More on Treasure Signs and Symbols (Part 2)

The Cultural Context

In my previous post I alluded to the fact that not all is as it seems when it comes to understanding or interpreting treasure signs or symbols. One reason for this fact is that although many signs and symbols are "universal" in the sense that they can have the same import from culture-to-culture, just as many can function in just the opposite manner.

Metal Detectors

So, in Hispanic culture (primarily Spain and Portugal) a triangle or pyramid may have a specific meaning relating to a treasure cache or trove while in Asia this same symbol or sign can mean something totally unrelated to treasure at all. I am barely scratching the surface here, but this cultural context can become quite significant in treasure hunting activities.

(Note: Here in the United States the triangle or pyramid treasure sign or symbol was used by both the Spanish and other groups, including the Knights of the Golden Circle [KGC]. J.R.)

Misinformation

Next, we have to add "misinformation" into the treasure signs and symbols mix. Yep, you heard right. Misinformation. In treasure hunting circles this deliberate attempt to cloud the issue at hand or send less-experienced treasure hunters on "wild-goose" chases is more common than you may think.

Just as many governments or militaries use misinformation to befuddle enemies or sometimes their own populaces, many treasure hunters do likewise (albeit on a much smaller scale). The reason for this should be readily apparent and, once again, I broached this issue in my previous post on this topic.

The Misinformation Ratio

Granted, some treasure hunting signs and symbols are so common and so widely used that their interpretation is generally the same across the board. I have to admonish you again, however, NEVER to accept things at face value when it comes to treasure hunting.

This can even be taken a step farther into what I term "the misinformation ratio." Here's how it works: the more significant historically a treasure trove or cache is, or the greater its overall monetary value, the greater the amount of misdirection and misinformation other treasure hunting "interests" will generate regarding its salient characteristics including signs and symbols.

The Value of Paranoia

I know what you're thinking as you sit there reading these words: "Ol' J.R. has done lost it. Dude's paranoid as hell." Actually, I'm not some paranoid conspiracy nutcase at all. At least I don't think I am (Is that paranoid??!!).

That said however, if you yourself haven't yet become slightly paranoid concerning your own treasure hunting activities you will eventually. In this business paranoia is common. So I have another tip for you: never underestimate the value of healthy paranoia when it comes to treasure hunting.

There's more to come...be safe out there. Oh, and good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "More on Treasure Signs and Symbols (Part 1)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/more-on-treasure-signs-and-symbols-part.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

More on Treasure Signs and Symbols (Part 1)

No Expert Regarding This Aspect

In previous posts on this topic I have barely scratched the surface on bringing to light various facets of treasure signs and symbols. One reason for this is deceptively simple.

Metal Detectors

Despite my long-term expertise as a small-scale gold miner and erstwhile treasure hunter I am no expert regarding this aspect of treasure hunting, nor have I ever claimed to be. As some like to say, I probably know just enough to be dangerous.

This said however, please don’t get squirrely on me and think I’ve been leading you astray because that’s not the case at all. What little information I’ve passed on to you already about treasure signs and symbols still holds water and I am constantly trying to learn more. So hang in there.

Be Wary…Be Very Wary

Based on many of the e-mails I’ve received from readers and other treasure hunters there seems to be a tendency out there to accept any and all matters relating to treasure signs and symbols as God-given fact like Moses holding up the stone tablets containing the 10 Commandments. This can be, as someone once said, the “slippery slope to perdition.”

So be wary in this regard. In fact, be very wary. Why? I will speak plainly here and I mean no offense to anyone out there. But use your head, let logic take hold as well as your understanding of human nature itself.

Ask Yourself This Question

Do you REALLY think any treasure hunter worth his or her salt is going to provide you with detailed information on treasure signs and symbols (other than the “standard” fare) that he or she has spent a lifetime researching, studying, locating, interpreting, and documenting? Think on that for a moment. Now ask yourself this question: would you divulge this same info freely to others? I suspect the answer is either “no” or “probably not.”

If I can digress for a moment here this same thing happens quite frequently when it comes to treasure leads. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been e-mailed (from mostly well-intentioned folks) who want me to provide them with additional lead information or details on locating a particular treasure cache or trove.

I always try to help in this regard to the extent I can and I think most of you already know I try to answer your e-mail queries promptly and courteously. But you really need to understand here and now that I don’t dispense that sort of specific information to anyone, yourself included. Why would I?

