the great deception of swift

[KY Hiker]

I once asked for permission to metal detect this spot, and while I was there, the neighbors stood and watched. Finally at one point I hit on something under this small rock ledge. Turned out to be an old mason jar lid and broken glass. Thought I’d found an old coin bank. It was empty. I covered it back up. The next day when I returned, someone had dug it back up and left the empty hole. I know there was nothing there, but I also knew who did it. After that, I learned not to do all the work for others... same as now, there is a film crew filming about Swift. I was going to reach out early on, but I felt like I’d be doing all the work, and having someone else come in later and take all the work away from me. That’s why it’s hard for me to share information. But if anyone has any questions about their areas, or maybe needs some help, I am willing to help with the research, but the legwork is all yours unless you want the help.

Matt

I'm just after the truth of the legend, the silver is secondary. To get the rights to it, if found, would be a feat in and of itself. I am convinced that through the years bits of misinformation have been injected into the story to confuse and mislead. If you listen to Bill Gibson in the video link I posted, he talks about a man stopping him and asking him what he seeks. After telling him, the man says he may proceed. Mr. Gibson revealed a true key to this puzzle with his answer, those with eyes may see and those with ears may listen. I wonder how many in that room truely listened to him?

 

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[KY Hiker]

If you look on Google Earth you will see that Pikeville is enclosed by a river encircling it just like Swift said where they left the horses and pack mules.

A similar area along Swift Camp Creek can be seen on this topo map.

https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?l...83&zoom=4&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomin&size=m

 

[KY Hiker]

A High Knob is where two longhunters found silver ore during a snow storm before the Battle of King's Mountain. Read it in Draper Manuscripts or Google "Longhunters" William Pittman and Henry Skaggs

I think I have read that here somewhere in a thread, was that Log Mt. in KY near Cumberland Gap?

 

[swiftfan]

I think I have read that here somewhere in a thread, was that Log Mt. in KY near Cumberland Gap?

I think at one time Pine Mountian was known as Log Mountain. Not sure though

 

[KY Hiker]

Looks like its an area of mountains SE of Pine Mt. but WSW of Pineville,KY
https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?l...&zoom=16&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomout&size=m

 

[rgb1]

have been trying to give you guys a response i keep getting kicked off will try again tomarrow .

 

[franklin]

I think I have read that here somewhere in a thread, was that Log Mt. in KY near Cumberland Gap?

I think it said only in the "back country" which was anything North of the Cumberland River. I do know that Henry Skaggs was at Harman's Station where Filson's Map says "reputed silver mines"

 

[franklin]

I think at one time Pine Mountian was known as Log Mountain. Not sure though

I believe Log Mountain is the chain south of Pine Mountain. You may have to look on Google Earth?

 

[KY Hiker]

have been trying to give you guys a response i keep getting kicked off will try again tomarrow .

Might need to reset your router? Just unplug it for a minute and plug it back in. When all the lights come back you should be good to go.

 

[rgb1]

thanks hiker will try that it also seems this computer is failing as i type unless i check carefully im missing a lot of letters in my words i'm really dumb wit electronics comp.ect.

 

[hollarromper]

When you say Shawnee what are you referring to? An actual cave they lived in or??

 

[KY Hiker]

Some versions of the Swift journal mention a Shawnee Cave or Great Shawnee Cave where they left a large stash of smelted silver (and gold). The Shawnee thought the cave as sacred and some say there were Indians buried in it. Many speculate that the cave has/had multiple entrances and that it passed through one side of a mountain and out the other side. I don't discount the idea, its possible, and Mr. Gibson found kegs of coined silver some 6 or 7 miles deep in one cave under Pine Mt. I highly doubt he made them himself and made up the story, he just doesn't come across as a deceptive person. Protective yes, but not deceptive. So in my mind there are three known caves in KY that could be considered 'Great'... Mammoth Cave, Pigeon Water Cave and the 'hollow ground' under and around the Pound Gap area. The Pound area could have collapsed or was covered up by Swift. Pigeon Water is, to me, a real possibility since that is where Mr. Gibson found and left several kegs of coins marked with dates previous to Swift's claimed mining time frame. Mammoth is another, only because of documented Indian evidence found in it over the years.

