Swiftsearchers book?

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Victory,

Sorry I haven't been back on here in a while. I am in the process of finding the rich mine and great cave before I do anything about publishing my book. So far, every treasure Swift mentions that is in the area of the mines and smelters has been found. So, I am NOT thinking I am going to find a treasure before others - I just want to find everything before I publish my book, so I can tell people where it is at!

I have been averaging going out about twice a week. Currently, I am trying to finalize the search for the rich mine. I am very close! I have several pics of the myrtle thicket (even a sample of the myrtle). I have found two sets of "Indian Stairsteps" below the myrtle thicket (just as Swift described he and his crew went down a flight of Indian Stairsteps after the myrtle thicket. There is also a rock that extends out on the side of this clift (spelled like Swift - :)). Looking over from this rock, I can see where the mine is. I will be going to that area the next time out!

The most noteable things I have found recently are a rock on the creek in the saddle gap with a snake carved on it, the myrtle thicket, the Indian Stairsteps, a HUGE skull rock and the clifts with the red sandstone at the top, where the mine should be (and I will be going to soon!). However, different Swift journals state different things about this. Some state he only filled in the rich mine entrance inside the cave. Other journals state Swift sealed up the cave entrance with masonry. If this is the case, it might be hard to find. However, I will solve this by looking for the chestnut burr, buffalo, and haystack rocks. When I find one of these rocks in this area, it should be easy to find the rich mine, even if it is sealed with masonry! As far as the landmarks go, these are the only major ones I haven't found.

I have found a few interesting things in this area and plan on probing until the end of May - if I don't find everything I am looking for before that time. Being realistic, I don't see the book coming out until next year, as I plan on devoting all my time to another area where I believe the Great Cave to be next fall/winter (and I am not going to put the book out until I prove my theory on the Great Cave either right or wrong). Should you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] - this goes for any member. While I will not give up any locations (except in the book), I will be glad to answer most questions and show a pic or two (preview!).
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Swiftsearcher,

Thanks for your reply...

Since were being "realistic" here, can I ask what you feel the odds are of you ever finding the chestnut burr rock?

Vic
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Vic,

99%! The 1% of me not finding it is if it has been destroyed (by weather, or someone destroying it who found the mine earlier - wanting to destroy the certain "mark" of the mine).

Well, if all goes well, I will be at the creek and clifts tomorrow where the mine is at. I just finished looking at a pic I took below the myrtle thicket of the "mine clifts" and there is a rock on top that looks awefully close to what a chestnut burr rock would look like (though it is a landscape pic from my digital camera and I cannot be 100% certain until I am closer).

The bad news was that I was in the half-moon shaped rock house in this area last time out and inside was an old "sifter" where someone searched the rockhouse years ago (and no treasure on the right side now). There was an interesting "rock mold" in one of the rocks in the rockhouse below another that I believe was used to pour the melted silver ore in. I didn't get pics of this last time, but will definitely tomorrow, along with the Indian Stairsteps. I got pics of everything else in this area (around the half-moon shaped rockhouse).

I will let you guys know of my progress tomorrow sometime this weekend or sooner.

SS
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

I didn't get to go out until today. However the GREAT news is that I found everything I was looking for! I found the rich mine, chestnut burr rock, haystack rock, buffalo rock and table top rock, as well as some more pics of the half-moon shaped furnace rock house and the Indian stairsteps!

Everything, again, was right where my journals stated (just as the other mines, other furnace rockhouse, waterfall, and buried treasure sites were - only all the treasure has been found :().

The only bad news is where I was by myself, I was not able to climb up to the cave entrance at the rich mine (it was between the second and third ledges, just as Swift stated - in red sandstone). I am going to have to go back with someone and get in there however. Also, there was an old "sifter" someone made in the half-moon rockhouse (furnace rockhouse) and there was no treasure on the right side as you go in - someone found it already! I did get some great pics of everything today and they will all be in my book! :)
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

I have figured the best thing to do next time out, to make sure nothing keeps me from entering the rich mine cave is to take a small light weight ladder to get on the second ledge with and some road flares to throw into the cave entrance (in case there are any critters inside). I don't want to get mauled by a bear or bitten by a den of rattlesnakes and die in the rich mine (although that would be a better place to die than most - especially after my search - I am just not ready yet - :)).

I will keep you guys posted after I go inside as to what is inside the cave and if I can find the entrance to the mine inside.

