'

com&etitors' cor&orate mercenaries' and drug runners. ! t#ree &artners and I eac#

claim militar e5&erience' #ae earned marksmans#i& recognition' &ossess black belts in

martial artists' #ae engaged in warfare' and were not intimidated b muc#. *till' we

neer courted danger and confrontation unnecessaril. "t times' our &rimar goal was 9ust

to get back #ome alie.

T#oug# friends' fellow treasure #unters' editors' and &ublis#ers #ae encouraged

me to write about m adentures' I refused' turning down decent adances to tell t#ese

stories. W# I didn/t want anbod to know w#o I was' w#o m &artners were' w#at we

did' or w#ere we e5&lored. I could not write about t#ese t#ings for fear of incriminating

ourseles and initing legal action on a ariet of leels.

Now in m si5ties' w#ile still actie and #ealt#' I see m das as a treasure

#unter slowing down. Two of m &artners are unable to &artici&ate an longer for #ealt#

and famil reasons. T#e #ae gien t#eir blessings and encouraged me to tell t#e stories'

but I #ae taken some &recautions. "t t#eir re8uest' I #ae c#anged t#eir names to &rotect

t#em from unwanted attention and scrutin. In a number of cases' I #ae c#anged t#e

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names of ot#er &rinci&les and s&ecific geograic sites. I #ae &roided onl cr&tic

directions and im&recise locations. "ll of t#is was done to in &art out of res&ect for

&riac' but also because some treasures still la w#ere t#e were found' and I #ae &lans

to return for t#em. I #ae been &ur&osel ague about ot#er treasure locations'

&articularl in cases w#ere t#e are on state or federal land or &riate &ro&ert. I wouldn/t

want a reader to get caug#t and &unis#ed w#ile attem&ting to retriee a treasure because

t#e could wind u& in &rison for a long time.

,eo&le ask: W# do ou do it W# #ae I s&ent a great &ortion of m life

breaking laws and risking m life &ursuing elusie lost treasures

T#e answer is eas. It/s t#e c#allenge' t#e e5citement of #aing t#e o&&ortunit to

lie life to its fullest. T#e writer James -amse Bllman stated' FC#allenge is t#e core and

mains&ring of all #uman actiit.G T#is is true for t#ose of us w#o &ossess a sense of

adenture' a 7est for life and liing. It inoles t#e mt#ic notion of t#e 8uest' t#e grand

and daring e5&erience of &ursuing it.

I am neer more alie t#an w#en I am on t#e #unt.

There comes a time in e"er# rightl# constructed 'o#s life

when he has a raging desire to go somewhere

and dig for hidden treasure."non.

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%uadalu&e !ountain %old

It was an #our &ast sundown' and a t#ree=8uarter moon #ung low in t#e sk

&roiding 9ust enoug# lig#t for me to see m surroundings and make m wa t#roug# t#e

willows and into t#e fenced ard. "none sureing t#e grounds would be able to s&ot

me in t#e moonlig#t' but I decided it was wort# t#e risk.

" t#ree=foot #ig# &icket fence surrounded t#e ard. +ing 9ust on t#e ot#er side

was m target @ a twele=b=four foot &atc# of strawberries t#at #ad come to &erfect

ri&eness t#at afternoon' t#e brig#t red fruits reflecting t#e moonlig#t. 4leen ears old' I

#ad been t#inking about t#ose strawberries for a week' and now I was going after t#em.

%ene *eitsinger #ad a re&utation for growing t#e finest berries in Te5as.

I #ad t#oug#t about asking *eitsinger if I could &ick some' but knew I would be

denied. He was known b all as mean' angr' and &articularl #ostile to oungsters. T#ere

were stories t#at circulated around t#e lower alle w#ere we lied t#at t#e last time

*eitsinger found a bo in #is strawberr &atc#' #e tied #im to a tree and w#i&&ed #im

wit# a belt until #e &assed out. T#ere were ot#er stories' su&&osedl true accounts' of

bos w#o told t#eir friends t#e were going to steal berries from *eitsinger/s &atc# and

were neer seen again. No one eer seemed to know w#o t#ese bos were or if t#e stories

were true' but it gae me &ause. It also &roided t#e tem&tation of a c#allenge.

T#e &ickets were #eld to t#e bracing b small' t#in nails. I &ulled at t#e bottom of

one and it gae easil' but t#e s8ueaking of t#e old rusted and resistant nail broke t#e

silence of t#e eening. I #o&ed t#e c#ir&ing of summer crickets and t#e &ee&ing of frogs

coered t#e sound. !oing aside t#e &icket' I wriggled t#roug#. Crawling on m bell in

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t#e cool grass' I crossed t#e t#irt=fie feet to t#e &atc#' w#ic# la onl s&itting distance

from *eitsinger/s back &orc#. ;arefooted and summer=tanned' I wore a &air of worn

+eis because it was all I owned' and a green t=s#irt because I t#oug#t it would

camouflage me against t#e &lants. If *eitsinger or #is wife' -ub +ee' were to come

outside and glance into t#eir garden' t#e would s&ot me wit# no difficult.

"fter s8uirming into t#e &lot and wedging mself between rows of &lants' I turned

onto m back' reac#ed out' and &lucked a 9uic fruit from a nearb cluster. I broug#t it to

m face' regarded t#e beautiful red color reflected in t#e lunar lig#t and felt t#e firmness

between m fingers. It was a large berr' one of t#e biggest I #ad eer seen. I in#aled t#e

aroma. In t#ose das' I t#oug#t not#ing smelled as delicious' as sensual' as a fres#' ri&e

strawberr. I took a bite' saored t#e flaor for a full minute' took anot#er' t#en

swallowed t#e remainder.

or fifteen minutes I &lucked t#e fruits and ate' one slow berr at a time' careful

to #arest t#em from seeral different &lants in t#e #o&e t#at t#e &illage would go

unnoticed t#e ne5t da. I &lanned on returning eer nig#t until suc# time as t#e

*eitsingers &icked t#e cro&. I e5tended m rig#t arm beond m #ead as far as I could

reac# and felt for berries among t#e leaes and stems. inall' I found anot#er large one'

&er#a&s t#e biggest of t#e eening. Just as I was about to &ull it from t#e &lant' t#e back

lig#t came on and four men walked outside. I fro7e' arm still e5tended' moonlig#t s#ining

on me less t#an ten feet from t#e &orc#.

I turned toward t#e sounds and saw *eitsinger accom&anied b Hobie *c#war7'

Te5 *anderson' and *imon !c)a' neig#bors' more or less' eac# liing wit#in a mile or

two of t#e ot#ers. T#e men were #olding drinks' bourbon I guessed' from t#e color. T#e

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sat down around a wooden table. I tried to make mself smaller' to melt into t#e ground. I

dared not moe. or a few minutes' t#e men talked about t#e delicious meal t#e #ad 9ust

finis#ed. -ub +ee #ad fed t#em steaks' baked &otato' grilled egetables' and a&&le &ie.

*eitsinger t#en unrolled a large &iece of brownis# &a&er t#at a&&eared to be a ma&. T#e

four men stared at it intentl and t#en began s&eaking.

FT#e old man w#o used to own t#is told me t#e treasure is su&&osed to be #idden

in a small cae 9ust to t#e east of t#is arroo'G said *anderson' 9abbing at t#e ma& wit# a

finger. FT#is s&ring oer #ere kee&s t#e arroo running wit# an inc#=dee& flow of water

most of t#e ear. T#e cae is su&&osed to be sout#east of t#e s&ring' somew#ere about

#ere.G

FHow did t#at old man know about t#is treasureG asked !c)a. F"nd w#ere did

#e get t#e ma&G

FHe told me #e stole t#e gold #imself and #id it t#ere more t#an fift ears ago.

He drew t#e ma&' &lanning on returning at a later date and retrieing it' but #e neer got

t#e c#ance. ;etween battling consum&tion and #aing to care for #is cri&&led=u& wife' #e

neer could leae ;isbee long enoug# to go get it.G

FHow come #e told ou about itG asked *eitsinger.

FI saed #is son/s life in t#e war. He was badl wounded in t#e leg from a 2orean

grenade e5&losion' couldn/t walk' and was bleeding like a stuck #og. $ur com&an was

retreating from t#is #ill we failed to take' so I &icked #im u& and carried #im a mile or

more from t#e field of fire. His leg was mangled &rett bad. I cleaned out #is wounds'

bandaged #im u&' and got #im to a field #os&ital. T#e sent #im #ome a mont# later.

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T#e told #im if I #adn/t &ulled #im out and sto&&ed t#e bleeding #e would #ae died in

an #our.G

I #eard grunts of acknowledgement from t#e ot#ers.

F+ast ear I sto&&ed b to isit #im and #is famil in ;isbee'G said *anderson.