 

[rgb1]

I think you are referring to the sediment rock deposits from the ancient sea? That is mostly sandstone, and from what I have read the metals are below that layer. Precious metals come from metamorphic stone I do believe. These would seep up through fissures from volcanic or thermal activity or from severe impacts into the crust from space. I am no geologist though, so find an expert to get a definite answer to that.

I have yet to get an answer on the hemispherical cavities I see on cliff faces and under some rock houses. What was deposited there that washed out and left the round hole shapes. I need to befriend a good geologist I guess.

cavities the holes in cliff faces are caused by 1 or 2 things either te cement material olding the stone together in that area was of poor composition or there was a concretion that fell out leaveing the void a concretion can be formed ofcarbonate minerals suc as calcite or oxides or hydroxides minerals hope this answers your question

 

[KY Hiker]

cavities the holes in cliff faces are caused by 1 or 2 things either te cement material olding the stone together in that area was of poor composition or there was a concretion that fell out leaveing the void a concretion can be formed ofcarbonate minerals suc as calcite or oxides or hydroxides minerals hope this answers your question

Yes, many are smaller than golf ball size, others I have pictures of are 10, 20, some almost 30 ft in diameter on the face of cliffs. Their shape is almost perfectly half hemispherical.

Here in this video of Indian Stairway in the RRGorge you can just see a glimpse of one to the left of the stairway.



You can see a couple of the holes on the cliff face in the distance near the end of this video.

 

[rgb1]

thanks hiker never seen that before

 

[KY Hiker]

What would make such large bubble like deposits? And then erode away faster than the sandstone? There is a place along the Red River we used to call 'hole in the wall' but now has the popular name of Eagle's Nest. A very sketchy place to climb down into from the cliff top...over 150ft down to the rocky bottom. This 'hole in the wall' has this same shape, and by the way, its the second most popluar place to fall and die in the RRGorge.



Chimney Rock is the #1 place people die at the RRGorge, views of Half Moon rock and Revenuer's Rock can be seen from this point. Revenuer's Rock has one of these hemispherical divots in it and is probably 100ft in diameter. Here is a drone video of that area.

 

[KY Hiker]

Auxier Ridge and Courthouse Rock are very popular hiking areas within the Red River Gorge. Here is more drone footage of that area which is just South of the Indian Creek area and Blackburn grave site discussed in other threads.


Sky Bridge sits on top of a ridge right above the mouth of Swift Camp Creek at the Red River. It has been thought of in the past as the possible lighthouse described in Swift Journals. This is probably how it got its name. It is not properly oriented to be the lighthouse however, because there is no way to see the setting sun through it from another ridge.


Finally there is Cloudsplitter, a very interesting formation and popular destination for hikers in the Indian Staircase area of the Sheltowee Trace. It has an ancient crack down the length of this outcropping that can be entered in and it leads to a cave opening on the side of the formation. This cave has been dug and found evidence of almost continuous native human occupation for some 6,000 years.

 

[franklin]

Write a script and put it with all that video and make yourself a documentary and sell to the networks. Most interesting.

 

[KY Hiker]

Write a script and put it with all that video and make yourself a documentary and sell to the networks. Most interesting.

Well, it's not my video to use...I think drone footage can do a lot of general searching in the field especially along cliff lines that would be dangerous to climb or repel. I don't think it would do well as far as finding carvings unless it were rigged with a good zoom. I would enjoy using one if I could afford one, but that won't be any time in the near future. I posted those links for anyone who might be able to afford one and use it for search applications, particularly for Swift/silver mining openings. They also show the beauty of the area...it is one of the last 'Swift legend areas' that did not get dammed up and made into a lake.

 

[KY Hiker]

I forgot this one, its a drone video of Natural Bridge S.P. which is just South of the Red River Gorge. Stories of gold nuggets being found on a drain off of Mill creek (now a lake) have been posted on other threads here. When you look at a larger topo map of the region its easy to see that an Indian Trace passed through here from the Beattyville, KY area. Beattyville was a sort of cross roads of a North South route and an East West route. Finding the ford point along the KY river would nail down that trace which would be just South of what this video covers. Beattyville sits near the three forks of the KY river which some believe resemble the Cherokee turkey track carvings found all over East KY. Symbolism was the language of the Indians...