More Importantly...

More importantly, what would your response be if the situation was reversed and I was asking you to give me detailed info leading to a potential treasure recovery? “Sure, here’s all my info, my leads, my documented research, and my interpretation of all the signs and symbols leading to recovering this Jesuit or Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) cache. Good luck getting rich at my expense and have a nice day!”

This may indeed be a “tough love” approach but it needs to be said just the same. Coincidentally, it ties in directly with just how much good information as well as disinformation is out there regarding various aspects of treasure signs and symbols, be those Spanish, Jesuit, or KGC in origin.

There’s more to come in this regard in my next post. Be safe out there and good hunting until then.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “Karl Meyer’s Lost Cave of Gold (Conclusion)”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/karl-meyers-lost-cave-of-gold.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Karl Meyer's Lost Cave of Gold (Conclusion)

(On the left is the location of Grants Pass in Josephine County, Oregon.)

I now present the conclusion to this series of posts on Karl Meyer's lost cave of gold in Josephine County, Oregon:

Karl Heads for Grants Pass

For days after he fell and struck his head against a boulder, Karl was incapacitated by a series of blinding headaches, a great deal of vertigo and dizziness, and an overall inability to focus or remember what had transpired moments earlier. Realizing he needed medical help, Karl loaded up his mule and headed for the thriving community of Grants Pass, Oregon.

Metal Detectors

A Grants Pass physician told Karl in no uncertain terms that he had probably suffered a concussion and that he needed bed rest and lots of it. Karl would have none of this however....still swayed by gold fever, he knew that untold riches awaited him at the cave near Miller Creek and the $5,000 in gold he had recovered already simply underlined this fact.

Coming Up Empty

By the time Karl reached his old camp site his head had cleared enough for him to set out immediately for his cave of gold. He followed Miller Creek as he had before but after traveling a mile or two he became confused and disoriented once again.

Try as he might, Karl simply could not remember the route to the cave. Although he searched high and low along and near Miller Creek through the remainder of the summer and by fall had constructed a cabin to continue his search indefinitely, the German mineralogist came up empty.

Karl Packs It In

Each time he returned to Grants Pass for supplies, the locals thought Karl seemed increasingly "touched in the head" and erratic in his behavior. But he always paid his bills in gold and that alone was enough to silence most of the community's gossips and wagging tongues.

But things came to and end for Karl when he contracted tuberculosis the following year and could no longer carry on the search for his lost cave of gold in Josephine County. A couple of good Samaritans from Grants Pass helped Karl pack it in and put him on a wagon that eventually transported him to a rest home in California, where he subsequently died.

Is There Really a Cave of Lost Gold?

Is there really a cave of lost gold somewhere near Miller Creek in Josephine County, Oregon? Perhaps, but before that premise can be seriously considered certain facts must be established:

Did German-born mineralogist Karl Meyer actually exist? ( A bit of basic research into Grants Pass or Josephine County records should tip the scales on answering this question.)

Is there documented evidence of hard-rock or vein gold mining near Miller Creek? (Placer gold mining has been conducted in this area for quite some time. That gold had to come from a source or sources in nearby host rock. I tend to discount the "cave" theory myself however.

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Cave geology as a whole is not conducive to the formation of precious metals veins of any sort. I suspect what Karl found, if anything, was an old prospect shaft, tunnel, or adit that had been abandoned since perhaps the early 1850s for any number of reasons, including Indian attack to name but one.)

Are there possible clues to look for in the Miller Creek area? (One of the most significant and overt clues to look for would be a "distinctive rock overhang" above a cave or tunnel entrance. Remember however, that any geologic signs like this could be long gone due to subsequent geologic processes, erosion, or later-day mining activities.)

There May Be Substance to This Tale

There may be some substance to this tale of lost gold in southwest Oregon. Further research and investigation is warranted, I believe.

Perhaps you'll be the lucky treasure hunter or prospector who finds a fortune of free-milling gold locked in a thick vein of crumbing, rotten quartz hidden away on the back wall of an old cave or tunnel. You never know....

Good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Karl Meyer's Lost Cave of Gold (Part 2)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/karl-meyers-lost-cave-of-gold-part-2.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Karl Meyer’s Lost Cave of Gold (Part 2)

(Josephine County, Oregon in 1895.)