FHis old man took me aside to t#ank me for all I done' and t#en told me about #is outlaw

&ast' about t#e treasure' and #iding it in t#e %uadalu&e !ountains.G

FW#at about t#e sonG asked *c#war7. FIsn/t #e entitled to some of t#is' if it/s

t#ereG

FT#e son don/t know a t#ing about #is fat#er man liing on t#e ot#er side of t#e

law and #e don/t know a t#ing about t#e treasure'G said *anderson. FT#e old man refers

to t#e gold as ill=gotten gains and don/t want t#e bo to #ae ant#ing to do wit# it.G

,ointing at t#e ma&' *c#war7 asked' FW#at about t#is location Can we 9ust walt7

in t#ere and get t#is stuff or is it &riate &ro&ert. W#at if we get caug#tG

FIt/s &art of t#e J.C. Hunter -anc#'G offered !c)a. FHunter owns most of t#e

front of t#e %uadalu&e !ountains and a lot of t#e to&. I know Hunter a little. !ostl' I

know #is foreman' a man named Noel 2incaid. I worked for #im a cou&le of times

stringing fence and branding cattle. We could sto& b t#e ranc# #ouse w#ere 2incaid

lies and 9ust tell #im we/re out #unting for arrow#eads. He won/t mind. ,eo&le do it all

t#e time out t#ere' and #e/s real eas to get along wit#.G

F"ssuming we find t#e gold' it/ll take a w#ile to carr one #undred ingots from

t#e cae to m truck'G said *anderson. FIt looks like t#e closest we can &ark is about a

mile=and=a=#alf awa' and t#em bars are gonna be #ea' mabe twent to t#irt &ounds

a&iece. We/re looking at a lot of tri&s back and fort#.G

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FW#o caresG said *eitsinger. FIf t#is &ans out' we/ll all be &rett damn ric#.

*eems to me like it/s wort# t#e effort.G

!c)a' rose' said #e needed anot#er drink' and went into t#e #ouse. *eitsinger

stretc#ed' made some comment about dinner' t#en asked if anone was in t#e mood for

strawberries. He rose from #is c#air and walked out to t#e edge of t#e &orc#' #ands on t#e

railing' and looked down into t#e &atc#.

He stood t#us for a full minute' t#en turned to *anderson and said' FTe5' are ou

&acking t#at boot &istolG

In res&onse' *anderson reac#ed down into #is rig#t cowbo boot and wit#drew a

custom .66 and #eld it u&.

FToss it #ere.G

*eitsinger caug#t t#e wea&on in #is rig#t #and b t#e gri&' swung around' and

&ointed it at me.

FTe5'G #e said. FIt seems like we got a &rowler.G He clicked back t#e #ammer.

"t t#is moment' !c)a walked back outside' a fres# bourbon in #is #and. I could

#ear t#e ice clinking in t#e glass. He 9oined *eitsinger and stared at me ling on t#e

ground. !c)a' w#o #ad t#e ision of an owl in t#e dark' said' FT#at/s t#e Jameson kid.

He ain/t no &rowler. He/s &robabl 9ust filc#in/ strawberries.G

F*tand u&G commanded *eitsinger.

I rose' #eart #ammering against m ribs.

F%et on u& #ere'G #e said' gesturing at t#e &orc#. F"nd if ou ste& on a single one

of t#ose berr &lants' I/m gonna s#oot ou.G

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Wit# e5treme caution' I made m wa across t#e rows and ste&&ed u& onto t#e

wooden &orc#' m skinn arms raised aboe m #ead like I #ad seen men do in moies

w#en #eld at gun&oint. *eitsinger grabbed m s#oulder and &us#ed me toward t#e table.

T#e &istol neer swaed from m direction.

F+eae #im be'G said !c)a' ste&&ing between me and t#e gun. FI know t#is bo.

He lies wit# #is mom and brot#er and sister in t#e rock #ouse on t#e ot#er side of t#e

big alfalfa field to t#e west. His dad ain/t neer around and t#e got no mone. He was

&robabl #ungr.G

FWe got a &roblem' *imon'G said *ietsinger. FT#is kid #eard eert#ing we said.

We can/t turn #im loose to tell eerbod w#at we/re all about. Hell' we #ae enoug#

trouble kee&ing t#ings 8uiet and we sure as #ell don/t need #im kid blabbing about it.G

FWe don/t #ae a &roblem'G said !c)a. FI/e known t#is bo a long time and

#e/s a good one. F

FW#at if #e talksG

FHe won/t talk if #e/s one of us. I sa let/s take #im wit# us on t#e #unt' s#ow #im

w#at we do' mabe gie #im a &art of t#e action. "t t#e er least' #e mig#t make a

decent cam& #and.G

FI/m for it'G said *anderson.

*c#war7 nodded agreement. Wit#in seconds of being caug#t stealing strawberries

and belieing I was going to be s#ot and killed' I became a member of a clandestine team

of treasure #unters. It was to c#ange m life foreer.

Two weeks later' I was sitting in t#e crowded front seat of *anderson/s &ick=u&

truck along wit# #im' *eitsinger' and *c#war7 w#ile !c)a was s&eaking wit# Hunter

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-anc# foreman Noel 2incaid b some cattle &ens. T#e tri& to t#e %uadalu&e !ountains

in Culberson Count #ad taken about t#ree #ours from t#e time t#e &icked me u& at m

#ouse. It was m first time to trael eastweard on Hig#wa D6=1 and I t#rilled at t#e

9ourne t#roug# t#e Hueco !ountains and across t#e grael desert and salt flats to t#e

foot#ills of t#is magnificent range.

"fter seeral minutes' !c)a returned to t#e truck' s8uee7ed in' and told us

2incaid said it was oka to cam& oer b !an7anita *&ring. FT#at/s about as close as

we/ll get t#e truck to t#e searc# location anwa'G said !c)a.

We set u& cam& ne5t to t#e &ool of fres# s&ring water. *anderson said we mig#t

be t#ere for four or fie das' de&ending on w#at we found' if ant#ing' and #ow long it

took to moe t#e gold from t#e cae to t#e truck. T#at eening' !c)a &re&ared dinner' a

delicious stew of beef' tomatoes' red c#iles' onions' celer' garlic' and green beans'

sered wit# warmed corn tortillas and coffee. "fter dinner w#ile t#e men si&&ed w#iske'

I cleaned t#e dis#es and &ut t#em awa.

T#e ne5t morning following a breakfast of scrambled eggs' sausage' flour

tortillas' a delicious c#eese t#e called asadero' and coffee' we #iked across t#e foot#ills

and negotiated some dee& arroos' finall arriing at Juni&er *&ring. T#ere' a trickle of

water s&illed from t#e brus#=c#oked o&ening. Twent ards down t#e s#allow arroo t#e

flow disa&&eared underground into t#e &ermeable rock and sand. -eferring often to t#e

ma&' *anderson &arceled out areas along t#e slo&e for eac# man to searc#. lattered to be

included' I alternatel felt im&ortant and nerous. I didn/t want to screw u&. I still wasn/t

coninced t#at *eitsinger would not kill me.

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We found do7ens of caesK some were onl large enoug# to allow entrance for a

&orcu&ine or badger. $t#ers' t#oug# narrow and low=ceilinged' could accommodate four

or fie men at a time. T#e dee&est we encountered e5tended about twent=fie feet into

t#e #uge' bare e5&anse of limestone. We #acked awa at t#e t#ick low brus# coering

some entrances' and rolled awa stones from ot#ers.

-attlesnakes taking s#ade 9ust inside t#e cooler confines of t#e caes were a

constant #a7ard. Bsing a stick' *anderson fli&&ed a rattler from t#e mout# of a cae and

across seeral ards of #illside. It missed me b onl a few inc#es' causing an adrenaline

rus# like I/d neer e5&erienced before' t#e first of man I would be e5&osed to. W#en t#e

snake landed near m feet' I studied it' fascinated. "lie wit# some new and strange

ataistic connection' I reac#ed to &ick it u& w#en I #eard a s#out from *c#war7. He found

t#e cae.

ifteen ards awa' bent oer and #ands on knees' *c#wart7 &eered into a small

o&ening. FI/e got somet#ing'G #e called out. FCome take a look at t#is.G

T#e rest of us were clustered around t#e low' dark entrance. We could barel

make out a rectangular s#a&e at t#e far end of t#e cae. *c#war7 dro&&ed to #is knees and

started to crawl inside w#en a s#ar& bu77ing caused #im to scam&er backwards out of t#e

cae. Just inside' a four=foot long diamondback la coiled' tongue darting in and out.

Bsing a lengt# of mes8uite branc# ling nearb' !c)a dragged t#e ser&ent out

into t#e sunlig#t and tossed it down t#e slo&e. He beat around t#e inside for a few

seconds wit# t#e branc# to make certain t#ere were no more snakes. He backed out and

told *c#war7' FLou found it. Lou go first.G

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*c#war7 crawled in' followed b *eitsinger' *anderson' t#en !c)a. Just before

#e entered' *imon turned to me and said' FLou sta out #ere.G

"t first I was #urt' disa&&ointed' but t#en reali7ed I was 9ust a kid and t#e #ad

t#eir reasons. rom inside t#e cae I could #ear murmured conersation and t#e dull

clank of #ea metal ob9ects. Ten minutes later' !c)a crawled out and took a seated

&osition at t#e entrance. He &ointed to a s&ot two feet awa and told me to stand t#ere.

