All Clues Lead To Swift

Note: This issue of the Swift blog features Kiowa Scott Muncie, a modern day Swift researcher. Kiowa has long been interested in the Swift Legend and has amassed an extensive knowledge of the legend and Kentucky history.

    My name is Kiowa Muncie, better known as "Ki" to some. I like to think of myself as a treasure hunter of the Red River region in Eastern Kentucky. I was born and raised here exploring and hiking the Gorge for the past twenty years. Ten of those I've spent learning and searching for Swift's lost mines. During that time I've come across some amazing things. Perhaps the most amazing thing I found merely by accident will have a profound effect on the rest of my life.

    I'll start with what I've come to call Swift's West Mine. I was out on a mushroom hunt one spring walking cliff lines, new country to me at that time, a very remote wilderness with no road or trail for miles. I found myself turned around with the feeling of being lost. I did not panic and eventually I began to find my way back. From out of nowhere I come upon a place in the cliff with a small route up to the second ledge, so I climbed up and continued searching the cliff line crossing over to the other side of the ridge. From there I noticed what appeared to be a old worn trail that went along the second ledge. So, out of curiosity I followed the trail to the end only to find a hole that went strait back through the cliff. I made a mental note, snapped a few pictures and pushed on to find my way back home.

    It wasn't until a few years later that I made the connection of the place being a possible Swift site. My curiosity took me back to the site where my exploration began. In searching other possibilities of what this place could be I was left with this conclusion. The place was an actual man made hand cut shaft. I could now consider it a mine and through exploration of the mine there appears to be areas of suet. Experts have informed me this could be from the early use of cane torches as a light source. There are noticeable chisel marks along the walls leading back to an area that widens. At this point a sizable dirt pile blocks the rest of the passage. A carving of a bell can be found at this location. Outside the shaft is a rock of the same type possibly used to seal the entrance. Here there is a carving of an anchor, the initials "JO.S" and other curious markings can just within yards of the mine as well.  Swift mentions in his journal that he "concealed all traces of his workings by filling them in with dirt, and placing a rock in the entrance." 

    My curiosity still wasn't satisfied; I needed to know more, To find my answers I explored the surrounding area. To my amazement I discovered an area where you can actually stand and look across over to the mine. Swift also tells of a place where he stood and looked across over to his mine. I believe this could be the Lookout Rock he spoke of. My reason for believing this is a set of carvings I found next.

    On a rock very near the lookout rock are a set of very interesting carvings. They are a "JS," a pair of turkey tracks, some other curious marks and a date that appears to be 1761. Now this really got me excited since the carvings appear to be very old and cut deep in the rock. After study of the carvings the turkey tracks do appear to point back to the mine but they also point back to another place I found on the way into the area of the mine. Could the carvings on the "JS" rock be pointing out key places? 

    Located near a big saddle gap on an adjoining ridge is a peculiar rock with a small natural arch or window, the only one of its kind in this immediate area. On this rock is the large carving of a triangle cut deep in the sandstone. This is a carving that really catches your eye when you walk up on it. The place is also easy to find. Most Swift legend researchers know that Swift told of being attacked and having to bury some of his silver. I was in awe to be asking myself this question, could this actually be a Swift cache site?

     Swift does tell us that in 1761 he was attacked by Indians as he started for home. The Indians shot a hole in his pack causing him to lose part of the silver. He tells of concealing part of the years work near a symbol of a triangle cut on a large slanted rock.

    Swift also mentions in 1762 after a summer of mining he'd set out for home only to be attacked by Indians near the mine. Here he again tells of leaving a valuable prize and two horse loads of silver near a large gap marked with curious signs and symbols. In 1769 Swift tells of traveling back through the area going by the place and seeing all things as he had left them. This was his last time in the area. So now we are left with this question. Is Swift's silver still hidden somewhere here? To answer that question will take recovering some of Swift's silver to ever really be sure. In my quest for the truth while seeking new clues Swift left behind has only ended one chapter in my search and begins a new one. Now it's finding the truth of the clues, the clues I feel that have led me to Swift's West Mine.




Kiowa has promised to submit at least another article in the months ahead. One will have to admit that he has identified some pretty interesting markers and places. If you have comments for Kiowa or any blog post please leave them in the space provided at the end of the post. We welcome any discussion and ideas you may have. Also, visit edhensonbooks.com and check out my new book "Swift."