I now continue with the story of mineralogist Karl Meyer’s lost cave of gold in Josephine County, Oregon:

Nearly 250 Ounces of Gold in a Hat

Karl wasted no time breaking off crumbling chunks of the rich quartz gold ore from the back wall of the cave and filling his hat to the brim with them. Forgetting about his huckleberry craving mule, Karl headed back to camp, his heart racing the entire way.

Gold Pans
Gold Concentrators

Once back at camp Karl grabbed his sampling mortar and pestle and crushed up all the ore into a fine mix of gold and quartz powder. Then he proceeded to pan the concentrates out, eventually recovering nearly 250 troy ounces of free-milling gold.

(Note: Later on it was estimated that Karl’s ore held as much as $400,000 worth of gold per ton, a fantastically rich amount even by today’s standards. J.R.)

Gold Causes Strange Things to Happen

As someone formally trained in geology and gold mineralization, Karl knew he’d hit the “big one.” He was absolutely certain he’d have no trouble at all finding the cave of gold again, so he wrote out a hasty location notice intending to file claim on his rich find the following day. After all, Karl was exhausted and dusk was fast approaching.

But gold, especially large amounts of gold, often causes strange things to happen to people’s minds, hearts, and souls. Seized by a raging case of gold fever (and no little amount of greed), Karl tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Head Pounding and Memories Dimmed

Finally, unable to take it any longer, Karl rolled out of his blanket, grabbed his location notice and an empty tin can, and plunged into the inky darkness. He made it as far as Miller Creek before he tripped over a tree root and struck his head on a boulder, knocking himself out and suffering a concussion in the process.

He awoke the next morning to find his mule staring down at him with sad round eyes. With his head pounding and his memories dimmed, Karl grasped the mule’s halter and stumbled along as the recalcitrant animal led him back to camp. There he collapsed and slept through the rest of the day and the night as well.

There’s more to come on Karl’s lost cave of gold. So stayed tuned and be safe in the interim.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “A Miner’s (and Treasure Hunter’s) Rant”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/miners-and-treasure-hunters-rant.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Miner's (and Treasure Hunter's) Rant

(Cartoon by Gordon Campbell.)

I originally wrote this post for "Bedrock Dreams," my small-scale/recreational gold mining blog. But I think it has value here as well.

(DISCLAIMER: The words and opinions in this post are mine and mine alone. I make no apologies for either. J.R.)

I'm Being Nice Here

I guess I am a bit "old school" when it comes to gold mining and my views regarding what is taking place today in the West and the country (USA) at large. Even in the little over three decades I've been a small-scale miner I've witnessed a steady decline in the availability of public panning and mining areas, increased governmental restrictions and bureaucratic insanity, and ever-increasing assaults on the mining community by environmental "do-gooders" (I'm being nice here) and other fringe special interest groups.

In case you're wondering, I belong to no political party. So, don't expect me to roll merrily along on either the Democrat or Republican bandwagons, I tend to dislike both equally. If anything, I would classify myself a conservative Libertarian or "centrist" who is as sick and tired of the Republican "robber baron" mentality as he is of the Democrat take over by the radical left.

Serfs, Peasants, and Wayward Children

I've kept a very jaundiced eye warily focused on politics and politicians since I returned from my second Vietnam tour 42 years ago. I was a young man then and I am an old man now. Truth be told, I felt betrayed by politicians then and, like it or not, things are no different for me today.

When I look at the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the Congress today I see those hallowed halls peopled by arrogant, self-serving, career politicians who treat us, the American people, like serfs, peasants, or wayward children who must be told how to live and what to think. I truly believe that our so-called leaders despise us deep down and at the same time automatically assume that we are too lazy or too ignorant to see through their smoke, mirrors, and outright lies.

Rome Anyone?

I am often reminded of Rome these days when I view the activities of our senators and congressman. I may be mistaken but I believe Rome was initially founded as a republic of and for the people, and the Roman senate was ostensibly their voice. Sound familiar?

But with time Roman republican values were replaced by lies, greed, corruption, and agenda-driven manipulation. Senatorial positions became high-level career slots wherein one could accumulate vast influence, wealth, pensions, and power at the expense of the "people." In Rome's case this eventually led to despotism and absolute dictatorship.

This is the Way it's Supposed to Be?

So is this the way it's supposed to be today? The halls of Congress and the Senate filled with self-serving "patricians" who look down on the great unwashed masses (the rest of us, that is) with amusement and contempt? It's even gotten to the point where these idiots think we work for them. Excuse me???