+eaning back into t#e cae #e called' FI/m readG

*omeone inside #anded #im an ingot w#ic# #e' in turn' #anded to me wit#

instructions to start a &ile like I was stacking firewood. T#e dust coered bar was

sur&risingl #ea for being no bigger t#an it was. I stood transfi5ed b t#e dull ellow

color and t#e te5ture of t#e bar. It was t#e first time I #ad eer #eld and #efted suc# a

t#ing. "gain' I felt a rus#. I #ad onl seen gold on 9ewelr worn b &eo&le outside m

famil. "s I stared at t#e ingot' !c)a smiled and told me it was &robabl wort# oer

M1'.

"fter ten bars #ad been &assed out of t#e cae and stacked' t#e men crawled out.

*anderson' *eitsinger' *c#wart7' and !c)e stood outside t#e entrance brus#ing fine

dust and &ackrat nest debris from t#eir clot#es.

FNow comes t#e #ard &art'G said *anderson' Fand t#at/s carring t#ese #ea

bastards down to t#e truck. We s#ould #ae broug#t some &acks.G

4ac# man &icked u& two ingots and wit#out a word started down t#e rock slo&e

toward t#e cam&site. I tried to lift t#e last two but couldn/t manage. I onl weig#ed ninet

&ounds and toget#er t#e two bars were more t#an #alf m weig#t. I elled to *eitsinger

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t#at I couldn/t carr t#em bot#. Wit#out &ausing' #e said' FCarr one down' t#en come

back and get t#e ot#er.G !ortified' I &icked u& one of t#e ingots and followed.

(uring t#e ne5t two das' all of t#e bars were remoed from t#e cae and carried

to cam&. ift of t#em were loaded into t#e back of t#e &ick=u& and coered wit# a tar&.

T#e back end of t#e truck sagged and I t#oug#t t#e tires would burst. T#e rest were

carried to t#e middle of an abandoned orc#ard about a #undred ards awa and buried. I

oer#eard *eitsinger tell *c#war7 t#at w#en t#e ingots in t#e truck #ad been sold' t#e

would return and load u& t#e rest.

We returned to 4l ,aso about an #our before sundown and I was dro&&ed off in

front of m #ouse wit# a caution: Neer tell anone about t#e gold. If I did' *eitsinger

said #e would deal wit# me &ersonall. !c)a e5&lained t#at a closed mout# is t#e first

re8uirement of a &rofessional treasure #unter.

T#at nig#t' I fell aslee& wit# dreams of gold' wealt#' and adenture. I continue to

#ae t#em to t#is da.

,ostscri&t: I was neer &aid ant#ing for m role in retrieing t#e fift gold ingots from

t#e cae and sering as a cam& #and. I mentioned t#is to !c)a a few ears afterward

and #e laug#ed' saing t#at *eitsinger belieed it was &ament enoug# t#at #e did not kill

me for stealing #is strawberries.

I was neer bot#ered t#at I didn/t get a cut of w#at #ad been reali7ed from t#e sale

of t#e gold. I #ad grown u& in a #ouse#old wit# little mone and #ad no e5&erience wit#

it. I #ad become wealt#' #oweer' as a result of t#e e5&erience wit# t#e four treasure

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#unters. It ins&ired and affected me in a number of was t#at determined t#e course of m

life.

I isited *imon !c)a a s#ort w#ile before #e died and we talked about t#at time

I accom&anied #e and #is t#ree friends to t#e %uadalu&e !ountains some twent ears

earlier. He asked me if I was still u&set about not being gien a s#are of t#e treasure we

#auled out of t#e cae. I told #im I wasn/t. He t#en asked me if I would like to be. W#en

I asked #im w#at #e meant' #e &roided a fascinating &iece of information.

Taking a si& of bourbon' *imon asked me if I remembered t#e fift ingots we #ad

carried to t#e old abandoned orc#ard and buried wit# t#e intent of retrieing at some later

date. I said I did.

Wit# a wink and a smile' #e said' FT#e are still t#ere.G

Surprise is the lu'rication of ad"enture.

(od Steiger

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Ingots of %old' T#reats of (eat#

(uring t#e 1?Ds' I was lied in Lsleta' Te5as' t#e oldest settlement in t#e +one

*tar *tate. I #ad a wife w#o taug#t &ublic sc#ool and I worked at a ariet of 9obs to earn

some mone w#ile I was taking classes at Te5as Western College' now t#e Bniersit of

Te5as at 4l ,aso. I #ad ac8uired a growing regional re&utation as a oung but com&etent

treasure #unter among m &eers as a result of some minor successes. I was known as a

#ard worker' dedicated to t#e researc# necessar for discoer and recoer' and an

efficient and effectie leader of e5&editions. I was &roud of t#e recognition as it came

from long=time fortune #unters I res&ected and admired. -e&utations suc# as t#ese

circulate among a small circle of like men and are rarel #eard of outside of t#e esoteric'

somew#at secretie' and often dangerous world related to t#e searc# for lost mines and

buried treasures.

I also earned a bit of a re&utation among t#e general news&a&er=reading &ublic as

t#e result of an oereager re&orter w#o got wind of one of m adentures and wrote about

it in an article t#at was sndicated in do7ens of &a&ers around t#e countr. His

e5aggerations and misre&resentations made me a&&ear far more successful t#an I was'

mistakenl &ortraing me as e8ual &arts *ir 4dmund Hillar' Jungle Jim' Trader Horn'

and ,erc awcett. It was a re&utation I did not want and it caused me no end of trouble'

not t#e least of w#ic# was &eo&le calling from around t#e countr wanting to &artici&ate

in one of m e5&editions or offer insig#t into some lost treasure or anot#er. Ninet=nine

&ercent of t#e callers #ad little idea of w#at was inoled in a #unt for lost treasure.

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T#at remaining one &ercent' #oweer' sometimes &roided information or

o&&ortunit t#at led to somet#ing interesting' adenturous' and occasionall lucratie.

T#at is #ow I came to meet a woman named $a Noss. T#e association wit# Noss #ad

t#e &otential of leading to t#e recoer of w#at man belieed to be one of t#e largest

lost treasure cac#es in t#e Bnited *tates' if not t#e world. It also nearl got me killed.

!rs. Noss oned long distance from Trut# or Conse8uences' New !e5ico' and

said s#e belieed s#e could use m #el&. *#e &roided a brief back stor of t#e discoer

of a multi=million dollar treasure cac#e b #er late #usband' !ilton F(ocG Noss. or

fort=fie minutes s#e &roided t#e details of t#e tale' t#e estimated si7e of t#e treasure'

and #er difficulties in recoering it. Her stor sounded far=fetc#ed' like somet#ing a

Hollwood screen writer mig#t come u& wit#' and I told #er so. *#e berated me and

informed me I would do well to listen to #er. T#en s#e inited me to come to #er #ouse.

T#ere' s#e told me' s#e would &roe eert#ing s#e said and more. Intrigued' and in

between e5&editions' I decided to trael to Trut# or Conse8uences' some 16 miles to t#e

nort#west' and meet wit# !rs. Noss.

W#en I arried' !rs. Noss' a brus8ue' e5citable' and often angr woman' told me

to call #er $a and lost no time in &roiding details of t#e stor of a great treasure #oard

#idden dee& in a low' remote &eak located about fort miles to t#e sout#east of Trut# or

conse8uences in t#e *an "ndres !ountains. Her late #usband #ad been' among ot#er

t#ings' a mail order=certified foot doctor t#oug# #e #ad few &atients. Noss' $a' and four

com&anions were deer #unting in t#e Hembrillo ;asin in t#e *an "ndres !ountains one

da w#en (oc scaled )ictorio ,eak and found an o&ening into t#e mountain. He climbed

down' using a tree trunk wit# notc#ed foot#olds called a c#icken ladder b t#e Indians.

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He entered a caern large enoug#' #e claimed' to #ouse a locomotie and seeral bo5cars'

and found it filled wit# treasure: %old ingots' golden c#urc# artifacts suc# as c#alices and

crosses' c#ests filled wit# 9ewels' *&anis# armor' and more. He also found twent=seen

skeletons' seeral of t#em still tied to stakes drien into t#e ground. (uring successie

mont#s' Noss remoed around two #undred of t#e gold ingots as well as numerous

artifacts from t#e cae. In order to facilitate t#e recoer of t#e treasure' #e attem&ted to

widen t#e entrance using dnamite' but succeeded onl in clogging t#e s#aft wit# debris.

"s a result' #e could no longer enter t#e cae.

