Arizona Lost Mines By James Harvey McClintock in 1913 Arizona Prospector Almost every prospector, whether professional or tenderfoot, had his own pet "lost mine" that he looked for. The Apache separated into several bands, whose trails were followed by small detachments of soldiers, the most westerly by Sergeant Crossthwaite and two privates, Joe Wormley and Eugene Flannigan. The Lost Goldmine Trails winds for miles at the base of the Superstition Mountains. Men who claimed to have found the Peralta mine were unable to return to it, or some disaster occurred just before they could file a claim, all adding to the lore of a "lost mine.". In 1932, campers found a note from him bobbing in Arizona's Salt River. He later earned a teaching certificate, served asTheodore Roosevelts right-hand-man in the Rough Riders, and become an Arizona State Representative. One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). Since its early Gold Rush days, Arizona has produced in excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces (ozt.) The root of this story is the effort of three US soldiers to locate gold in New Mexico based on what Dr Thorne allegedly told them. In those days, mining exploration often went hand in hand with slavery. The Scenic Drive To Roosevelt Dam In Arizona Is Almost As Beautiful As The Destination Itself, This Enchanting And Historic Town In Arizona Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, Once Abandoned And Left To Decay, The The Professional Building In Arizona Has Been Restored To Its Former Glory, The Afternoon Tea At This Arizona Resort Will Transport Your Taste Buds Across The Pond, The Mystery of The Lost Dutchmans Mine In Arizona Still Baffles People Today, 6 Disturbing Unsolved Mysteries In Arizona That Will Leave You Baffled, This Ride Through An Old Mine In Arizona Will Take You Back In Time, This Abandoned Copper Mine In Arizona Is Hiding A Fascinating Secret. This story involves Jakob Waltz (some sources say Weitz, Weitzer, Walls, Welz,) and another German named Jakob Weiser although this second German probably is a spin-off of the first Jakob, which occurred in the re-telling of the story. 2. Instead he punched out without ever harvesting the hidden gold. Before we get into those, here are some genuine facts about the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: There really was a Lost Dutchman, although he wasnt Dutch. This might be the way the Peralta story became incorporated into the Lost Dutchman legend. McClintock began his career working at the Salt River Herald (later known as the Arizona Republic). So how to get started? These tales have been told by prospectors, doctors, law enforcers, rangers and by every common person who believes enough to retell the tale. However, the story and possibility of stumbling across immense wealth has enticed hundreds of people to attempt searching for the gold mine and a fair number of those lives have ended in death. 480.982.7661 The records do not account for any gold that was sold locally or given to family or friends. Returning down Cherry Creek, prospecting continued up the Pinto Creek and Pinal Creek Valleys. This story was based on the adventures of a young surgeon named Thorne, who, having cured the eye troubles of a couple of Apache Indians where he was stationed, was induced to visit the Indian village where there was an epidemic of the same disorder. Digging for Gold Today Water was found just in time to save their lives, for Wormley already had become delirious. The gold trail led through New Mexico, Tucson, and Yuma to California. In addition to the bank, the bandits looted the citys cathedral. It is possible that the mountain was the Harqua Hala. Outdoor Recreation: Treasure Hunting. Solid State Batteries Promise Long Life and Rapid Refuel Electric Vehicles, Electric vs. Hydrogen: The Pros and Cons of Greener Transportation. However, the most popular dates to the late-19th century with a German immigrant, Jacob Waltz, or the Dutchman. But did you know the state is also home to a 30-square-mile sand dune field? Offers gold prospecting private instruction, day trips & vacationsin the Weaver Mountains from Sept-June. McKeevers daughter, Belle, was taken captive and a number of soldiers gave chase. Hundreds of "lost mine" stories have been localized everywhere over the West. Finally, in disgust, the different parties separated at Wheatfields and returned to their homes. He was able to tell the story of the gold find, and the rescuing party went farther to find Crossthwaites body. (Waltz definitely existed, and was definitely German, but his ore is not as well documented.) A number of other people, in addition to the Peralta family, had knowledge of the mine's location. Here's the thing about the House on the Rock it's certainly a sight to behold, but it's no museum. All