The Sterling Legend - By Estee Conatser

[AshtonPage]

Not only do we all differ, but each one of us can justify why our own version is “right”.

So if Travis tells me how to find it and then l turn around and tell Jim how to find it, then you can imagine how far the versions would differ by the 3rd generation. Not unlike when Waltz told Julia who later told Sims.

[cubfan64]

Exactly right Ashton - no matter what we all get out of this thread in the end, there's no denying it's been a very revealing exercise.

The greatest impact it's having on me is how just 1 or 2 single words can change an entire interpretation of a clue by 180 degrees.

[Dirty Dutchman]

Hello,

You know whats even worse? Besides Paul, who doesnt have a specific area, I bet Jim, Ashton, and myself, all disagree.....with OUR OWN maps.(Posted maps, of course) Maybe not so much Jim, but I think even he is thinking something slightly different than his drawing indicates. Crazy arse Legend...Ha!

thanks,
Travi

[Jim Hatt]

It makes me wonder about all the people over the years who have made their list of clues/landmarks from all the different books, and set off into the mtns in search of the LDM. Every where you go, you can find something that would be on such a list.

I bet a lot of partnerships, and even Friendships, have broken up over differences of opinion about translations, and meanings of certain clues, directions & landmarks.



Best,

Jim

[Dirty Dutchman]

It makes me wonder about all the people over the years who have made their list of clues/landmarks from all the different books, and set off into the mtns in search of the LDM. Every where you go, you can find something that would be on such a list.

I bet a lot of partnerships, and even Friendships, have broken up over differences of opinion about translations, and meanings of certain clues, directions & landmarks.



Best,

Jim

Jim,

You have just hit the nail on the head to me. That right there is the biggest reason i have been against partnering up with any other fellow "Hunter". My time in the mountains is limited and precious, so i would rather come up with a theory/area, and exhaust that before i move on to another (or Quit ). Going along with someone who has their own theories has got to be a "timekiller" when you're trying to hunt. That is why i use the forums when i'm researching. All of the disagreements on the forums are welcomed because they are a potential "wrench" that i can throw at my own theory, and make sure it still holds up. (The trick is to find a forum, like this one, that people come back at you with real "historical knowledge", instead of "I found it, you're all are stupid, blah, blah, blah...") That, for me anyway, is the most efficient way to do this.

The partners i bring along, are just extra "heat" in case someone decides they like my theory better than their own.

Thanks,
Travis

[AshtonPage]

So then, we’re agreed - that none of us agree about - well, pretty much everything regarding page 30 & 31
Glad that’s settled.

I could never understand this before but now I can see how was that Reiney, because he was so close to Old Jacob, actually “quit in a fit of disgust”. I’m not saying that I’m going to quit or that I am disgusted – I’m saying NOW I can understand how Reiney became disillusioned (something I tell myself that I would not have done had I been in Reiney’s shoes). Obviously, everyone in Reiney’s party had different opinions and because Sims primary source was Julia, and because Sims writes that Jacob chided Reiney [1] “you’ve got to pay attention, you’re not listening.” You can be sure that very line was brought up to Reiney when they started striking out.

[1] Connect the dots, it was Julia who told that to Sims – you can bet it was told to Reiney as well and at the worst of possible times.


So far most interesting part to me is that Travis and I are at two different old workings and both locations have a pit and a bell shaped tunnel on the hillside below (if I understand correctly) and we both are ‘down in’ or ‘next to’ a ravine. I’d be curious to know if other sites have a face above that looks down on the mine. It wouldn’t be fair to ask and then leave it at that, so I will mention that there is a face high up, directly across (from the mine) that looks down on the pit at the location where I am. It’s on the east canyon wall, incidentally. I have tried not to let what I found influence my interpretation of Conatser’s description – but that becomes difficult indeed once one believes he has located “the key to the mine.” And before folks dismiss my arguments as being based upon what I have seen, I encourage them to read them solely for what they say..… then hopefully ask some questions that cause me to think about what I have written. In doing that, we all may come to a better understanding of what has been written

Anyway (I get side tracked too easily) this means that the description of the LDM is NOT unique to the LDM. In other words, you can find locations where many (of not all) of the clues like up – without it being the actual LDM, it could just be some old Peralta working that was made using the same techniques as the mine Waltz was at.

