A HOME OF GOLD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1034, 23 November 1882, Page 3

A HOME OF GOLD.

A story about which there is a fascination which it is impossible to resist when you hear men tell it is that of the ' Home of Gold.’ Somewhere in south-western Hew Mexico, io the Sierra Madro, it is said there is a wonderful valley. Small, inclosed in high, rocky walls, and accessible only by a secret passage, which is known to but few, is this extraordinary place. It is about ten acres in extent, has running through it a stream, which waters it thoroughly, and makes it a perfect paradise, with its exquisite flowers and beautiful trees. In it are thousands of birds of the most beautiful plumage. Running across it is a ledge of pure gold about thirty feet wide, which glistens in the sunlight like a great golden belt. The stream crosses the ledge, and as it runs, murmurs around blocks of yellow metal as other streams do round pebbles. The ledge of gold is supposed to be solid, and to run down into the centre of the earth. The legend is of Indian origin, and around it cluster a number of Indian stories in which the name of the ill-fated Montezuma occurs frequently. The descendants of the Aztecs believe firmly that the day will come when Montezuma will return and free them from the dominion of the descendants of the Conquestodores. They believe that the money necessary for this work will be taken out of the Mad re d’ Oro. The secret of the entrance into the valley is carefully guarded by a tribe of Indians living near it, and among them it is only communicated to the oldest men, amid the solemn ceremonies of the Medicine Lodge. Having such a story to work upon, there is little wonder that the vivid imagination of the Mexicans should have built upon it tales of men who have found this wonderful place. One is that a certain Jose Alvaraz, while wandering through the mountains in search of game, saw the valley from the top of the wall. Finding that he could not hope to enter by climbing down, he took up his abode with the Indians who guard the canon leading into it. The daughter of the chief fell in love with him, and betrayed the secret to him. Exactly how sh# found it out they do not tell. Having been shown the entrance Jose wont in, and would possibly have gotten away with some of the gold had he not weighed himself down to such an extent that he could not get up the declivity at the lower end of the passage. He was discovered, and the Indians sacrificed him on the golden ledge with all the terrible cerraonies of the old Aztec religion. She, in despair at losing him, threw herself from the high walla into the valley below. Hundreds of prospectors have spent months of tcil trying to find the Madre d’Oro, but it is scarcely necessary to say without result, —Las Cruces Republican,