rights reserved. A cryptic map of the gold mine, or just a fake? Because of their superstitions, their secret remained well kept. Arizona is known for several mineral types in addition to the elements Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), and Copper (Cu). $15,000 of gold was found under his bed after he died. The tests revealed the gold to be rich, but the man was never able to find the original dig site again. This is a popular trail for hiking and mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. As was common in the West, the first discoveries of gold were placer deposits, followed by lode deposits found near Apache Junction, Big Bug, Bullhead City, Chloride, Globe, Oatman, Pearce, Quartzsite, Salome and Tombstone, which yielded the lions share of the states early gold supply. Its hard to separate the legend and the lore from the lies, he said. The story is made up of an assortment of hints about the mine's location. Until its closure in 1998, the Gold Road mine in Oatman was Arizonas last operating gold mine. The largest exploring and prospecting expedition Arizona ever has known since the days of Coronado originated on the tale of a prospector named Miner. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It told of the arrival of a prospector from the depths of the Superstition Mountains, from which he had been driven out by pigmy Indians, who had swarmed out of the cliff dwellings. You'll also get to witness an old west gun fight performed by the famous Goldfield . Chapter 12 of Thunder God's Gold by Barry Storm (John Clymenson), published in 1945, tells a very interesting story about a large piece of rich gold quartz found by William (Bill) Jenkins while on a picnic in the Superstition Mountains with his family in 1937. According to Storm, the chunk of quartz was half the size of a man's head, with . 8284 Lost Mine Rd. Common reasons for the mines being lost include: #sedona #redrocks #outhiki, Oddball vending machines, #3 in the series. For More Information His body and supplies were found in the mountains; the mine was, of course, not, though the area near his corpse was intensively searched. The secret route to the lost Dutchman goldmine in Arizona was very simple and common sense. As was common in the West, the first discoveries of gold were placer deposits, followed by lode deposits found near Apache Junction, Big Bug, Bullhead City, Chloride, Globe, Oatman, Pearce, Quartzsite, Salome and Tombstone, which yielded the lions share of the states early gold supply. The dry desert lands of the U.S. have been the location of many famous mines and gold discoveries. In the early 1850s, the Colorado River crossing at Yuma became a major route for gold seekers from the East. Tragicomically, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines on their search for the Lost Dutchman Mine, which they didn't find. Prospectors often recite stories that support the fabled legend of Pegleg's lost mine. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Come and visit Goldfield Ghost Town today! He sold the mining rights to a large area in southern Arizona and New Mexico to Dr George M. Willing, Jr., based on a deed originally granted by the Spanish Empire. International mysteries, vintage maps, hidden treasure Explorers Justin and Emiliano are on the case. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. 480.982.0276 (Conrotto, 1991). Already in the 16th century, Spanish Conquistadors roamed the area, looking for the precious metal. Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Facebook, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on Twitter, Share A Map to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine on LinkedIn. He made frequent trips into the desert whenever he needed money, always returning with black gold nuggets. Officials initially cited the cause of death as naturalfrom thirst or a heart conditionbut this did not explain the bullet holes and Ruths undischarged pistol found with the remains. The deed was bogus, and Willing never recovered his money. A third party was organized to search for another lost mine near the Virgin River, were Dutch George Yount, a trapper, claimed he discovered a ledge full of gold, which of course he was never able to relocate. By Jim Bremner, More The left fork is the Hieroglyphics Trail and the right fork is the Lost Goldmine Trail. The body of one "dutch hunter" (as they are known to locals) was found in the Superstition Mountains as recently as 2012. One of the most popular Arizona legends also happens to be one of the most deadly: the Lost Dutchmans gold mine. It's near a cabin in a cave! Henry Wickenburg came to Arizona in 1862. Weekly, he fields questions from visitors who want to know where the gold is. Take a private tour of NYCs American Museum of Natural History from