MENDOCINO COUNTY

The following article is a very old one that was sent in by a couple in Astoria, Oregon.

PHENOMENA OF THE MENDOCINO MOUNTAINS
by E. John

In the summer of 1930 my Mother and I thought it would be a good idea to take up a homestead like the pioneers did in the early days. After looking at many maps and government land office tracts, we decided that the land in Mendocino County in California, would be just what we wanted; so after locating and filing, we started to build our house. Well, all went well until we finished construction, then the peculiar things began to happen. In order to obtain funds for further improvements we decided to cut firewood from the dense forest that is on this land, so we managed to get an experienced lumber jack to cut the trees for us, and we left him there alone for a few days while we were in town selling the wood. But we were in town only two days when he came in and gave us the keys to the house, and said to keep his bond money (he had put up a bond that we knew how to do the work properly). He would not explain why he left but he said that under no circumstances would he ever go back to that place again.

A few days later we moved into the place ourselves. The first night was quiet, but a few nights later we could hear noises that did not belong, such as many horses drinking water at once though no water was to be had, for at that time I did not have a water supply, but when I went outside I saw nothing. Then there were scratching sounds at the door, and still nothing to be seen. But a little later on the door knob would turn of its own accord and that I did not like, so I took a shot with the rifle through the door and the knob quit turning. When I opened the door there was nothing there. As a note of interest, one night I opened the door and there was a mountain lion right in front of me and only a yard away, but the lion looked at me and I at him, and then the lion turned and went away. I still can't understand why he did not attack me.

Also there was the phenomena of bright lights outside the house at night, but I was never able to find out where they came from. They would light the place up just as though a street lamp were overhead, and I had the idea that the place actually had moved to the streetlights in the town, and it stayed that way all night.

In the morning of the second day in the third week I decided to install the water pipe to the house, so taking my tools and also a rifle I climbed the hill to the water supply, and while working on the pipes I noticed a movement. This moovement turned out to be a Cherokee Indian Chief in full ceremonial dress, including a peace pipe. He said to me, "This is my land." I answered that I knew that it was. The answer stopped the Indian cold, he could not speak for a moment. Then I said, "Why don't you allow me to use this land, I would not wreck it and would not stay too long." The Indian agreed to this, and then warned me, and here is the warning and the conditions that I had to observe in using that land: "First (he said) do not cut trees, do not shoot deer, do not shoot birds, and do not allow strangers to do so either. Then he said, "You may have this land. It is yours for as long as you wish and no power on earth can take it from you, and if anyone comes here with the idea of taking it my people will shoot them with the invisible arrows, which go right to the heart and unerringly kill the interloper. And when or if he is found the verdict will be death due to heart failure." After he left (and he vanished right after that speech) I thought at first it was someone playing a joke on me, but I was soon to find out that wasn't the case.

The fourth day in the third week was when I was introduced to the little people there. I was always under the impression that they were figments of imagination but I was soon to learn better. The first inkling came when I was working up near the spring on the hill, and I noticed that small things were flitting around me. I decided to be still and see what they were. After sitting still for a few minutes I saw that little elves came out from under the brush; they were followed by what I now know are Undines, and then Sylphs and Nymphs, and they all collectively surrounded me and looked at me in such an appealing wondering sort of way. If I would just make the slightest move they would be gone, so at first I would keep very still and they would come closer and closer. Finally after a few days they would get brave enough to come right up to me, and then they would ask me very childish questions, such as, "What is a gun," etc.? They would actually lean on my shoulder and look at whatever I was doing. After they were accustomed to me a little I asked them about the way they lived, and they showed me all of their secrets that they were allowed to show. It seems that the land that I had is in the center of their domain and it changes into their vibration at times, but I found out that if I were to enter their land I would be unable to return to this land and I did not care for the idea at that time.

The Undines live in the water, and they need very little water to live in. The Sylphs live in the air, and are light and warm to the touch. The Nymphs live in trees and are quite substantial to the touch. They need a good tree for their home. The other secrets are not for the average person to know, so I would rather not divulge them at present. I don't feel that I am better than anyone else, but I have lived near such things for two years and I have been very lucky to escape alive. My luck may not protect everyone who goes into such a world. I tried to get a Nymph to leave her tree and come to civilization with me but the ruling power up there would not allow it. I see now why, although I did not at the time.

As you have doubtless read Gnomes have a treasure and if one can hold a Gnome he can force it to divulge its treasure. Now that is a thing I would never do, and I have seen Gnomes right within my reach, but I have found since that super-knowledge is far better than a puny treasure and I have been given the power to find all secrets. There is no secret that I cannot find if I wish to, and also technical things that are far above anything that our science has today, but I feel that many of the things should be forgotten for the people are not ready for such knowledge as yet.

However, to continue: In the pantry window one day at sundown we saw a pair of eyes staring at us. The eyes were five inches in diameter, and glowed with a reddish green and were very bright. However when I went outside, I saw nothing and the eyes vanished; when I went in the house the eyes reappeared. I played that game with them for some twenty minutes, until they finally went away. While they were going away we saw a large black shape like three large cones piled one on the other, and that shape went down to the meadow. We never did find out what the shape was.

As a note of interest; One evening about 10:00 p.m. we saw two large cars, and they drove down the road to the end, we thought at the time. However, the road that they picked was a narrow trail that ends in Red Rock Canyon, and there is no way to turn around there, you have to back up all the way if you are foolish enough to go in. In the morning when we looked at and followed the tracks of the cars, there were only one set of tire marks, and each wheel was six inches wide on the ground. We followed them down to the end -- and they ended against a boulder and that was that. We never did learn where they went. However, I have hints since then and I do not care to enlarge upon them. (Note: In those days they had narrow tires.)

There have been several perfect crimes committed in that area I heard later after we had left the place. It seems that a man murdered two wives there near Red Rock Canyon. He later was found dead in his car with the doors shut and windows locked, with one empty rifle in his hands and a full rifle next to him. The coroner never did find out what killed him.

That area is a good place to be from is my experience to put it mildly.