There's a movement afoot today to get rid of all incumbents, all these "career" politicos (from the White House on down..) who have turned public service into a lifetime of self service at our expense. Expressed in its most elemental form this movement says "Throw the bums out!"

Hmmmmmmmm.....there's merit in that idea but I think one concrete positive course of action would be to set term limits for both the Congress and the Senate just as the Presidency is limited to two terms. This might help correct some of the problem by preventing poster-boy "patricians" like the late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd from using public service as an excuse for a life-long career path to wealth and influence.

Guess What?

Finally, as an aside, to all those leftist radicals and wannabe socialists in power now, guess what? I already know your kind and have seen you in action in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Remember when you ridiculed and heaped abuse on those of us returning from Vietnam, hiding under an aura of moral superiority while you provided aid and comfort to the enemy with your words and deeds? Remember?

You generation of vipers, you hypocrites. Pharisees and Sadducees. You can slap all the feel-good "Obamanos!","Save Tibet," and other leftist or New Age crazy bumper stickers on your Subaru station wagon that you want. But I already know your game, trust me.

So enjoy your newly won power and your doggy day in the sun. The American people are long-suffering but they are NOT stupid. You'll be out on your asses soon enough.

But not soon enough for me...

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Karl Meyer's Lost Cave of Gold (Part 1)

(Josephine County, Oregon.)

No Stranger to Gold

Josephine County, Oregon is no stranger to gold. From the early 1850s when gold miners first worked rich placer and vein gold locations scattered throughout the county to more recent times, untold millions in precious metal has been recovered from this area of southwestern Oregon.

Metal Detectors
Gold Pans

There is very good reason to believe that Josephine County also contains a huge fortune in hard rock gold hidden within a cave somewhere along or near Miller Creek. How all this gold came to be found and then lost forms the crux of this treasure tale.

A Mule and a German-Trained Mineralogist

Karl Meyer was a German-trained mineralogist with a head for gold geology and a practiced prospector’s eye. In the summer of 1878 he was gathering ore samples near Miller Creek when his mule went missing.

Like most die-hard prospectors of the period who knew the habits of their burros or mules better than they knew those of their own relatives, Karl automatically assumed that his four-legged companion had made a beeline for the nearest huckleberry patch. After trailing his mule along Miller Creek for a few miles, Karl found where the errant critter had turned off and headed away from the Creek.

Waiting Out a Storm

Not long after Karl began following the mule’s tracks it started to rain and rain hard. Within minutes the mule’s tracks were totally obliterated by the heavy downpour and soaked to the skin and shivering, Karl began searching for shelter.

In a small ravine a short distance from Miller Creek he spotted a cave partially hidden under a distinctive rock overhang. While waiting out the storm, Karl noticed that the cave extended some distance beyond the entrance where he was sheltering.

Shot Through-and-Through With Gold

While the rain continued pouring down, Karl decided to explore the cave. He gathered up some old tinder and a tree branch which he used to fashion a crude torch. The he headed deeper into the darkness.

When he reached the back end of the cave Karl’s heart skipped a beat and his mouth went as dry as cotton. Shaking his head in disbelief he ran his hand over a vein of crumbling, friable quartz shot through-and-through with free-milling gold that transected the back wall of the cave.

That's it for now. There's more to come, so stay tuned and good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “Treasure Hunting 'Pioneer'”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/dick-stout-on-right-and-original.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Treasure Hunting "Pioneer"

(Dick Stout on the right with the original "Owlhooter" himself, Karl Von Mueller, circa 1988.)

A "Pioneer"

In the course of my 30+ years as a treasure hunter (and small-scale gold miner) I’ve seen significant growth in the treasure hunting community. Way back when I was a novice many of the treasure hunting greats like Karl Von Mueller and Mel Fisher were still on this side of the great divide…sadly for us, they have now passed on to “richer ground.”

Treasure Hunting

Fortunately however, there are still a few experienced treasure hunting “pioneers” out there whose knowledge, experiences, and efforts have helped paved the way for the new generation of cache, coin, beach, and artifact hunters that have swelled the ranks in recent years. Dick Stout is one of these pioneers.