Perhaps Estee nailed it when she muses: “the only way they are ever likely to find it is by literally falling into it”

To the others out there who have yet to join in – the ONLY reason I posted anything on DesertUSA forums was when a complaint was made that too many people are taking information and too few were contributing. So (being the neophyte that I was) I drew a deep breath and typed in what I believed was the only intelligent question that I could think of to ask: I believe it was something about Sims book. Jim recommended that I ask the person who made the comment – which I did. He turned out to be incredibly gracious and he got me started on my quest. I’ve never looked back.

I’m encouraging you folks out there to jump in – surely Jim, Paul, Travis and I are not the only ones who have thoughts about this stuff.

Thanks,
Ashton

[GeorgeW]

Well, I just received a copy of The Sterling Legend that I bought through Amazon. It actually shipped from a thrift store in Tucson and including shipping was less than $10. I had held off on buying a different tale because I didn't want to get things confused with Ely. Now I guess I'll wade into the muck and hope I can keep the different tales separated in my head.

I was pleased to find her somewhat useless map folded up and placed between pages. It might look good in a frame on the wall.

[AshtonPage]

Hi George,

To me, when Estee gives the details of the area, it more or less fills in the details of Sims book. I don’t always agree with her conclusions, but she does present why she thinks the way she does, which causes me to think about the validity of my own conclusions.

Best,
Ashton

[AshtonPage]

Same clue, different day.......

Estee undoubtedly placed a high degree of confidence on the “Old Military Trail” being in the canyon where the LDM is located. So much so that she made it the sole criteria for dismissing Peter’s Canyon entirely (page 32).

I’ve heard more than one idea on where the Military Trail was (or wasn’t) I’ve also heard there was NO military trail through the Superstitions. For now, I’m more concerned with the military trail being a valid clue (and why) than I am trying to figure out where it was – that all may change later on.

I don’t want to dismiss the military trail entirely on the grounds we don’t know where it was because just as Estee tells us, there are some places we could safely assume where the trail could not have been located - if the military trail is a valid clue, that would eliminate some areas from potential locations.

And the kicker in all this (you knew that was coming) is the assumption that the trail Waltz called “the old Military Trail” was, in fact, the Old Military Trail and not some old cow path meandering through the canyon.

Best,
Ashton

[Dirty Dutchman]

Same clue, different day.......

Estee undoubtedly placed a high degree of confidence on the “Old Military Trail” being in the canyon where the LDM is located. So much so that she made it the sole criteria for dismissing Peter’s Canyon entirely (page 32).

I’ve heard more than one idea on where the Military Trail was (or wasn’t) I’ve also heard there was NO military trail through the Superstitions. For now, I’m more concerned with the military trail being a valid clue (and why) than I am trying to figure out where it was – that all may change later on.

I don’t want to dismiss the military trail entirely on the grounds we don’t know where it was because just as Estee tells us, there are some places we could safely assume where the trail could not have been located - if the military trail is a valid clue, that would eliminate some areas from potential locations.

And the kicker in all this (you knew that was coming) is the assumption that the trail Waltz called “the old Military Trail” was, in fact, the Old Military Trail and not some old cow path meandering through the canyon.

Best,
Ashton

Hello,

Once again, i am away from my book, but i am thinking that it was Conasters OPINION that it was in the Canyon below. If i can remember the clues correctly, i think all they say is that the Military trail can be SEEN from the Mine. In my opinion that doesnt HAVE to mean it was in the same Canyon. I could be wrong. I will check later, unless someone can answer that before i get to it. I think that part is a case of Conaster "mixing" her own assumption, with what the clue actually says.

Thanks,
Travis