Lears earlier' I #ad #eard sni&&ets and rumors &ertinent to t#is stor' but wasn/t

willing to beliee most of it. I found it interesting and &roocatie' but I needed more

t#an 9ust someone/s ersion of a tale to get me inoled. W#en I confessed m

reserations and doubts to !rs. Noss' s#e a&&eared insulted t#at I would een 8uestion

#er' but walked into an ad9acent room and broug#t out eidence: ie crudel smelted

gold ingots weig#ing about twent=fie &ounds a&iece' a c#alice made from &ure gold

and similar to t#ose in w#ic# communion wine is sered' a *&anis# sword wit# a 9eweled

#andle' seeral gold coins bearing t#e date 1' a gold ring mounted wit# w#at a&&eared

to be an emerald' and a tiara festooned wit# 9ewels I took to be o&als' garnets' and

emeralds. "mong t#ese treasures was a #uman skull. "ll of t#ese items' said $a Noss'

came from inside t#e cae. *#e said #er #usband #ad buried man of t#e two #undred

gold ingots #e #ad taken from t#e cae in secret locations in and near Hembrillo ;asin

and sold seeral ot#ers on t#e black market. *#e estimated t#at #undreds' if not

t#ousands' of gold ingots remained in t#e cae' along wit# t#e c#ests of 9ewels and more.

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I was becoming a belieer. I asked $a w#at s#e e5&ected of me. *#e told me s#e

#ad learned t#at t#e B.*. "rm was attem&ting to dig into t#e mountain and remoe t#e

treasure s#e belieed was rig#tfull #ers. *#e s#owed me an e5tant mining claim wit# #er

name on it. $a wanted me to enter t#e W#ite *ands !issile -ange b nig#t' &roceed to

)ictorio ,eak' assess t#e &rogress made b t#e militar' and re&ort &ack to #er. If time

and o&&ortunit was aailable' s#e re8uested I e5amine t#e entrance near t#e to& of t#e

mountain to see if it was still clogged and to searc# t#e base of t#e &eak for a &ossible

second entrance w#ic# #ad been suggested b (oc Noss. $a informed me I was to be

&art of a grou& of four men.

(uring t#e ne5t #our as we isited' t#e t#ree ot#er &artici&ants in t#e sc#eme

arried and introductions were made all around. I knew one of t#em b re&utation @ an

older man named ;lake' about t#irt=eig#t' and a &rofessional treasure #unter w#o

claimed some modest successes. T#e ot#er two' %arris# and !ende7' were onl slig#tl

older t#an I' boasted a few treasure e5&edition e5&eriences and came recommended b

;lake. "ll were &ersonable' and t#oug# I did not care to enter into an e5&edition wit#

men I was not familiar wit#' I #ad a good feeling about t#ese t#ree. We agreed to make

t#e attem&t toget#er and &romised to meet at $a/s residence at : &.m. on t#e first

rida of $ctober before leaing for )ictorio ,eak. We were to receie a &ercentage of

ant#ing we found during t#is tri& or an subse8uent ones' if suc# were to #a&&en.

We left $a/s residence around midnig#t of t#e designated da and traeled in

;lake/s 9ee& along an unmaintained ranc# road across seeral miles of was#board

calic#e. T#e road cut t#roug# rolling &arc#ed desert' and we finall arried at a &oint

along a four=strand barbed wire fence w#ic# se&arated t#e ranc# from W#ite *ands

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!issile -ange on t#e ot#er side. In t#e moonlig#t we could see t#e *an "ndres

!ountains looming nort#east of our &osition.

;lake &arked t#e 9ee& ne5t to a cluster of creosote bus#es. We climbed oer t#e

fence and' after consulting a to&ograic ma&' started toward t#e &eak. ,icking our wa

across t#e landsca&e was made easier b t#e illumination of a nearl full moon. Hours

later' as we neared t#e &eak' t#e cre&uscular lig#t of a cool dawn enfolded us and we

&roceeded confidentl for seeral #undred ards. T#e' suddenl' we #eard t#e distant

w#ine of e#icles a&&roac#ing from t#e o&&osite side. rom t#at &oint on' we took care

to trael wit# caution' moing from brus# to brus#' tree to tree' and tring to sta out of

sig#t of w#oeer was alread at t#e low mountain.

"s we gained t#e sout#western side of )ictorio ,eak' we saw eidence of blasting

and bulldo7ing: Here' great c#unks of t#e side of t#e mountain #ad been remoed'

obiousl an attem&t to reac# t#e caern wit#in. Nearb were &arked seeral eart#=

moing mac#ines and ot#er #ea e8ui&ment' all bearing B.*. "rm identification.

ormall or informall' t#e militar was tring to get at t#e Noss treasure.

"fter #earing t#e sound of t#e e#icles earlier' we #eard not#ing more and grew

concerned as to t#e w#ereabouts of unknown ot#ers. We &resumed t#e knew not#ing of

our &resence' so we cre&t around t#e base of t#e &eak in #o&e of s&otting anone before

t#e s&otted us. W#en we reac#ed a &oint t#at &resented a relatiel eas climb to t#e

to&' we decided to go u& and look for t#e entrance to t#e s#aft $a #ad described.

Wit#out s&eaking' we made our wa u& t#e slo&e until we reac#ed t#e o&ening. It was

eas to see since t#ere were 9ack#ammers and ot#er e5caation e8ui&ment ling about. It

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was obious t#at an attem&t at reo&ening t#e entrance #ad taken &lace #ere' but t#ere

were still tons of debris filling t#e narrow s#aft' making entr from t#at &oint im&ossible.

We crawled back down' determined to searc# for t#e secondar entrance alluded

to b $a. "s we &roceeded wit# care' eer alert to t#e &otential of ot#ers nearb' ;lake

found an arrow#ead. ifteen minutes of searc#ing t#e ground ielded four more. "bout

an #our later as we rounded t#e nort#western flank of t#e &eak' we #eard oices. inding

a secluded &lace be#ind a cluster of rocks' we dro&&ed down and watc#ed as seeral

uniformed enlisted men at a time entered a low' narrow s#aft' eac# returning a few

minutes later carring two ingots. T#e ingots' w#ic# a&&eared to be gold' were &laced

onto a flat bed truck &arked nearb. "s far as we could tell' t#ere were twele enlisted

men w#o were being directed b four men in officers/ garb. T#ree of t#e officers wore t#e

k#aki uniforms of t#e B.*. "rm w#ile t#e fourt# was in "ir orce blue. (uring t#e time

we watc#ed from #iding' an im&ressie fortune &assed out of t#e s#aft and onto t#e truck.

We counted two #undred and twent gold ingots' eac# weig#ing' we estimated' between

twent=fie and t#irt &ounds a &iece.

(istracted b watc#ing millions of dollars wort# of w#at we were certain was a

&ortion of t#e *&anis# gold described b $a' we were unaware of t#e a&&roac# of ot#ers

until it was too late. *tartled b a loud command coming from a few feet be#ind us' we

9um&ed in res&onse to a s#ar& oice ordering us to raise our #ands and stand u&. Two

soldiers' eac# wearing combat fatigues and &ointing automatic wea&ons. instructed us to

ste& awa from t#e rocks. In seconds t#e were 9oined b four ot#ers e8uall armed.

;lake' %arris#' !ende7' and I were &us#ed around' &rodded wit# t#e ti&s of gun

barrels' and t#rown to t#e ground and ordered to lie on our bellies. We were #andcuffed'

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searc#ed' sla&&ed' and kicked. $ne soldier took a c#ea& .66 caliber &istol from me and a .


29/254

"not#er officer ste&&ed forward and asked us #ow long we #ad been #iding

be#ind t#e rock and w#at did we s&ecificall see. Wit# m mind still working in

oerdrie' along wit# a sense of surial kicking in' I answered t#at we #ad onl been

t#ere a few seconds' 9ust long enoug# to see t#e soldiers carring lead bars out of a mine

s#aft. Continuing to &la dumb' I told #im we weren/t aware t#at t#e militar was using

t#is old s#aft to store lead. I asked if it was going to be used to make bullets.

T#e officers looked at one anot#er' alternatel seeming ama7ed we were so stu&id

and isibl relieed t#at' to t#em' we were not cogni7ant of t#e treasure being remoed.

T#e four officers asked us more 8uestions' to w#ic# we res&onded wit# answers designed

to alidate our ignorance. inall' one of t#em wrote down our names and addresses in a

&alm=si7e notebook' told us we would #ae to leae' and ordered us into two awaiting

9ee&s to be trans&orted back to w#ere we were &arked. He warned us neer to reeal w#at

we #ad seen.

FIf ou do'G #e said' F ou will found and e5ecuted.G Wit# t#is' #e #eld u& t#e

notebook containing our names and addresses and waed it in front of us. *ince we #ad

no o&tions' we agreed.

We were turned oer to t#e enlisted men wit# t#e automatic wea&ons' s#oed

roug#l toward t#e 9ee&s' and ordered into t#e back seats. I rode wit# !ende7 w#o

w#is&ered #is concern t#at t#e soldiers were going to drie us out into t#e desert and kill

us. I #ad felt good about our c#ances of getting out of t#ere un#armed until t#at moment.

T#e soldier in t#e front &assenger seat was turned' facing us' t#e barrel of #is wea&on

&ointed directl at !ende7/ stomac#. T#e ot#er 9ee& was a#ead of us and we could see

;lake &roiding directions to t#e fence crossing to t#e drier. Just as I was deciding on

6?


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t#e best wa to take our guard out and #o&e !ende7 could #andle t#e drier' we arried

w#ere ;lake/s 9ee& was &arked.