Treasure Hunter and Author

Dick’s background is as varied and diverse as mine (but I think much richer in overall texture). This New Jersey native is a Vietnam era U.S. Army vet, an accomplished musician who played back up for the likes of The Supremes, Johnny Mathis, Stevie Wonder, and other well-known artists in the American music scene, and is the loving dad of two beautiful daughters.

As a treasure hunter Dick’s resume is as solid as they come. He’s pretty much done it all at one time or another and has written numerous articles on treasure hunting for magazines like Treasure, Treasure Found, Lost Treasure, Western and Eastern Treasures, and World of Treasures. Dick is also the author of the books, “Metal Detecting, the Hobby,” and “The New Metal Detecting, the Hobby.”

"Stout Standards"

Dick was the founder of the Federation of Metal Detecting and Archaeological Clubs, Inc. which become a positive force for detectorists in the U.S and included the support of major manufacturers in the metal detecting/treasure hunting realm. For a period in the 1980s Dick also served under noted treasure hunting author/manufacturer Charles Garrett as the Director of Marketing for Garrett Electronics which produces the Garrett line of metal detectors and support products.

Now Dick has returned to the field to pursue his first love, treasure hunting. He also publishes his own treasure hunting website titled “Stout Standards” at http://www.stoutstandards.com/

Be sure to stop by and say hello to Dick, sign his guestbook, and read what he has to say. You’ll find great info on all aspects of treasure hunting and will have the opportunity to learn from someone who is not only highly experienced but intelligent, perceptive, humorous, and self-effacing.

Good hunting out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “'Bushwhacker' Caches in Missouri”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/07/bushwhacker-caches-in-missouri.html

© J.R. 2010

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

"Bushwhacker" Caches in Missouri

"Bushwhackers" and "Redlegs"

Nowhere was the American Civil War more murderous than in Missouri. From 1861-1865 extreme violence was perpetrated by both sides on the innocent and guilty alike, with little or no quarter given or expected.

Some of the most violent players in this drama of hatred and revenge were the Confederate partisan rangers or "Bushwhackers" led by such luminaries as William Quantrill and "Bloody Bill" Anderson. Running a close second to the Missouri Bushwhackers were the "Redlegs," Union sympathizers and radical abolitionists led by Jim Lane just across the Missouri border in Kansas who received their name from the red leggings they wore into battle.

The James Boys Were Die-Hard Bushwhackers

Both of the James Boys (Jesse and Frank) were die-hard Bushwhackers. Frank began his bushwhacking career in 1861 and was followed a few years later by Jesse, who was only 16 years of age when he began killing Unionists in earnest.

Frank and/or Jesse rode with a number of Bushwhacker groups, including Quantrill's, "Bloody Bill's," and smaller units led by Dave Pool and Arch Clement. Some of these Bushwhacker elements were noted for their extreme savagery (torturing prisoners, cutting ears off, taking scalps, etc.) and for their propensity for rape and robbery.

Stolen Loot

It is this latter factor that is the real topic of this post, however. Much of the loot taken by Jesse, Frank, and other Bushwhackers was cached until it could be recovered safely and securely at a later date.

Metal Detectors

What sort of stolen loot? You name it....gold and silver coins, currency, jewelry, silverware, precious metal pocket watches, heirlooms....essentially anything of value that could be easily carried on horseback and just as easily hidden away or buried as treasure.

Bushwhacker Caches in Missouri

Here are the general areas in Missouri where a number of Bushwhacker caches are said to be located:

Andrew County: Savannah.

Boone County: Rocheport and Columbia.

Clay County: Harlem, Liberty, Liberty Landing, Kearney, Missouri City, and numerous spots along or near the Fishing River. (Clay County was the James Boys' "stomping grounds," by the way.)

Clinton County: Cameron, Plattsburg, and Haynesville.

Daviess County: Civil Bend, Gallatin, and Winston.

Henry County: Clinton.

Jackson County: Sibley, Glendale, and Lee's Summit.

Lafayette County: Dover, Waverly, Wellington, Aullville, and Lexington.

Linn County: Brookfield.

Randolph County: Moberly.

Ray County: Richmond.

St. Clair County: Monegaw Springs and Roscoe.

Remember, these are general locations only and further research on your part is necessary to follow up on these and other (yes, there are others) Bushwhacker cache leads.

Good luck and good hunting out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Detector Reviews: Minelab's 'GPX 4500'"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2010/06/gold-detector-reviews-minelabs-gpx-4500_28.html

(c) J.R. 2010

Questions? e-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com