Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1894 — A MUSICAL MOUNTAIN. [ARTICLE]

A MUSICAL MOUNTAIN.

Sweat Sound* Like the Tinkling of Bells Made by Shifting Sands. In the old Truckee mining district, down the Truckee river, near Pyramid Luke, is situated Nevada's musical mountain. This mountain was first discovered by the white settlers in 1868, at which time there was some excitement in regard to the mines found in the neighborhood. The discoverers Were a party of prospectors from the Comstock. They had pitched their tent at the foot of the mountain, and for a few evenings thought themselves bewitched, says the Virginia City Enterprise. Each evening, a little after dark, when the air was calm and all was quiet, a mysterious concert began. Out from the face of the big mountain were wafted soft strains that seemed to cause the whole atmosphere to quiver as they floated over the camp. The music then appeared to pass over it until it was far, far away, and almost lost in the distance, when, beginning with a tinkling, as of many little silver bells, there would be a fresh gust of sweet notes from the mountain. During the daylight hours little of the mysterious music was heard, and it was settled that it was not caused by the wind. A spring near which the explorers had pitched their tent afforded the only good camping ’ grounds in the neighborhood, and as each new party of prospectors arrived at the spot the wonder grew. Some Piute Indians who came along and camped at the spring were found to be acquainted with the peculiar musical character of the mountain. They called it the “singing mountain.” Some of the men collected in the camp became more interested in the mountain than in prospecting, and gave most of their time to an investigation of the mystery of the musical sounds heard to proceed from it. They found that the whole face of the mountain was covered with thin flakes of a hard crystalline rock. There were great beds of these flakes. The investigators concluded that the mnsical sounds heard proceeded from the loose material,, huge drifts of which seemed to be gradually working their way down the steep face of the mountain. At all events tlw strains heard at the foot of the mountain in the evening’s stillness seemed to be produced by the uniting and blending of the myriads of bell-like tinklings proceeding from the immense beds of slaty debris creeping glacier-like down tbp slope. The solution of the mystery of the musical mountain is the only one worthy of notice. As no mines of value were found the district was soon deserted, and has since seldom beep visited. Therefore, few expect the old-time prospectors know much about the “ singing mountain.”.