4arl in t#e eening' we were back at $a/s #ouse giing #er a full re&ort of w#at

we #ad seen at t#e &eak and t#e eents of t#e da. I &roided #er wit# t#e names and

ranks of t#e officers w#o #ad confronted us. 4nraged' $a &aced t#e liing room cursing

t#e militar' t#e goernment' and anbod else s#e could t#ink of. Neer before or since

#ae I eer #eard anone string toget#er a series of curses and blaseemies as foul' or as

im&ressie' as #ers.

It was &ast sundown w#en ;lake' %arris#' !ende7' and I left $a/s residence'

said our goodbes' and #eaded for our res&ectie #omes. I ran into ;lake about fie ears

later and isited wit# #im about arious e5&editions. I neer encountered %arris# or

!ende7 again.

Wit#in das of our last isit' $a Noss contacted #er attornes w#o' in turn'

contacted goernment officials about t#e illegal e5caation at )ictorio ,eak. -e&eatedl'

officials at W#ite *ands !issile -ange denied t#ere was an actiit at t#e &eak and t#at

t#e Noss claim was being #onored. We later learned t#ere was a distinct &ossibilit t#at

t#e officers and enlisted men we saw remoing t#e treasure were inoled in an o&eration

inde&endent of goernment knowledge or blessing.

" s#ort time later' t#e news&a&ers &icked u& t#e stor of t#e treasure and t#e t#eft

of t#e gold ingots b t#e soldiers. It was s&las#ed around t#e countr and mentioned t#e

names of two of t#e officers. ;ecause t#e w#eels of goernment' es&eciall t#e militar'

as well as t#e workings of w#at &asses for 9ustice' grind slowl' mont#s went b wit#

not#ing accom&lis#ed sae for delas. Lears &assed and it seemed as t#oug# Noss/ claim


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to t#e fortune was going to be ignored foreer. In t#e meantime' eac# of t#e four officers

we identified retired from militar serice' wit# t#ree of t#em leaing t#e countr. ,riate

inestigators #ired b Noss learned t#at eac# of t#e officers #ad become wealt# far

beond w#at militar serice would #ae &roided. T#e source of t#eir wealt# was neer

e5&lained.

T#e retired officer w#o continued to lie in t#e Bnited *tates was summoned to

a&&ear before seeral inestigatie boards but was neer c#arged wit# iolating Noss/

claim. $nce' w#en I was called to testif at a #earing in "lbu8uer8ue' #e and I came face

to face outside t#e courtroom. We recogni7ed eac# ot#er immediatel. He a&&roac#ed and

s&oke low enoug# so t#at onl I could #ear. "ngril' #e told me #e intended to #ae me

killed for m inolement in e5&osing #is treasure recoer o&eration.

I neer took t#e deat# t#reat seriousl until four mont#s later. *ome court initiated

a new series of #earings in an attem&t to determine t#e legal owners of t#e mining claim

at )ictorio ,eak and ascertain w#et#er or not an iolation of e5isting claims or laws #ad

occurred. I was again ordered to &roide a statement of w#at I witnessed at )ictorio ,eak.

I #ad two weeks to mself before t#e sc#eduled a&&earance' and I took t#e

o&&ortunit to trael to m fat#er/s ranc# in Columbus' New !e5ico. I &acked a few

t#ings into m car' locked u& t#e #ouse' and left on t#e one #undred and fift mile tri&.

"s I &ulled out of t#e long grael driewa from m #ouse to t#e #ig#wa' I noticed a

late=model blue Cadillac &arked across t#e macadam and about t#irt ards to t#e east. I

could make out t#e form of a drier slouc#ed down in t#e seat but was unable to note an

details in t#e dark interior of t#e car. T#inking little of it' I &roceeded toward Columbus.


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"fter leaing +as Cruces and #eading west toward (eming w#ere I would turn

sout# to get to t#e ranc#' I glanced u& into t#e rear=iew mirror and saw a blue Cadillac

about fort ards be#ind me. I #ad no wa of knowing w#et#er or not it was t#e same car

I saw on leaing m &lace' but a silent alarm went off in m brain. I didn/t beliee in

coincidence.

I turned off t#e #ig#wa in (eming and sto&&ed at a conenience store. I went in'

and from m &osition ne5t to a maga7ine rack sureed t#e outside. T#e Cadillac #ad

&ulled to a sto& on t#e o&&osite side of t#e road about one #undred feet awa. T#e drier

was eeing t#e building.

I e5ited t#e store' climbed into m car' and &ulled awa wit#out #aste' &roiding

t#e drier of t#e Cadillac no o&&ortunit to sus&ect I #ad s&otted #im. "fter making m

wa t#roug# (eming' I struck t#e &aed #ig#wa t#at #eaded sout# to Columbus' about

t#irt=two miles awa. I #ad coered onl fie miles w#en I looked u& and s&otted t#e

Cadillac once again' still maintaining a fort ard distance be#ind me. Twent miles later

w#en I turned off onto t#e dirt road t#at led to t#e ranc# #ouse' t#e Cadillac continued on

into town. I decided I needed to remain alert wit# regard to t#e msterious car and drier.

T#e ne5t morning around 1:


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drier saw me looking #is wa' s&ed u&' and continued to trael toward t#e west until out

of sig#t.

T#e following da during anot#er tri& to t#e #ardware store' I was driing b t#e

old abandoned cotton gin on Hig#wa 11 w#en I #eard t#ree rifle s#ots fired in ra&id

succession accom&anied b a t#unking sound on t#e truck. I stom&ed t#e gas &edal.

,arked in front of t#e store' I e5amined t#e truck' and found a bullet #ole in t#e drier/s

side wall of t#e bed and an e5it #ole in t#e ot#er. T#e &erson wit# t#e rifle was eit#er a

bad s#ot or was sending a warning. I could onl beliee it #ad somet#ing to do wit# m

testimon' &reious and fort#coming' regarding t#e )ictorio ,eak incident.

"fter t#at I saw no sign of t#e Cadillac. I did #ear rifle s#ots again on a

subse8uent tri& to town but t#e truck was not #it. W#en I arried back in Lsleta seeral

das later' a front window of m #ouse s&orted a bullet #ole. $er t#e ne5t four das I

receied anonmous deat# t#reats b one' a muffled oice tring #ard to sound sinister.

I got an unlisted number.

I testified for nearl one=#alf #our at t#e "lbu8uer8ue #earing. T#e officer w#o

#ad t#reatened me glared t#e entire time. $nce w#en I looked oer at #im' #e raised #is

rig#t #and an inc# or two aboe t#e table' &ointed #is inde5 finger at me' cocked #is

t#umb' and fired an imaginar round into m #ead. I smiled back.

"fter t#e #earing' #e' along wit# #is lawer' a&&roac#ed me on t#e front ste&s of

t#e federal building. (eciding t#e best defense was a good offense' I walked toward #im.

He was about to sa somet#ing w#en I ste&&ed u& to wit#in a foot of #im and said' FIf

ou tr coming after me again I will bring ou &ain like ou/e neer e5&erienced before.


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I will s#ow ou no merc.G He was about to sa somet#ing w#en #is lawer &ulled #im

awa.

In t#e mont#s following' I often s&otted unfamiliar e#icles I t#oug#t mig#t be

following me' but it alwas turned out to be not#ing but m imagination. Time &assed'

and I learned t#e officer died of cancer.

$a Noss #as been dead now for man ears' but #er descendants continue to tr

to regain t#e rig#t to enter t#e caern inside )ictorio ,eak. T#e #ae #ad no success.

*ome are coninced t#at members of t#e militar remoed t#e treasure and not#ing

remains inside t#e great c#amber. I know for certain t#at t#e militar' wit# or wit#out

formal sanction' remoed some of it. *ubse8uent researc# suggests t#at t#e gold ingots I

watc#ed being carried from t#e s#aft were stored along one wall and did not come from

inside t#e large c#amber. I am coninced t#ere was no access to t#e c#amber from t#at

&articular s#aft' or if t#ere was' it was sealed off eit#er b man or b natural causes suc#

as a colla&se.

W#ile t#ere is a &ossibilit t#at some of t#e treasure from t#e c#amber was

remoed b someone ot#er t#an (oc Noss' I am inclined to beliee t#at muc# of it' if not

most' still lies wit#in.

,eo&le #ae asked me w#at kee&s me from going after t#e treasure. T#e answer is

sim&le: T#e B.*. %oernment. T#e continue to maintain tig#t control oer t#e region'

including regular &atrols around and t#roug# Hembrillo ;asin. I #ae a&&roac#ed W#ite

*ands !issile -ange &ublic relations &ersonnel on seeral occasions and t#e are 8uick

to &oint out t#e are not &ermitted to discuss t#e matter of searc#ing for treasure at

)ictorio ,eak. I am gien ten minutes of t#eir time before t#e order me from t#e range.


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(uring t#e 1?s' W#ite *ands !issile -ange officials allowed a researc# crew

into Hembrillo ;asin. " #ig# tec#nological imaging &rogram reealed t#at a #uge caern

does indeed e5ist dee& inside )ictorio ,eak' 9ust like (oc Noss said. It also reealed at

least two tunnels leading to t#e c#amber from outside t#e &eak' but t#e were bot#

clogged wit# rock and debris.