If it is not too much digging to open the mine entrance inside the cave, I might even try to go inside and get an ore sample (I already spoke with some National Forest persons and this is perfectly fine - getting ore samples). In fact, I could even file a claim on the mine then, if I wanted, as you have to have ore samples to file a mine claim on National Forest land.

I also plan on taking some strong lights as well, so I can get some nice pics of the inside of the cave.
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

I went back out to the rich mine today with Heather (my better half). We not only made it into the mine, but took some amazing photos and found (and photoed) the actual mine entrance inside the cave! It was simply amazing, as it seemed like nobody had been in there since Swift and his crew - the old locust posts were still inside the cave (though somewhat rotted, but still intact!).
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Due to several e-mails and posts like this, what I might do is go ahead and get the book out earlier. I will simply omit the information on the Great Cave, since I will still be searching for it. It will still have info., maps, journals and pics of all the mines, two furnace rockhouses, landmarks and a few other interesting pics of things I have found!
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Sounds interesting....then you have something for a sequel too! :wink:
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

OK guys I will. I should have everything together and at the publisher within the next month or two (at the latest). Since I found the rich mine and all the landmarks near it, I will have everything in the book about the mines, landmarks, cache sites, etc. Again, the ONLY thing that will be omitted is a map I have showing the location of the Great Cave and information about the Great Cave.
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

:coffee2: :thumbsup: S.S.; good idea!! Can do e-book, too... IF, you have Dig-Cam (Digital Camera) for "pics". Sell on a web-site, so we can "down-load"; don't need to be "hard-copy" ( I would RATHER have a "hard-copy", tho...). :icon_study: :wink: ;D :thumbsup: :coffee2: :thumbsup:
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

I have around half of the pics on a digital camera. I could scan the others. However, I am "old-fashioned" and will go with a hard copy. All of my Swift library consists of hard copies and I would want my book to be a hard copy as well.

I do want to try and have the pics (or at least some of them) in color however. You can see more of the details in color.

The good news is that I have permission to use National Forest maps for my book as well from the National Forest!
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

:coffee2: :thumbsup: HA! I am "old-fashioned" as well... for the "hard copies" as the OLD books in the libraries of JMU & UVA... LOVED the smell of "dem old books"... :D :wink: ANYWAY, after you get it done (Git-R-Done? :D...), I'll try to get down yer way for a "tour"; live just EAST of Roanoke Va. in Lynchburg/Bed-
ford County, Va. area. Wanna get "pics" on Dig-Cam of FreeMasonic "signs" to "treasures"... Blazing Sun, Anchor, Rising/Setting Sun... etc. for my research for Allied Masonic Degrees (AMD). :wink:
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Swiftsearcher, I was wondering if you have nailed down any of the actual trails that Mr. Swift took from the east coast to the western mountains. I have read they traveled through the Pittsburg area, through West Virginia (Seneca Trail) and Virginia. Congrats on your book.
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

O,

My concentration was primarily on the old journals/maps I had come across and matching them with today's maps - then finding everything. The hardest part (and longest) was finding the furnace rockhouse by the waterfall. After I found that, it was simply a matter of counting poles and trecking up the streams and mountains.

My good friend, (Ralph Hurst - Hello Ralph!), DID do what you are talking about and sent me copies of maps he made tracking Swift's trails from Alexandrian, Ft. Pitt and the Yadkin Valley. Ralph has been a big help to me. Everytime I find something "new", I call Ralph that evening and discuss. It is great to get another viewpoint on things and discuss where I should look next and for what.

Of course, the only thing left for me to find now is the Great Shawnee Cave. However, Ralph did talk me into doing some excavation work at the mine opening inside the cave. It is like we discussed, IF the molds are still in the mine entrance like Swift said he left them, that would be even better than finding a load of Silver Crowns - at least from a Swift Buff and History perspective!

I can promise all that the pics I have of the mine and landmarks will NOT disappoint! It even amazes me to go back and look through the pics of my adventures over the past 3+ years! Everything was right there and right where Swift stated!
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Simply Facinating...Your a gifted man. I had a feeling you were close to your recent discoveries. I'm looking forward to your written experience with this adventure.
Vic
 

Re: Swiftsearcher's book?

Vic,

Thanks for the kind words. Actually, I don't know which one will be more fascinating - the story or the pics of the landmarks, mines, etc.
 

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