The Peralta-Fish Map

Hal Croves

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Sep 25, 2010
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This thread is dedicated to the interpretation and translation of the Peralta-Fish Map. The photographs, graphics and shared documents are copyrighted materials and used with the approval of the Superstition Mountain Historical Society.

The following titles were relied upon to help form what should only be considered one possible conclusion.


Spanish - English Dictionary of Mining Terms

Frederick Lucas
1905 The Technological Institute, London


EARLY SPANISH TREASURE SIGNS & SYMBOLS

WM. Mahan
1963 Little Treasure Publishing Co., Texas


EARLY SPANISH TREASURE SIGNS & SYMBOLS

Dr. D.B. O’Higgins, Sc. D.
International Explorers Club, California

TREASURE TALES OF THE SUPERSTITIONS
Clues, Maps and Twice Told Tales
T.E. Glover
2015 Granite Creek Publishing, Arizona

Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Stories from the Diary of FRANK L. FISH
Lake Erie Schaefer
1980 Amador Publishing Company, California



 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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In January of 2017, curiosity and frustration left me motivated to reach out to the Superstition Mountain Historical Society and to ask for help in reading the Peralta-Fish Map. Distance, the maps frailty, poor image quality and not knowing Spanish were all obstacles. To complicate things, the translations found in T.E. Glover’s book make little sense. They were written on a traced copy of the original map and some of the words weren’t actually words. This copy of the original is described as the Legends of Adventure Map (LAM). Intentionally or not, the (LAM) copy leaves off several landmarks found on the original. Also, a few words were added to the (LAM) copy and for some unexplained reason, a date. A high-resolution scan of the original was needed to read the map. After learning from the SMHS that one didn’t exist, Jon Fetzer, with his impressive list of credentials, suggest ScanGo Sevices, his imaging company. A date was set and the idea presented to the SMHS who agreed to have the map scanned. The appointment was kept and the results, seen here by way of the SMHS, are impressive.

I believe that the Peralta-Fish map is authentic and I think that it can now be read to the point of correct translation thru consensus.



A “thank you” to the Superstition Mountain Historical Society for their generosity and help.


Peralta-Fish Map.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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Here I split the RGB channels of the original color image. The RED channel (obviously the easiest to read) is what I will be using when I post details of the PFM.

RGB.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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According to WM. Mahan, these examples of capital R and S were common to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The same is true of the lowercase letters except the "i" is written backwards.

This means that the map could have been made between 1501 and 1800.

He doesn't mention this specific style being used in the 19th century, but it may have.
Rio Salado - Salty River


Rio Salado.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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WM. Mahan writes that this is an 18th century capital E.
That would date the map to the 1700's perhaps early 1800.


E.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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nice work hal..good to see old bill mahan's name come up again...i haven't seen anything about him in years:icon_thumright:

Difficult to find his book but well worth the effort.

O’Higgins book I think is a knockoff of Mahan’s but his edits are interesting.
 

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azdave35

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Difficult to find his book but well worth the effort.

O’Higgins book I think is a knockoff of Mahan’s but his edits are interesting.
i have a few of mahan's original treasure magazines from the late 50's -early 60's....he was the first guy to use a metal detector on padre island off the shore of texas ...his magazines had pics of him with some of his finds...gold and silver bars...spanish coins...he was truly a pioneer in metal detecting
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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i have a few of mahan's original treasure magazines from the late 50's -early 60's....he was the first guy to use a metal detector on padre island off the shore of texas ...his magazines had pics of him with some of his finds...gold and silver bars...spanish coins...he was truly a pioneer in metal detecting
That is a hobby that I would like to try.
I had one as a teen but it was essentially useless.

Lots of models to choose from but I am in the dark.
 

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azdave35

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Dec 19, 2008
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Thats a hobby that I would like to try.
I had one as a teen but it was essentially useless.