W#ateer treasure remains inside )ictorio ,eak caern a&&ears to be secure for

time being.


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There are man# shades in the danger of ad"enture.

Jose Conrad

*tra& *iler

T#e mont# of !arc# is wind in t#e nort#ern &art of t#e !e5ican state of

C#i#ua#ua' but t#e one of 1?DD was t#e worst I/d seen in seeral ears of e5&loring and

working in t#at countr. T#e blowing' gusting' warm air irritated and itc#ed' making all

of us wis# we were somew#ere else. Instead' we were outdoors in t#e ast ranc# em&ire

of t#e ,alomas +and and Cattle Com&an digging &ost#oles' stringing barbed wire fence'

rounding u& stra cattle' and kee&ing an ee out for !e5ican lobos' mountain lions' and

s8uatters t#at #ad been killing cales.

I was working wit# a crew of fie men' all !e5ican sae for me' and we were

cam&ed in a rugged and remote foot#ills section of t#e ranc# for das' sometimes weeks'

at a time and miles from #ead8uarters. We dined on canned goods' dried meat and fruit'

flour' corn meal' coffee' sugar' and ot#er sta&les carried wit# us on t#e backs of two

mountain=bred mules. $ccasionall' one of us would bring down a deer or bag some

8uail' doe' turke' or 9aelena. 45ce&t for t#e constant wind and t#e annoance of

irritable rattlesnakes emerging from t#eir winter #ibernation' t#e work was alternatel

inigorating' tiring' and satisfing. T#e one #undred dollars &er mont# wages &lus feed


37/254

and found was low but about w#at we e5&ected. +ife was sim&le' &leasant' and seldom

dull.

$ne eening' we sat around t#e cam&fire resting from a full da of fencing and

cutting cedar &osts. We si&&ed dark' ric# !e5ican coffee #eail laced wit# sugar and

goat milk as we digested our meal of enison and canned &eac#es. ,riciliano *amaniego

#ad risen to &re&are a second &ot of coffee w#en #e s&otted a rider a&&roac#ing t#e cam&.

T#e stranger called out w#ile #e was still about fift ards awa. T#e foreman' +uciano

;aca' rose' &eered into t#e darkness beond' t#en issued an initation to t#e newcomer to

ride on in. " man astride a roan mare and leading a &ack mule #alted seeral feet awa'

tied off #is animals to a low bus#' and 9oined us at t#e fire.

*wee&ing #is large felt sombrero from #is #ead and e5ecuting a slig#t' mannerl

bow' #e introduced #imself as %ilberto -ees @ #unter' tra&&er' and sometime trader of

&recious stones #e dug out of t#e mountains. -ees was directed toward w#at remained

of our dinner and inited to fill a &late. He #el&ed #imself to enison and &eac#es w#ile

;aca &oured fres# coffee into a s&are cu&. *miling in gratitude' -ees seated #imself b

t#e cam&fire and ate.

(uring t#e course of t#e eening we learned t#at -ees often traeled along t#e

foot#ills of t#e *ierra !adres from near Ciudad C#i#ua#ua nort#ward to t#e B.*. border

and back. "long t#e wa' #e dug into rock outcro&s for agate and tur8uoise and searc#ed

for o&als' all of w#ic# #e sold to a brot#er w#o lied in 4l ,aso. T#e brot#er' in turn'

marketed t#e stones to la&idarists w#o cut and &olis#ed t#em and affi5ed t#em to bolo

ties' bracelets' earrings' and watc#bands. -ees also &eddled t#e tanned #ides of fo5'

coote' wolf' mountain lion' 9aguar' ocelot' and sometimes black bear. Now and t#en #e


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killed rattlesnakes' skinned t#em' and used t#eir &atterned #ides to fas#ion uni8ue belts.

In addition' -ees found buers for ornamental feat#ers taken from birds w#ic# lied in

t#e dee&' erdant canons of t#e *ierra !adres. (uring #is foras into t#e mountains and

#is 9ournes to t#e border' -ees ke&t #imself fed b s#ooting game and bartering for

corn' beans' s8uas#' and &eac#es wit# residents of small &ueblos #e encountered along

t#e wa.

"s t#e cam&fire conersation &rogressed' fencer "ntonio !ata &oured -ees

anot#er cu& of coffee and offered #im more carne de "enadoand a cou&le of tortillas de

mai).-ees gae #is t#anks and offered to trade a coote &elt for t#e meal' a gesture

&olitel refused b foreman ;aca.

-ees looked to be about fift ears of age and in fine sical condition from #is

life in t#e outdoors. His face' dee&l c#iseled wit# lines caused b sun' wind' and

smiling' was #andsome and s8uaris#' looking somew#at Indian. His broad s#oulders

ta&ered to a narrow waist belted b a #andmade leat#er girt# w#ic# #eld u& t#e bagg

cotton &ants faored b campesinos.

ollowing some e5c#anges of news and gossi& and more coffee' m com&anions

s&oke of t#e coming da and t#e work it would bring' t#en crawled into t#eir bedrolls and

fell aslee&. -ees and I were left seated b t#e glowing embers of t#e ding fire.

"s we conersed' -ees walked oer to #is #orse and mule' remoed t#e saddles

and bridles' #obbled t#em' and turned t#em loose to gra7e on t#e swat# of nearb grass.

rom one of t#e &acks #e wit#drew a bullet mold' a long stri& of soft metal' and two or

t#ree small im&lements. -eseating #imself ne5t to me' #e stoked t#e fire and added two


39/254

forearm=si7ed mes8uite logs. "s t#e bla7e grew' #e took #is skinning knife and began

s#aing &ieces of t#e soft metal from t#e t#in stra& into a small cast=iron skillet.

*ensing m curiosit' #e looked u& and said' F*lomo, por las 'alas.G +ead' for

bullets.

W#en t#e metal #ad melted' #e carefull &oured it into a set of molds' making two

do7en


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-ees &aused a moment to regard #is bullet=making &rogress' t#en continued.

FT#e Indians' it is said' soon tired of t#e enslaement and reolted' killing or driing out

t#e catolicosand abandoning t#e mine. *ince t#at time' all of t#e lead t#at #ad been

molded into bars suc# as t#is one #as lain stacked inside t#e mine. T#ere are #undreds of

t#em.G

"s -ees s&oke' I sliced off a s#aing of t#e soft metal wit# m &ocket knife and

e5amined it closel in t#e lig#t of t#e fire. T#e metal was so soft t#at t#e t#in slier could

be rolled into a ball wit# small effort.

FIs it #ard to get to t#is mine I asked.

FNot at all. I isit seeral times a ear. W# do ou wis# to know (o ou need

some lead for our own bullets T#ere is &lent.G

FT#is is not lead'G I told #im. FT#is is almost &ure siler.G

-ees and I isited well into t#e ne5t morning. We talked about t#e &ossibilit of

t#e two of us traeling to t#e old mine s#aft and retrieing a 8uantit of t#e siler bars.

4lated at t#e &ros&ect of becoming wealt#' #e agreed to rende7ous wit# me at t#e same

s&ot in two weeks on #is return tri& from t#e border. rom t#ere' we agreed' we would

trael to t#e abandoned mine' assess t#e ric#ness of t#e stacked siler stra&s wit#in' and

t#en make &lans to retriee it and sell it.

Two weeks later to t#e da' -ees rode in from t#e nort# u& to t#e same stone ring

t#at #eld t#e comforting fire during #is earlier isit' #is &ack mule trailing along be#ind

#im. I was on a borrowed #orse' one loaned to me b t#e #ead wrangler' +alo %utierre7'

wit# blessings from Tom Cru7' t#e ranc# manager. In t#e saddlebags were tortillas de

>


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mai)made fres# t#at morning' a sack of dried &into beans' and some 9erked beef and

enison. ! bedroll and a lig#t denim 9acket were tied be#ind t#e saddle.

*ince most of t#e new fence construction and t#e old fence re&airs were

com&leted' Cru7 was cutting back on #ands for a few weeks' so it #ad been eas to deal

for some time off to ride sout# wit# -ees.

-ees and I e5c#anged greetings and small talk w#ile #is animals rested and

gra7ed on t#e nearb grass. W#en t#e #ad t#eir fill' we mounted u& and rode sout#' t#e

animals following a well=traeled trail into t#e folded and canoned foot#ills of t#e *ierra

!adres.

or ten das we rode' skirting t#e ma7e of canons and ridges of t#e range w#ic#

la to t#e west. $nce' during a still' warm morning' a large rattlesnake struck wildl at

t#e rig#t foreleg of -ees/ roan from t#e side of t#e trail' missing b a #alf=inc#. T#e

snake gae onl a second/s warning' and it took seeral minutes for -ees to calm t#e

#orse.

F+as "i'orasare crank and dangerous from t#eir long winter slee&'G #e said.