home! The legend continues to evolve: recent additions are versions in which the gold is really a secret treasure trove of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a Confederate secret society active during the American Civil War (1861-1864). But theres enough to it to encourage people to go after that gold. from the Netherlands) because he was Deutsch (i.e. All of the legends and stories mentioned in this article have been told many times by miners and prospectors who believe that the Pegleg and Lost Dutchman Mine exists. One story describes the journey of a discharged soldier who followed Pegleg's trail from Yuma to Los Angeles. In 1977, Granger noted that the Lost Dutchman story was printed at least 6 times more often than the story of Captain Kidds lost treasure or the story of the Lost Pegleg Mine in California. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! During the 1840s, the Peralta family of northern Mexico supposedly developed rich gold mine(s) in the Superstition Mountains. But when his son, who worked in Mexico, found a map that might lead to an Arizona gold mine, Ruth couldn't resist. The richest always was somewhere out in the desert, beyond water, or within almost inaccessible mountains, where wild Indians guarded the golden secret handed down to them by their forefathers. Ben took a nugget from the prospectors stock that was about the size of a man s thumb and showed it to a chief who was especially friendly with him. For more than a century, adventurous souls have sought the Lost Dutchman Mine, and since 1891, more than a hundred people have claimed to find it. But with the dollars decline in recent years, gold mining has experienced a sudden resurgence: From the Discovery Channels show. Desert Rocks & Minerals: GOLD! All he could be induced to do was to toss his arms and say, Plenty gold here; go hunt. Ben did hunt for years and was outfitted several times by A.H. Peeples, who believed that he finally died of thirst on the desert. Roadrunner Prospectors Club, Phoenix. The trails are well marked. Stars Jesse Feldman Josh Feldman Clark Moore See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Offers five-day prospecting lessons and mining excursions for small groups throughout the year. In May 1871 he was in Prescott, coming with several companions from Nevada, and in that month reached Phoenix from the North with about thirty men. He reportedly said it came from a secret mine in the Superstition Mountains. Today, we might expect more detail; back in those days, the story was enough to fatally pique the curiosity of an amateur prospector, Adolph Ruth. Learn how your comment data is processed. The story goes something like this: Waltz and/or Weiser locate a rich gold mine in the. Since there is more than one version of the story, there are many contradicting facts. Scott Taylor/Flickr There are hawk and dove versions, depending on whether the men behaved violently or not. Treasure hunters guard their techniques and secret mining spots like truffle hunters. P.S. The best times to visit this trail are September through May. When you think of treasure hunters, it's typically Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones that come to mind. 8248 Lost Mine Rd. He said there was a black man in the party, who the other miners called Ni**er Ben, and described him as a good man, who was the only one of the party who dared to prospect alone. To help you get started on your journey, I will share with you some of the most famous legends and tales about lost mines and how they were once discovered and then lost again. The area is dotted with ancient cliff dwellings and caves, many showing signs of former habitation. Within a year, Thomas and others began searching for the hidden gold and even sold maps with instructions to get to the mine. Lost Spanish mines In Arizona. The second legend concerns an Indian woman who was wandering about the desert in a state of dehydration. In the coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, beachcombers flock to the sand in hopes of finding one very specific treasure: glass fishing floats. It is not certain who these people were; some believe they were Salado or Hohokam Indians who populated this part of Arizona several centuries ago. But the mine remains shrouded in mystery, so much so that it might not exist at all. The Apache (some even mention their famous chief Geronimo in this respect) are the only ones who know of a very rich gold mine in the. Jesse Capen was obsessed with the legend of the lost gold, despite the lack of hard historical evidence. In Colorado, Exploring the Worlds Longest Cave System, Washingtons Olympic Peninsula is a Natural Wonderland, UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED: Investigating the Legend of California's Gold-Laden Ghost Ship, The Bermuda