The following
story is for “Mike” G…. it is the only way I could think of to say… Thank you…
If any of you recognize the following story, I ask
that you please keep the details of place names quiet, I know the story has been passed around a bit but
humor me please. There are details which were relayed to me which has never
been told or put to pen… and those details I will keep to myself at this time.
One late spring day in about 1926 or so, Bill, Thomas,
Elizabeth and Leah,
4 high school kids decided to skip out on school for the day and go on an
adventure to one of their favorite camping areas next to the old mountain lake.
They all jumped in Georges old Model T and headed up the winding bumpy dirt
road. After about an hour or so, they topped the mountain with the trees
thinning out and revealing a beautiful lake surrounded by trees on one side and
a beautiful meadow on the other.
They parked the old Model T at the North end of the
lake as always, grabbed their things and headed out to explore… Heading across
the meadow and towards the thick trees ahead, they entered the thick forest
again but this time on foot. They stayed fairly close to each other because of
the dense forest and just beyond entering the thick trees the mountainside
begins to drop down into the canyon below, progressively getting steeper as you
go and getting more difficult to wander the further you go and so they stayed
up near the top. Spreading out a bit and far enough they could not see Thomas,
the other three heard Thomas hollering come
over here! Come see what I found! The
other 3 kids hurried towards Thomas’s voice and soon he came into view. He was
standing next to a very large tree and it had a large branch with what appeared
to be an old sort of block and tackle hanging from the branch.
An old mine shaft
Thomas had to step in front of the others as the came
closer as they did not see the partially hidden 6 foot square hole in the
ground just below the block and tackle. As they all stood starring in wonder at
the hole and the tackle, it is likely they knew exactly what it was… Thomas suddenly
perks up and says with excitement, Hey,
I want to down go in!
Seeing clearly it was a old likely Spanish mine shaft
and tossing in a small rock or two showed it was pretty deep. Bill perks up and
says I have rope up in the car? After
retrieving the rope and tying it securely around Thomas the other 3 slowly
lowered him into the old shaft. I have no idea what he used for light, but
after a few minutes and at the end of the rope which was about 60 feet,
Suddenly Thomas starts hollering from below, GET ME OUT! PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP! The others did their best and
shortly thereafter Thomas emerges from the dark shaft, and climbs free of the
hole, he gets up and struggles to remove the rope from his waste and clearly he
is shaken from the unknown event. He finally cast off the rope and stomped his
way all they way back to the old Model T not saying a word, he opens the door
and sits down starring out the front window obviously shocked.
The others slowly approach the old T and after
starring at him for a minute or so, one of the others stutters the words, Wa wa
What Happened? After a moment or two Thomas pulls himself together and says….
My God!, there’s a bunch of dead Spaniards down there leaning against the wall,
and they have bags of CORN all around them! Every one was silent for a time
after that looking back and forth at each other… and on their way down they
made a pact to never speak of it to anyone. Thomas had no desire to ever go
back and never di according to Leah and Bill.
Handful of Corn
None of them spoke a word of it after that until many
years later… Thomas and Elizabeth had passed away with only Bill and Leah
remaining. Leah was in her 80’s I think when one day an acquaintance (a friend of mine) stopped by for an
unknown purpose, this being around late 1980’s to early 1990’s. While talking
about other things unrelated the conversation some how turned to old Spanish
mines. Leah gained a little sparkle in her eye and asked would you like to hear
a story of what happened to me and some friends in my younger years? Sure my friend responded… with that she
said that she had never told the story before and she relayed the above story.
When she finished she told my friend, now, just so you know I haven’t told you
a phony story, I want you to go down the street to that old red brick house on
the next N/E corner and go to the door and knock. An elderly gentleman will
answer the door, his name is Bill, I want you to introduce yourself and tell
him you just left my house and tell him that I just told you… “the story” and tell him to tell you the
story and he will tell you the very same story. My friend agreed and did as she
said, and Bill indeed told him the same story that Leah remembered. Bill
however added to the story that he had once went back to try to find the old
shaft, because he knew well and good it was not corn in those bags. He said
none of the others ever returned. But he said he didn’t try very hard and he
was quick to write it off feeling it was not meant for him.
My friend never really put much effort into it having
plenty to keep him busy, and after the story sat in his files for many years,
on day in his elderly years, he called me up as he often did, and asked if I
would be interested in perusing and old story he had… Of Course I said! And here we are today… “we” have made a few attempts to enter the old thick forest and we
even believe we have found a geologic anomaly that just isn’t natural, in fact
two and both fit the details not shared above. A thorough search has not yet
been made and I have convinced myself of the type of equipment I need before I plan
another tip and in order to find this presumed, still open 6 foot square hole
in the ground. My friend has since passed away.
This story is just one of the many that still sits
with nothing being done largely because certain equipment is needed, either
that or a lot of ground work which 20 years ago would not have been a problem. There
is however certain aspects of this story that has it at the top of my list,
some of you I know can see what that might be. I wish I could have shared the
whole story but as always, there are just some who do not need to know… ;-)
I am all for the volunteer foot soldiers, but this one
kicked even one of my best hikers butts, good o’l Tracey, and my other dear
friend and best hiker and reliable friend has also recently passed… Steve and
Todd, I’m going to miss you guys… say hello to Paul for me would ya?… until we
meet again.