FT#ere will be more of t#em and we must be careful.G

We continued on' watc#ing more intentl for snakes t#an before. 4arl on t#e

morning of t#e fourt# da' we left t#e main trail and rode along a muc# less traeled'

narrower &at# t#at led into t#e dark' s#adow foot#ills. T#e das #ad been warm and t#e

nig#ts cool. "t nig#t t#e cam&fire was welcome after wear #ours of riding. In t#e

distance' woles #owled and t#e large cats screamed as we soug#t slee&' edging closer to

t#e bla7e.

>1


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+ate on t#e afternoon of t#e tent# da' -ees guided us into t#e mout# of a wide

canon wit# #ig# ertical walls of igneous rock' t#e crstals in t#e granite matri5

s&arkling in t#e lig#t of t#e descending sun. " narrow slow=flowing stream of clear' cool

water wound its wa in la7 meanders along t#e floor. "t one &oint we sto&&ed to drink

and water t#e #orses and counted twele large rattlesnakes lurking in t#e low growing

greener along t#e bank. T#e snakes were languid in t#e cool of t#e canon and &osed

little t#reat. rom t#e great maw of t#e largest of las "i'orase5tended t#e long legs of a

#alf=swallowed bullfrog' t#e amibian being slowl &eristalted into t#e snake/s digestie

sstem' its legs moing feebl.

W#en we finis#ed watering t#e animals' we continued winding our wa u& t#e

seldom=used trail w#ic# wound around t#e &ine trees and willows s&aced along t#e alle

floor. "not#er #our of riding broug#t us to a widening of t#e canon. Here' t#e walls

graded from t#e earlier erticalit to a gradual slo&e. "long t#e nort# wall I s&otted t#e

tailings from ancient mines' small s#aft o&enings &erc#ed 9ust aboe t#em looming dark

and forbidding.

-ees led t#e wa to a flat' grass sward and said' FHere is w#ere we cam&

tonig#t.G

It was a good &lace @ &lent of dead limbs for firewood and am&le water and

forage for t#e ca'allos. "s -ees #obbled t#e animals I gat#ered seeral armloads of dr

wood.

F*undown in t#is canon will not be long in coming'G said -ees. FWe rest

tonig#t. In t#e morning we will climb to t#e s#aft and I will s#ow ou t#e stra&s.G

>6


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"fter a meal of beans' 9erk' and tortillas' we si&&ed coffee and watc#ed s#ooting

stars streak across t#e nig#t sk isible between t#e ridges. Tired' we climbed into our

bedrolls for a good nig#t/s slee&' #o&ing t#e rattlesnakes would not 9oin us.

In t#e middle of t#e nig#t' t#e screams of a mountain lion woke us. T#e cat was

not far awa' onl a few #undred ards fart#er u& in t#e canon. T#e #orses and mule

stom&ed and snorted' nerousl flicking t#eir tails' and -ees s&ent an #our calming

t#em.

; t#e time it was lig#t enoug# to see in t#e morning' -ees and I were alread

drinking coffee and tending to t#e stock. "n5ious to #ae a look at t#e old mine' we

decided to ski& breakfast. Carring onl a canteen a&iece' we climbed a stee& slo&e of

talus' t#e &roduct of millions of ears of weat#ering from t#e granite walls. $nce aboe

t#e talus and onto t#e bedrock of t#e mountain' our boots crunc#ed into t#e more recent

scree' t#e tailings from t#e old mine t#at #ad been dum&ed down t#e slo&e generations

ago.

"t t#e to& of t#e loose rubble' we &aused for seeral minutes to catc# our breat#.

-ees &ointed to t#e o&ening' a low' dark mout# in t#e side of t#e mountain. T#e lig#t

from t#e outside &enetrated onl a few feet into t#e o&ening.

FWe/ll need torc#es'G I said to -ees.

FT#e will not be necessar'G #e re&lied. T#en' #e turned and entered.

T#e o&ening was low' onl about four feet #ig#' and 9ust wide enoug# for one

man to &ass t#roug# at a time. -ees' no more t#an A/G tall' bent low and entered. "t D/

1G' I was forced to crawl t#roug# t#e o&ening and &roceed eit#er stoo&ed oer or on m

#ands and knees.

>


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"fter twent feet' t#e s#aft was barel large enoug# for me to stand. "t t#is

distance from t#e entrance' 9ust enoug# lig#t trickled in t#at we were not in com&lete

blackness. I was concerned' #oweer' t#at if we &roceeded an fart#er in to t#e s#aft we

would need torc#es.

FHow are we going see I asked.

F(o not be concerned'G re&lied -ees. We wait a moment so our ees grow

accustomed to t#e dim lig#t. ;e &atient. *oon ou will look u&on w#at ou #ae come

for.G

"s m ees grew accustomed to t#e darkness' I saw t#e walls of t#e s#aft and t#e

figure of -ees standing t#ree feet awa. 4en in t#e cimmerian gloom of t#e tunnel' I

could see #e was smiling.

F;e#old'G #e said' and &ointed be#ind #im.

T#ere' against t#e o&&osite wall of t#e narrow s#aft were seeral stacks of t#e

siler stra&s' all arranged in t#e criss=cross &attern of stacked cordwood. 4ac# &ile was

about four feet tall' and t#e e5tended dee&er into t#e s#aft and out of sig#t in t#e

blackness beond. T#e were coered wit# a t#ick laer of dust' and I estimated well

oer two t#ousand stra&s were stored in t#e cae.

"s I became more ade&t at seeing in t#e dimness of t#e s#aft' I s&otted seeral

rotted leat#er sacks on t#e floor. " 8uick ins&ection reealed t#e were all em&t and

w#at t#e mig#t #ae contained we would neer know. Here and t#ere among t#e sacks

were odd bits of metal fittings' a single s&ur' a bit' some buckles' and &er#a&s two do7en

large nails' all er old.

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I eased oer to t#e stacks of siler stra&s' &icked u& and e5amined seeral' and

saw t#at eac# was molded wit# t#e same C#ristian cross to&&ed wit# a carat I #ad noticed

b t#e cam&fire t#ree weeks earlier. 4ac# stra& weig#ed around ten &ounds.

We decided eac# of us would carr an armload of siler back down t#e slo&e to

t#e cam&' t#en make anot#er tri&. We would load as muc# as &racticable into our saddle

&acks and carr t#em out #orse= and mule=back. $ur &lan was to sell t#e first load to a

mineral broker I #ad done business wit# in Te5as and use t#e mone to obtain more

mules to &ack out t#e rest. %ien t#e weig#t of eac# bar and t#e number I belieed to be

stored in t#e cae' I estimated t#e alue of t#is cac#e of siler at oer two million dollars'

assuming t#e eac# bar #ad at least seent=fie &ercent siler content. T#e remaining

twent=fie &ercent would likel consist of lead and 7inc. We managed to carr fort

stra&s to our cam& before we tired of t#e labor.

T#at eening as we curled u& into our slee&ing bags' t#e desert air turned cool and

a slig#t bree7e rattled t#e leaes on t#e willows. rom somew#ere in t#e canon' we

#eard t#e unmistakable scream of t#e mountain lion' unneringl close. "t t#e sound' t#e

two #orses and mule directed t#eir ga7es into t#e dark' ears &ricked forward' standing

nerousl. -ees &icketed t#em closer to cam& for t#e nig#t.

T#e gurgle of t#e narrow stream as it tumbled oer rocks soon lulled us to slee&.

"t first lig#t' -ees stirred t#e embers of t#e fire into a small bla7e and began

&re&aring coffee. I rubbed t#e slee& out of m ees' brus#ed m #air back wit# m

fingers' &ut on m boots and #at' and went to c#eck t#e animals onl to discoer t#e

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were missing. Hobbled' t#e could not #ae gone far' so I struck out down=canon in

searc# of t#em.

I found -ees/ roan about t#ree #undred ards awa. It was dead' t#e t#roat

ri&&ed o&en and barel scabbed oer from a great s&illing of blood. T#e large o&ening

#ole in t#e stomac# allowed its contents to be s&illed onto t#e ground' most of w#ic# #ad

been eaten. "s I a&&roac#ed t#e dead #orse' a i5en t#at #ad been la&&ing at t#e entrails

scurried awa. Here and t#ere in t#e dirt' I could see t#e tracks of a large mountain lion. I

looked around' but could find no sign of t#e ot#er #orse or t#e mule.

We were afoot.

I returned to t#e cam& and informed -ees of our situation. Toget#er' we searc#ed

for anot#er four #ours but could find no trace of t#e missing animals sae for t#eir tracks

out of t#e canon.

We got back to t#e cam& around t#e middle of t#e afternoon' e5#austed from t#e

searc#. We decided to cac#e t#e fort siler stra&s we #ad remoed from t#e s#aft' walk

to t#e nearest &ueblo' and tr to borrow some #orses. We dug a s#allow trenc# seeral

ards from t#e grass area' &laced all t#e stra&s wit#in sae one' w#ic# I stuck in m belt.

T#en' we coered t#e cac#e oer wit# large rocks.