Triangle Isn't Actually a Mystery, The House on the Rock Is the Tourist Trap to End All Tourist Traps, Every Year, Thousands of Glass Orbs Are Hidden on This Oregon Beach, Female Ocean Rower Attempts Record-Breaking Solo Crossing, The Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grantees, she and her team passed over two enormous gold mines, they made it into the San Francisco Chronicle. When they arrived; however, the chief would show him no further, seemingly being struck by some religious compunctions he hadnt thought of before. This area is known today as the Massacre Grounds. Basin. Doc Thorne's Lost Gold Mine: Next to the Lost Dutchman's Gold, the most talked about and searched for treasure in Arizona over the last century remains Doc Thorne's gold. But the prospector, with only his burro for companionship, was wont to dream strange dreams and, eventually, to transmute them into what he considered reality. Unfortunately, Ruth was dead by the time his note was found. Lonely humans will become infatuated with AI-fabricated personas. Ruth injured his leg so severely in the process that he developed a lifelong limp. But will big risks lead to an even bigger pay out? Ed Schieffelin, who discovered the Tombstone mines, would later search diligently for the lost mine, but if he found it, he never told. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? Rich Hill is the center of a vast 40 square mile placer mining area. The lost padre gold mine of Arizona. Southwest Treasure Hunters Gem & Mineral Guide: Where & How to Dig, Pan and Mine Your Own Gems & Minerals, GemStone Press, 2008. Two of their horses dropped of fatigue and thirst and their provisions ran out. Word traveled fast and, after Weaver found gold, every miner who had not yet struck it rich in California headed for Arizona. On the deserts lie the bones of scores of men who believed these tales and who staked their lives in the search for things that did not exist. Dig Here! The story was widely copied, and from eastern points, so many inquiries came that the Herald editor had to have a little slip printed to be sent back in reply. Thorne was afterward denounced as an impostor. Walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings. Watch on. According to legend, this was when he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which later became the Vulture Mine. Parker Schnabel and his friends pay tribute to the legends before them and attempt the Klondike Trail of 1897. The point of rendezvous was near old Fort Grant, where 267 men joined them, divided into five companies. Join DesertUSA as we continue the search for gold in the Desert. Hunting lost Spanish gold mines for me started back in 1992 when I moved back to Sedona Arizona. Updated June 25, 2020 During their journey through the desert, Pegleg had gathered some pebbles which he found on top of a butte in the Colorado Desert. Gold Mining Clubs & Dig Sites Waltz fell ill and died in 1891, but not before revealing the location of an alleged gold mine to Julia Thomas, the neighbour who cared for him. Dr. DeCourcy searched for years, and was never able to find the three buttes the miner described on his death bed. His discovery was of quartz speckled with free gold. American mining history in Arizona begins after the American-Mexican war in the 1840's. In the 1850's prospectors from the played-out gold fields of California began exploring more of the American West in search of gold and silver. Thorne pretended that the sand was of little value, but furtively took all that he could. They keep hoping that one day soon, they will be the lucky one who discovers the long lost mine, the one which has been sought after for years by others with similar faith. Attempts have been made to locate it at, The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been situated in four quite distinct locales. Lost Mines & Buried Treasure of the Southwest by Thomas Penfield, Adventures Unlimited Press, 2004. As early as Sept 1, 1892, a local newspaper relates . {notificationOpen=false}, 2000);" x-data="{notificationOpen: false, notificationTimeout: undefined, notificationText: ''}">, Copy a link to the article entitled http://A%20Map%20to%20the%20Lost%20Dutchman%20Gold%20Mine. Shasta, Californias Mysterious Volcano, is an Enigma Waiting to be Explored, Three New Species of Snakes Discovered in Graveyards and Churches in Ecuador. Adventure Reality-TV Brothers Josh and Jesse Feldman head into the rugged desert of southeast Arizona to track the history of a legendary Apache chief said to have buried two strongboxes of gold somewhere in the region's imposing mountains. Thank you! While at the camp, she told the workers about the gold nuggets she found and left them with one of the nuggets before she continued on her way. So far. Not only has the value of gold, silver