(Be wary of so-called "authentic" treasure maps.)
As I suggested to you in Part 1 of this series of posts, "research, develop, substantiate, or disprove" should become your mantra when it comes to new treasure hunting leads. What do I mean by this? I touched on this in Part 1, but it's time now to take a closer and more detailed look at what I was alluding to in that earlier post.
Developing New Leads
If you read Part 1 you should already be aware of the fact the new treasure hunting leads can be found just about anywhere. I even provided a few examples for you there and here are more:
- books
- official documents
- accident reports
- personal diaries
- articles
- ledgers
- records of all sorts
- biographies
- first-hand accounts
- histories
- genealogies
- old maps
That said, what do I mean by developing a lead? Perhaps a definition is in order here:
Develop: to expand or realize the full potential of; to elaborate, expand, or enlarge; to bring into being or to fruition.
Wolverine Boots
In other words, when you develop a treasure hunting lead you're taking whatever bare bones information you currently have and then are expanding that information to determine if other information or details exist that can also, in turn, be developed or expanded further. The more you can expand, elaborate, or enlarge your information, the greater your ability to substantiate or disprove a given treasure lead.
Treasure Hunting
Look at it this way: that simple treasure lead in your hot little hand is like the outer layer of skin on an onion. When you peel that layer away you'll find another layer underneath which, in turn, when peeled away reveals another layer, and so on. In other words, you continue to develop (elaborate, expand, and enlarge) a treasure hunting lead until you can no longer do so, or until it reaches a dead end and can be developed no farther.
Substantiating New Leads
Once you've discovered and developed a new lead, the next task in terms of overall importance is substantiating that lead. What do I mean by substantiate?
Substantiate: To make real; to support with proof or evidence.
It doesn't get any clearer than that my friend. A newly developed treasure lead, no matter how intriguing or potentially rewarding it may be, is essentially worthless if it can't be supported by real evidence.
What sort of evidence? Anything and everything that can lend credence to a treasure lead. This comes in many forms:
A Treasure Hunting Lead Falls Flat on its Face
In the legend of the lost Red Hill placer nuggets, a miner named Adams finds a reddish colored hill in Southwestern New Mexico whose flanks are covered in gold nuggets. Not long after this discovery he's attacked and mortally wounded by Apaches. Adams manages to reach the small mountain village of Pinos Altos where he tells his story and then expires. All of this supposedly occurs in 1836. A treasure lead, right?
Yes, but as soon as you begin to develop and, more importantly, substantiate this treasure lead, guess what happens? It falls flat on its proverbial face. Why? Because when an attempt is made to substantiate this tall tale we find that Pinos Altos didn't even exist in 1836 (it wasn't established until 1860 when placer gold was found in nearby Bear Creek) and our man Adams was a wraith or ghost whose birth, life, and death cannot be ascertained at all, let alone proven.
"Just the Facts..."
So it goes... Some of you may remember the old 1950s "Dragnet" police show on TV (now I am showing my age!). One of the most oft-repeated and famous lines from that popular series was, "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts."
This old line is just as applicable today in terms of substantiating treasure hunting leads. You need facts, not fantasies.
Good hunting out there. Oh, and one last thing...be very, very wary of so-called "authentic" treasure maps.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Treasure Hunting Pitfalls: Treasure Maps"
(c) Jim Rocha (J.R) 2012
Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com
Develop: to expand or realize the full potential of; to elaborate, expand, or enlarge; to bring into being or to fruition.
Wolverine Boots
In other words, when you develop a treasure hunting lead you're taking whatever bare bones information you currently have and then are expanding that information to determine if other information or details exist that can also, in turn, be developed or expanded further. The more you can expand, elaborate, or enlarge your information, the greater your ability to substantiate or disprove a given treasure lead.
Treasure Hunting
Look at it this way: that simple treasure lead in your hot little hand is like the outer layer of skin on an onion. When you peel that layer away you'll find another layer underneath which, in turn, when peeled away reveals another layer, and so on. In other words, you continue to develop (elaborate, expand, and enlarge) a treasure hunting lead until you can no longer do so, or until it reaches a dead end and can be developed no farther.
Substantiating New Leads
Once you've discovered and developed a new lead, the next task in terms of overall importance is substantiating that lead. What do I mean by substantiate?
Substantiate: To make real; to support with proof or evidence.
It doesn't get any clearer than that my friend. A newly developed treasure lead, no matter how intriguing or potentially rewarding it may be, is essentially worthless if it can't be supported by real evidence.
What sort of evidence? Anything and everything that can lend credence to a treasure lead. This comes in many forms:
- If specific individuals are cited in the lead, can they be tracked down or verified as actual "players" in a treasure legend?
- Do general details contained in the lead jibe with known locations, dates, times, persons, etc.?
- Did specific sites such as forts, way stations, harbors, towns, etc. actually exist at the time they are mentioned in a lead?
A Treasure Hunting Lead Falls Flat on its Face
In the legend of the lost Red Hill placer nuggets, a miner named Adams finds a reddish colored hill in Southwestern New Mexico whose flanks are covered in gold nuggets. Not long after this discovery he's attacked and mortally wounded by Apaches. Adams manages to reach the small mountain village of Pinos Altos where he tells his story and then expires. All of this supposedly occurs in 1836. A treasure lead, right?
(The old opera house at Pinos Altos, New Mexico.)
Yes, but as soon as you begin to develop and, more importantly, substantiate this treasure lead, guess what happens? It falls flat on its proverbial face. Why? Because when an attempt is made to substantiate this tall tale we find that Pinos Altos didn't even exist in 1836 (it wasn't established until 1860 when placer gold was found in nearby Bear Creek) and our man Adams was a wraith or ghost whose birth, life, and death cannot be ascertained at all, let alone proven.
"Just the Facts..."
So it goes... Some of you may remember the old 1950s "Dragnet" police show on TV (now I am showing my age!). One of the most oft-repeated and famous lines from that popular series was, "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts."
This old line is just as applicable today in terms of substantiating treasure hunting leads. You need facts, not fantasies.
Good hunting out there. Oh, and one last thing...be very, very wary of so-called "authentic" treasure maps.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Treasure Hunting Pitfalls: Treasure Maps"
(c) Jim Rocha (J.R) 2012
Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com