*ince t#e weat#er was growing warm' -ees and I decided to #ike out of t#e

canon as t#e sun was setting and trael during t#e cool #ours of nig#t.

or seeral #ours we retraced our route along t#e old narrow trail' constantl

kee&ing an ee out for t#e lost #orse and mule. Walking was made difficult b t#e roug#'

rock ground' and we were forced to sideste& rattlesnakes eer few ards. " large rattler

struck at -ees/ leg. He was luck == t#e fangs &enetrated onl a loose fold of #is

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pantalones. T#e incident' along wit# t#e growing abundance of t#e &oisonous i&ers'

made us more nerous and cautious.

In t#e brig#t moonlig#t' I noticed seeral of t#e snakes were im&ressiel long

and t#ick=bodied. $ne of t#em' crossing t#e trail 9ust a few feet in front of us' was at least

seen=and=a=#alf feet in lengt# and as big around as m t#ig#. I recalled reading

somew#ere t#at t#e record for a diamondback rattlesnake was 9ust under seen feet'

t#oug# I #ad seen seeral t#at were longer. -ees told me #e #ad seen man rattlesnakes

in t#is alle at least eig#t and nine eig#t feet and more. He said #is uncle told #im once

some rider for a ranc# #e worked on encountered a rattler t#at was twele feet long.

"bout two #ours before dawn' t#e soles of -ees/ boots #ad &arted. He was

forced to discard t#em and &roceed barefoot. Wit#in t#irt minutes' #oweer' #e was

lim&ing badl. W#en #e sto&&ed to e5amine #is feet' I could see t#e were bleeding.

Just as it was growing lig#t' we s&otted a rock oer#ang about t#irt ards off t#e

trail and #eaded toward it. $ur water was used u&' we were e5#austed' and -ees/ feet

were a blood mess. It was obious #e would be unable to continue.

We c#ecked t#e s&ace under t#e oer#ang for snakes. *atisfied t#ere were none'

we stretc#ed out to tr to get some rest. I remoed t#e siler stra& from m belt and

&laced it between us.

We sur&rised ourseles b slee&ing almost until noon. T#e insides of our mout#s

were dr and cotton and it was difficult to make s&it. Just as we were beginning to stir

awake' we #eard t#e sound of #oofbeats on t#e trail beond.

I started out of t#e low s#elter to wae t#e riders oer w#en -ees #issed at me'

warning me to lie down and get out of sig#t.

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F-obbers'G #e said. F*inche 'andidosw#o will kill ou merel for our boots and

#at.G

We waited 8uiet and still in t#e s#ade of t#e oer#ang until t#e fie riders were

well out of sig#t. W#en t#e sounds of t#eir &assage faded into t#e distance' I left t#e

s#elter and assessed our situation. It wasn/t good. We were out of water' and -ees was

in no condition to trael. He told me t#ere was a small &ueblo about twele miles to t#e

sout#east' one we skirted on t#e wa to t#e canon. T#ere' said -ees' water will be

found and &er#a&s a cou&le of #orses we can borrow.

We decided I could carr -ees &iggback and' wit# an luck' reac# t#e &ueblo

before nig#tfall. I re&laced t#e siler stra& in m belt. T#oug# -ees was not a #ea

man' t#e walking was made difficult b t#e roug#' rock trail' t#e constant igilance for

rattlesnakes' and t#irst.

We #ad coered around four miles w#en I was forced to sto&. It was mid=

afternoon and our &rogress was slower t#an antici&ated. "fter a brief discussion' -ees

and I decided I s#ould continue alone' secure a &air of mounts' and return.

We found &rotection from t#e sun w#ere a stream #ad cut a low' s#allow nic#e

into a soft limestone cliff at t#e outside of a bend. Bnfortunatel' t#ere was no water in

t#e stream. Here we na&&ed in t#e relatie coolness' disturbed now and again b t#e

coming and goings of &ackrats.

+ate in t#e afternoon' I awoke from a sensation of somet#ing crawling across m

forearm' w#ic# was ling across m c#est. $&ening m ees' I s&ied a large brown

scor&ion making its wa slowl u& m arm toward m elbow. -ees s&otted t#e arac#nid

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at t#e same instant. W#en #e saw me about to moe' #e motioned me to la still. Taking a

cigarette from a s#irt &ocket' #e used it to flick t#e creature awa.

+ooking around' we discoered t#at t#e recess in w#ic# we na&&ed was t#ick wit#

t#e &oisonous arac#nids. *#aken' we moed to anot#er location' t#is one under t#e s#ade

of an ancient cottonwood tree near t#e dr stream bank. T#e slig#t bree7e we caug#t in

t#is outside location was &leasant. We sle&t again.

*undown reealed a wa5ing' almost full' moon' and a clear sk. )isibilit was

good and t#e #eat ra&idl dissi&ated. I decided I would &roceed toward t#e &ueblo in t#e

cool of t#e nig#t and' wit# an luck' return for -ees b noon t#e following da. I left t#e

siler stra& wit# #im.

I walked wit#out sto&&ing until two #ours before dawn w#en I to&&ed a low rise

and saw s&read out before me t#e tilled fields of t#e &ueblo residents' t#e newl formed

rows being readied for &lanting isible in t#e moonlig#t.

+ig#t was 9ust breaking in t#e east w#en I entered t#e tin illage and encountered

a number of dogs w#ic#' in turn' alerted t#e residents. *eeral men e5ited t#eir adobes

and a&&roac#ed me wit# sus&icion' one of t#em armed wit# an a5' anot#er wit# a #oe.

W#en I e5&lained m &redicament' t#e redirected t#eir efforts toward seeing t#at I was

fed and made comfortable.

W#ile I was eating a breakfast offrioles, tortillas'pollo' and caf- con leche' I

asked about #orses. I was told t#ere were none in t#e illage.

I was steeling mself for t#e long walk back to t#e ,alomas +and and Cattle

Com&an ranc# w#ere I would be certain to obtain a cou&le of good mounts and return

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for -ees. 4en so' it amounted to a total of ten das of #ard trael. ; t#en' it could be

too late for -ees w#o #ad no food or water.

"n old man a&&roac#ed me and e5&lained t#at t#ere was a large rancho

a&&ro5imatel one da/s walk to t#e sout#east.

FT#ere'G #e said' FLou will find man #orses. W#en ou tell t#epatronour

dilemma' I am certain #e will lend ou w#at ou need.G

I was gien &recise directions to t#e rancho' t#anked all of t#e finegentew#o fed

and watered me' and left t#e &ueblo at a brisk walk. " sense of urgenc relatie to

returning to -ees coa5ed a &ace t#at ate u& t#e miles and I reac#ed t#e -anc#o %uerrero

earl in t#e afternoon. "fter e5&laining to t#e foreman t#e immediate need to return to

-ees' #e &roided me wit# a good #orse == a stout' s&irited buckskin. He #ad saddlebags

stocked wit# water and food and gae me a s&are mount. He also instructed two of #is

"auerosto return wit# me because' as #e e5&lained' Ft#at trail is dangerous' often

traeled b 'andidos.G T#e a8ueros carried .>> caliber reolers in #olsters and carbines

in saddle scabbards. We left at dawn following a 8uick breakfast of scrambled eggs'

chori)o, tortillas' and coffee.

!idmorning of t#e second da' we were riding Indian=file along t#e trail t#at led

&ast t#e dr stream and t#e cottonwood tree w#ere I left -ees. T#e slig#t bree7e at our

backs barel offset t#e growing #eat. We were less t#an two miles awa from t#e tree

w#en one of t#e "aueros' %ilberto Torres' &ointed skward. "#ead of us and about >

feet aboe t#e ground' a trio of ultures were gliding on t#e new da/s t#ermals rising

from t#e desert floor. T#e were searc#ing for somet#ing to eat.

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"s we watc#ed los )opilotes' one of t#em broke from its glide' fla&&ing its great

wings into t#e wind. T#ere is onl one reason a bu77ard would fl against a current @ it

s&otted carrion. In a moment' t#e ot#er two were following. T#en' as we &assed around a

low bluff' we lost sig#t of t#em.

" #alf=#our later we found -ees/ bod on t#e trail' two of t#e bu77ards tearing at

#is face and stomac#. " &istol s#ot from one of t#e a8ueros sent t#e birds skward as we

lo&ed t#e #orses toward t#e still form.

-ees was less t#an one #undred ards from t#e cottonwood w#ere I left #im. His

pantalones' s#redded at t#e knees' gae eidence t#at #e crawled to t#is s&ot. His t#ickl

swollen' &ur&lis# rig#t arm wit# t#e two &uncture wounds in t#e trice& s#owed #e #ad

been struck b a rattler' a large one gien t#e s&ace between t#e #oles made b t#e fangs.

-ees #ad been dead less t#an twele #ours. I guessed #e must #ae been struck w#ile #e

was taking s#ade underneat# t#e tree.

Wit# t#e #el& of t#e two riders' I buried -ees under a mes8uite tree seeral ards

off t#e trail' coering t#e s#allow #ole wit# #ea rocks to discourage cootes and fo5es.

We rode to t#e cottonwood w#ere I found t#e siler stra& ling ne5t to t#e base of t#e

tree

jameson treasure hunter ms

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