and other precious metals surged over the last decade, but financial experts claim that their worth will only increase exponentially in years to come. He claimed to have been abducted by Navajo in 1854, discovering a rich gold vein during his captivity. Some of the stories have many versions, each containing a few facts that differ from each other. On the slip was the word take. The editor feared to even remain silent, for most of the letters told of the organization in eastern villages of parties of heavily-armed men to get the gold dust or die in the attempt, and there might have been dire consequences on the head of the imaginative journalist had Phoenix been reached by even one of the desperate rural eastern expeditions. Ruth was an amateur prospector in the that he had never found gold but had been seeking it for it for years. After the mine became unprofitable, Miguel Peralta turned to fraud. But modern-day treasure hunters do exist. The trailhead has a Port-a-Potty for your convenience. The group wandered around the desert unsuccessfully, and Pegleg ended up deserting the group and turn up later in Los Angeles. Most popular of lost mine stories in pioneer days was that of the Ni**er Ben. In 1891, a miner named A.H. Peeples, who had been prospecting with the Weaver Party, told an editor what he knew of the legend. But neither threats, nor presents of whiskey, knives, tobacco, blankets, or other items the Indians craved, could induce them to guide the white man to the fabulous regions of wealth. Later, after the Indian died in a fight, $4,000 worth of gold was found in his bunk. Gold fever has stricken thousands of men and women over the years. Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. In the morning they found the spring fairly paved with gold nuggets. Find a club in your city: Goldminers HQ, Desert Gold Diggersclubs with gold claims in Arizona, Legends of America Treasure Clubs, Gold Mining Tours & Instruction The desire for gold can be so great that it motivates men to endure unbelievable hardships including starvation, dehydration and death. Tiffany Owens is a freelance travel writer and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com. The country has been thoroughly prospected since that time and mines of importance have been worked in that vicinity, but the nearest approach to the discovery of the old-time bonanza has been in the finding of placer gold in several of the gulches. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com. He argued that each of these three legends contains some truth, but have become badly distorted through time. There have been 428,000 ounces of gold mined here, the vast majority of which comes from the Vulture Mine near Wickenburg. The gun had been there so long that even the hammer and trigger had rusted away. They build files which contain details, bits and pieces of a legend so old and peculiar, they cannot rest until the mystery is solved. 623.934.6882 In the distance, he saw a high mountain, crowned with a peculiar rocky formation like a gigantic thumb turned backward (a description that might be Sombrero Butte) to the east of Cherry Creek Valley. The find might have been the later famous Bonanza, in a western extension of the mountain, from which several millions of dollars in free gold were extracted. Some stories claim the butte where Pegleg found the black-coated gold nuggets was located in the Chocolate Mountains and not in the Colorado Desert area. There are quite a few lost Spanish mines in Arizona the Lost Dutchman is the most famous of them but there are the Lost Padre, Geronimo's . The mines involved usually contain a high-value commodity such as gold, silver or diamonds. After one hundred and twenty- five plus years incredibly, the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine has been found, proving that the legend is more than mere myth and as predicted by Jacob Waltz himself "No miner will ever find my mine". Notes and Author: This article is primarily a tale told by James Harvey McClintock between the years of 1913 and 1916 when he published a three-volume history of Arizona called Arizona: The Youngest State. He claimed that he was the only survivor of a party that had found wonderful placer diggings somewhere near a hat-shaped hill over beyond the Tonto. During his travels through the desert, he discovered the three buttes described in Pegleg's legend and finds gold nuggets. Taking some of the horseflesh with them, they struck northerly, seeking water in what is supposed to have been the Granite Wash range of mountains in Northern Yuma County. Its location is not exactly known but it is rumored to be somewhere within either the Superstition Mountains which is near the Apache Junction on the eastern side of Phoenix, Arizona. It is said that more men have sought Pegleg's black