Evening blue eyes. yes, on the coffee; So you wish to go lost mine hunting, k, here is a pair that should be suitable. La Tarasca and Las pimas, Two Bonanza silver mines just waiting for you. I had originally intended to give them to Jim, but yer one hellava lot prettier and nicer than he is, soo

Copy of an old letter that I found in a book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter of inheritance for my grand son Miguel Palacios--

That he, as in a military campaign, go to the pass that we constructed on the old road from Hermosillo to Guaymas. Going to the south through the pass, he will encounter the arroyo Chilicote. Continueing to the south, he will eventually see a small mesa that is cut in the middle, East and West. Continue to the South, going past the small arroyo, past three small hills, always continue going south, until you reach a small cliff. Go no further. Below the small cliff you will find a large rock forming a seat. Looking to the west, you will be facng a mt. Below a ridge, you will see the dump of the mine. On the other side you will ifnd the other mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Both the LaTarasca and Las Pimas were AG mines, silver. They were in bonanza in the 1600's, but were lost during the general Indian uprisinge in that period, and later to the continous raids by Las Pimas and Los Seras Indians.

The Series of that time were into long mary Kai kai, I will have to post the intrigueing story how they chomped their way through the survviors of a ship wreck near Tiburon Island. Took a while, but they ate them all..

La Tarasca was famous in it's time in that the blocks of silver encountered had to be cut into smaller pieces to remove them from the mine.

La Pintada is named after the cliff face above the 'under the sand tank of water' where the arroyo leaves the main range and makes curve E/W.. There is always cool water down under the sand in the curve , although sometimes you have to dig a few meters to hit it.

Indians over the ages have used it for a camping ground and contributed to the many figures and symbols on the face of the cliff. To the north a short distance away, is the Rancho La Palma

"la tinaja del carmen", tinaja means tank as in a natural water tank. "

This is the tank of clear cold water that we found and climbed down into. It was a circular sink perhaps 100 150 ft deep down to the surface of the pool, by 50 meters in diameter.. On top is where we found the old Modle T Ford sitting abandoned. How in h- did they ever get it up there?*** Still salvageable.

When we were there the first time, the base stones for the wall of the Mission were still scattered around, when I returned later, i saw they had been gathered and used to construct the stock watering tank. The old mision was about 150 meters to the S/E if I remembered correctly, and both were aligned basically the same, E / W.

The Cara Pintado lies on the North side of the arroyo as it leaves the main barranca. the srroyo runs slightly to the North, then curves in a wide bend to the east. In the bend down below in the sand is where the water is to be found. On the northern side there is a sheer rock wall where th Indians painted many figures

The smelte remains are in the main arroyo in front of the mesa cut in half (viewing it from the north). They are now buried under the sand and rocks of the present arroyo.

The old original village is now gone, but it lay to the left of the Church.

The old spanish well is / was the walk down type.

And on, Feel free to ask questions, A clarification point. In the older days, since the native virgin brush and mesquite grew to 10 - 15 ft, it was customary to plant an unusually tall palm at points of interest, such as ranches, water holes, etc. Since it was so tall, and out of place, it was easily spotted many kilometers away and one could home in on it. Hence "La Rancho de La Palma".

The cara pintada was / is the north face of the canyon where the underground water could be found. The Indians set up camps in the region and painted many figures on the cliff face.

Try sat scanning the south side of the pass that leads though the Mt's to the west were it exits on the present main highway - The pass of La Cara Pintada. The Yaquis told me that on top of a small mesa, on the southern side, you will find three large rocks in a triangular formation. In the center, is a covered mine shaft. At the bottom you will find a large wooden box filled with Gold nuggets,and coins. They were placed there by orders of Tetacombiate for the future use of the Tribe and to denounce the Gold mine.

I presume that I am the only living one that knows of it today. This, among many other things, were confided in me for things that I had done for the Tribe,

I lived with the Yaqui for 5 years studyng their culture and looking for lost rmines and treasures.

Have fun luv. Photo. more data, and map tomorrow, if I can find out how.

Don Jose de La Mancha

p.s. Weekend free post time.

Don Jose