Lots of models to choose from but I am in the dark.
hal...depends on what you want to detect...its best to get and all around machine that will work for prospecting..coins or relics...whites mxt...fisher gold bug pro..tesoro lobo super traq are all excellent machines
 

deducer

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Good work Hal, keep it up. Refreshing to see us back on subject.
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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I am not sure why I didn’t start with the title.

El derrotero de los minas oro apache.

“The course of the Apache gold mines.”
However, derrotero has several translations - “course” in nautical terms, “direction”, “way”.

Here I think that derrotero is used as an idiom. It’s listed as one.
Which would translate to:

“The hidden treasure of the Apache gold mines.”

Which makes much more sense when thinking about the complete map.
I find that fascinating.


PF Title.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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I am not sure why I didn’t start with the title.

El derrotero de los minas oro apache-

“The course of the Apache gold mines.”
However, derrotero has several translations - “course” in nautical terms, “direction”, “way”.

Here I think that derrotero is used as an idiom. It’s listed as one.
Which would translate to:

“The hidden treasure of the Apache gold mines.”

Which makes much more sense when thinking about the complete map.
I find that fascinating.

View attachment 1754235

Taken from A Dictionary, Spanish and English and English and Spanish
A. Millar, J. Nourse, and P. Vaillant, 1763


A "fea chart".... might mean “a small chart” ???


68875717-2AC5-4BB6-9E94-90B5E8C7653F.jpeg
 

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markmar

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I am not sure why I didn’t start with the title.

El derrotero de los minas oro -

“The course of the Apache mines.”
However, derrotero has several translations - “course” in nautical terms, “direction”, “way”.

Here I think that derrotero is used as an idiom. It’s listed as one.
Which would translate to:

“The hidden treasure of the Apache mines.”

Which makes much more sense when thinking about the complete map.
I find that fascinating.


View attachment 1754235

Hal

IMHO, this map is not for any treasure which came from the gold mines of the Apache land. But you can call it like you want if this excites you.
The word " derrotero " is for a course which someone has to follow in regards to find what he is looking for. The words " Guarda el sombrero " and " Pasaran la trabajadora " ( the next up text in the map) are advices which prompt to do them in the way.
 

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Cubfan64

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hal...depends on what you want to detect...its best to get and all around machine that will work for prospecting..coins or relics...whites mxt...fisher gold bug pro..tesoro lobo super traq are all excellent machines

Minelab makes some good detectors too. While there are definitely differences in detectors, I've come to believe a person with a significant amount of practice and experience with a detector is superior to a novice with an expensive detector. Moral of the story, get a mid range one from any reputable mfg. that is supposed to do what you want to do and practice, practice, practice. Dig everything and get your ears trained and it doesn't take too long before you can tell a good tone from a bad one. I still dig most everything.
 

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Hal Croves

Hal Croves

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Hal

IMHO, this map is not for any treasure which came from the gold mines of the Apache land. But you can call it like you want if this excites you.
The word " derrotero " is for a course which someone has to follow in regards to find what he is looking for. The words " Guarda el sombrero " and " Pasaran la trabajadora " ( the next up text in the map) are advices which prompt to do them in the way.

Problem with your explanation is that there really is no described or noted course to follow. There might be a small, obscure trail indicated but it is a short one, if it is one.
I think that the map is meant to be used to locate a treasure trove and secondly, mines.

I never question a persons beliefs, only their declarations.
But yes, the Peralta-Fish Map excites me, as the "king of the Spanish-Mexican maps" why wouldn't it?
 

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PotBelly Jim

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Taken from A Dictionary, Spanish and English and English and Spanish
A. Millar, J. Nourse, and P. Vaillant, 1763


A "fea chart".... might mean “a small chart” ???


View attachment 1754253

Hal, looks like "s" and "f" were both used interchangeably on that page for "s"...there is one above it that says "courfe" for "course"...it was probably meant to be "sea chart".
 

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