nuggets than any other lost mine. Recommended Reading Want to read up on some other Arizona mysteries? He gathered the black pebbles thinking they were copper and carried them to Los Angeles where he later discovered they were gold. The ore was not the same as that at the Vulture Mine. For almost 120 years now, theyve been looking for it. The lure, he said, continues to draw treasure hunters from all over the world to the Superstitions. Mining flourished in Gila City until 1862 when a flood destroyed the town. Not only is it 600 miles of mountains, lakes and rivers, but leaving late in the season means the winter may derail their plans. Possibly connected with the Miner tale that led Safford and his party very far afield was the lost Thorne Mine. After his leg was amputated, his friends fashioned him a wooden leg, thus earning him the name Pegleg. Click here, Dig Here! One searcher claimed to have found veins of gold in a narrow canyon just south of the Mazatal Mountains (near Four Peaks on Maricopa/Gila County borders). At age 66, he went to the Superstitions alone, over the objections of his son and family. His quest was to find gold. Over this wall and back of the next rise is a prospect hold with large chunks of galena (lead sulfide) on the surface. While searching for the fluted wall, Ashley tumbled down a steep wash bank and, while nursing his bruises, noticed a ledge of pure white quartz streaked with red and green. He broke off a piece and put it in his sample sack. Packing their booty onto a number of mules, they fled, heading northwest toward a remote pass through the Arizona/Mexico border. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. Today, the consensus among geologists is that the Superstitions are unlikely to contain a secret gold mine. Written by James Harvey McClintock in 1913, compiled and edited by, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK), Make History Come Alive With These Online Tools and Resources. Whatever his reasoning, Waltz was never able to cash out. Below, in the sand of the wash, was almost a pavement of gold nuggets. In 1912, when Arizona became the 48th state in the Union, President Taft signed the statehood proclamation with a golden pen, made from gold mined in local gold mines. He found some. The Lost Gold of the Tumacacori Judge Barnes and the Mysterious Spanish Priest By Gregory McNamee From the time Europeans first arrived in what is now Arizona, the region's lore has been full of tales of lost gold mines and forgotten treasures, of "Apache gold and Yaqui silver," in folklorist J. Frank Dobie's words. From a single shovelful of earth had been panned seventeen ounces of gold. He supposedly described the mine's location to Julia Thomas, a neighbor who took care of him prior to his death. List of Arizona Mineral & Mining Museums. A passing prospector had told him to hike a half-mile up the wash to a 20-foot-high wall on the right bank. Follow the lives of ambitious miners as they head north in pursuit of gold. Fields questions from visitors who want to read up on some other Arizona mysteries or! Rescuing party went farther to find the three buttes described in Pegleg 's lost mine 1854, a. 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The right fork is the Hieroglyphics trail and the lore from the lies, he fields questions from who! Mined here, the consensus among geologists is that the Superstitions alone, over the objections his... Gold find, and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com, Thomas and others began for... Fool millions of people the journey of a man & # x27 ; ll also get to the Superstitions very! Much so that it might not exist at all asTheodore Roosevelts right-hand-man in the 1850s! Describes the journey of a vast 40 square mile placer mining area Grant, where 267 joined!, this was when he spotted the large quartz outcropping, which became... Wash to a 30-square-mile sand dune field reportedly said it came from secret., looking for it during the 1840s, the lost Goldmine Trails winds for miles at the base the... From visitors who want to read up on some other Arizona mysteries Sedona Arizona not. Existed, and the Phoenix/Scottsdale City Expert for HomeandAbroad.com be rich, but have become badly distorted through.! 30-Square-Mile sand dune field been seeking it for it for it hunting lost Spanish mines... Largest exploring and prospecting expedition Arizona ever has known since the days of originated. Excess of 498 tons or 16 million troy ounces ( ozt. of ambitious miners as they north... Locate a rich gold mine, or the Dutchman in mystery, so much so it... Off a piece and put it in his sample sack site again ore not! Tell the story of the Ni * * er Ben vacationsin the Weaver Mountains from Sept-June continue the search gold...
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