Do not go where the path may lead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.

Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Friday

The Treasure of Skeleton Canyon

From High Noon


A vast treasure stolen by outlaws from a bank vault in Monterey and a church in Matamoras, Mexico, is said to still be buried in the mountains of AZ. It reportedly included a cigar box filled with diamonds, two pure gold statues, bags of gold and silver, thirty-nine bars of solid gold bullion and several rawhide bags of ninety thousand Mexican dollars.

The train carrying the horde was robbed by another gang of outlaws in Skeleton Canyon. They buried it on what they called Davis Mountain, no longer on any AZ map. They never returned for the treasure and no one is really sure what happened to them.

A dying outlaw gave directions, however:

"Head west across rolling plains to Davis Mountain, a bald, rounded granite dome visible for miles. With binoculars, it is said that you can see New Mexico from the peak of this mountain and old Sugar-Loaf can be seen standing boldly up against the sky.

"Once you have arrived at Davis Mountain, continue west for 1 to 1 ½ miles, until you spot a canyon. The east wall of the canyon has wooded hills, while the west wall is sheer rock precipice. 

"The creek that flows through this canyon plunges over a ledge in a small cataract approximately ten feet high and Silver Spring flows into the canyon on its west end. Near this spring is a tall juniper tree where, at its foot, is a grave marked by slabs of stone. Five hundred dollars in gold is allegedly buried in a tin can at the head of the grave.

"Up the canyon and south of Silver Springs approximately 1 to 1 and 1/3 miles is Gum Spring. Between the two springs, lying in the scattered brush, are the remains of a burned out wagon. This wagon is located on the west side of the canyon where it curves inward to form a shallow cove. At the deepest part of this cove lies a stone marker which is three feet high, squarely shaped, and one foot thick. On the east face of this marker is carved two crosses. After locating the stone, face Davis Mountain and step twenty paces. This is where the treasure is said to be buried."

Don't know why it's never been found...

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