A World Away

‘If you listen to the wind, she knows the way.’ The words of my grandfather were persistently lingering in my mind as i get ready to cross the jagged path across the river. My name is Samuel Jacobs, i've been tracking a spot my grandfather believed to be a native american trading ground just south of Talladega, Alabama. Abihka, It is the believed main trading post of the coosa chiefdom.

I found myself chasing this dream of his shortly after he passed away. During my finals exams he called and asked if I wanted to take a little trip. Testing prevented me from being able to take the trip. It wouldn't matter. He passed away the day before he planned to leave.

After his funeral, my mother and I decided to go to his home and get some of his things. While searching through some of his belongings, I had stumbled across our old box of native artifacts we had collected through my childhood. While looking through this box I removed a little brown paper wrapped item from the bottom.

As I opened the item I could tell it was papaws notebook. A little black book, no bigger than a deck of old playing cards. On the front of the book is a little carved etching of a whitetail. I open it just to try to get a glimpse of what he had written over the years.

When opening the book the first thing I noticed was it was for me. He had written a little note and left a picture of the two of us fishing when I was a child. The note said for me to take this book, follow my heart and let the wind take me to my destiny. I became misty eyed at the fact he's kept this for me for all these years. As I flipped through the book I came across some numbers set into what could be coordinates.

After I returned home I decided to look up the numbers. I grabbed my laptop and typed them into a map application. It pulled up a patch of wooded area near the coosa river. I decided at that point this is probably where my grandfather had wanted to go. So through the week I planned and packed. When Friday came I grabbed everything and hit the trail.

I finally arrived at my destination and decided to start heading toward the point. While walking I came up to this river crossing. Jagged rocks across the most shallow part accompanied by rushing water made me not want to continue but I did. I grabbed a long, sturdy stick about my height. While using it as a crutch I was able to pull myself slowly across.

After the trip and crossing the river I burned too much daylight. I started making my camp out by the river. Cooked my little meal and looked at some maps of the area. I noted my journey so far in the notebook pawpaw got me. The outdoors was so peaceful, it seems like i'd forgotten with all the time away i had spent.

A couple of hours of looking through maps passed by and I decided it was time to get some sleep. While lying in my sleeping bag looking up at the stars, I started to remember. My grandfather had once told me of the constellations and how the natives lined important areas with them. I started to line the ones above me into the map from his notes.

The next day I wake up and decide to follow my doodle star map to the point I believe the post was. I finally arrive at my destination but there is nothing but some mulberry bushes and pine trees. I honestly believe we found nothing. I didn't give up. I tried my metal detector but being as I'm looking for a trading post, pottery wont hit.

After a few minutes of looking around I had a hit beside this pile of rocks beside this bush. I start moving the rocks to the side and an opening falls through maybe 2 feet wide. While looking down in this opening I notice a small wooden crate surrounded by pottery shards and jewelry.

I removed the crate and busted the hinges because they had rusted shut. When I opened the box I nearly collapsed from excitement. There before my eyes was a box of confederate gold bullion. Laying on the pottery was a letter addressed to me from my grandfather. It turns out he had found it first, he saved the adventure for me.

20,000 dollars worth of gold in my bag but i didn't remove all of it. I never disclosed the spot. It was an adventure my grandfather had given me and it's one I hope to give to my grandson. The treasure awaits those who are willing to seek it, a world away. Only the heart of an adventurer will take the chance. This is my journey, I'm glad you came along!