Forgot that's where I got the story - hope I got the details close enough, ha ha. Black Range Tales is an incredibly good book, highly recommended. I remember Jimmy describing Apache raids around Kingston, "There is no fear greater than Indian fear."
He gets even more descriptive when addressing Georgetown. Says men were even afraid to take a minute to shave.
But, the Silvertips were the worst. Anyone who wants those roaming our forests again has no idea what the implications would be. I have trod a lot of the places in the 'Tales, and meeting a Griz solo 5 miles on foot back into nowhere in that country would not be a joke.
For those not familiar with the book, it contains several versions of the Lost Adams tale (the gold placer one), also known as the Snivley Diggings, N Diggins, etc. from the perspective of a man who actually lived in those days and roamed the country. Another good true story book is No Life for a Lady by Agness Morely Cleaveland; she lived right up the the heart of the Adams country.
Sorry for the distraction from the Peralta Stones topic. I myself find them suspiciously well-made and a little too ornate. I may make the rendezvous for the first time this year, having little excuse since I am now in AZ as my main base. Maybe I can be educated as to their authenticity. Anyone considering them may want to look up historical Spanish writing styles. The style of the numbers on the stone maps seem too modern. The Spanish also seems corrupted.
Since it is a lost mine story, as opposed to a cache story, my strategy would be to seek out the geology and camp signs rather than walk ten paces from a map landmark. Of course, this could waste a lifetime unless starting in some generally-relevant area.
My favorites have always been the little sites, signs, and markers with no name that I have stumbled across over the years. The big stories get so jumbled. The little sites rest only on their observable features.