The Apocalypse Calendar (5 page)

The trip to Huayacocotla went well
until the four geologists reached about two miles from Huejutla de Reyes. At this point, the van started make a grinding sound, which got progressively louder as the vehicle approached town. Arturo said, “I think we have a bad U-joint.”

Miller said, “I told the people at the Institute garage to check the U-joints, among other things. I guess I should have crawled under the vehicle and checked the U-joints myself. Those guys at the garage do as little as possible. I did check the tire pressure. I found that each tire had a different pressure. Three tires were fifteen pounds underinflated. At least the mechanics did change the oil; I can verify that. I happened to take some paperwork to the garage when they were in the process of changing it.”

The van finally pulled up in front of the first reputable-looking
taller mecánico
that appeared along the road into Huejutla de Reyes. Fortunately, the mechanic was able to obtain a suitable U-joint. While they were there, Miller had the mechanic look over the engine. The mechanic immediately found that the tray that held the battery was about to collapse. The metal was entirely corroded from battery acid and needed to be repaired. The mechanic was also a welder and managed to repair the battery tray in short order. Miller knew by now that it would be impossible to reach their destination by the end of the day, and they would probably either have to stay at a motel or camp out along the way. They were already over two hours behind schedule, so they decided to press on.

Shortly after leaving Huejutla de Reyes, the road climbed steeply into the Sierra Madre Oriental through lush tropical vegetation, and then into desert-like vegetation. By the time the road had climbed another two and a half thousand feet, the vegetation changed again. Numerous tall pine trees started covering the mountainsides, and the outside temperatures dropped from 85 degrees to 60 degrees. By now, the elevation was around seven thousand feet.

Miller said, “We turn off Route 105 in about four miles. Look for a road going off to the left. This will be the road to Huayacocotla. It’s already close to sunset. There will be no motels out here. I guess we will have to find a place to camp out. Look for some sort of side road with a clearing so we can pull off and set up camp. Most of this area is national forest.”

After traveling another five miles, Arturo said, “There’s a good spot just up the road on the right. There’s a clearing. Somebody appears to have been doing some logging. We should be able to set up our tents in some of the more level areas. For the sake of security, I would suggest that we only set up two of our tents. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble, but we’re going to be setting up pretty close to the road. It is best to be careful.”

Miller said. “Gary, you and Felipe set up the tents. Arturo and I will start preparing dinner. Also get the folding table, gas lamps, stove, and at least one water barrel from the van. We need to set up quickly and get to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day once we reach Huayacocotla.”

Gary and Felipe shared one tent and Arturo and Miller shared the other. From a deep sleep, Miller awakened with a start and said, “What in the hell is going on out there, Arturo? There is one hell of racket! Somebody pulled up in a flatbed truck.”

Arturo said, “I think we had better be careful. I believe these guys are logging poachers. This is a Mexican National Forest area. It is illegal to cut down trees here. I didn’t think about it when we arrived, but those piles of logs that you see around here are probably what they came to collect. I hope the boys in the other tent stay put. I’ll try to get their attention without making too much noise. I am sure they’re awake.”

The poachers picked up their stash in about a half an hour and left without bothering the geologists. Miller was glad there were no problems. He finally went back to sleep.

Miller and Arturo were up at
the crack of dawn. The fog had settled in that night after the log poachers did their thing. The tents and all of the other camping equipment were sopping wet. It was quite cold. The temperature was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gary and Felipe were still sacked out. Arturo suggested that Miller use his famous “Miller Sunrise” approach to wake up the two unsuspecting graduate students. It took little prompting for Miller to go to the van, rev up the engine, and charge ahead with the headlights glaring and the horn blaring. This was enough to wake the dead. The two boys staggered out of their tent in a state of shock, mumbling curses in English and Spanish. After a hearty but quick breakfast, the geologists headed for Huayacocotla.

Along the road to Huayacocotla, they observed Tertiary deposits of volcanic tuff, pumice, and large blocks of shiny black obsidian; all of these rocks represented volcanic debris forcefully ejected from a volcano. As the van approached Huayacocotla, they encountered a large ornate wooden arch over the road with a sign that said, “
Bienvenito a Huayacocotla
,” or “Welcome to Huayacocotla.” This was relatively unusual in Mexico for such a small community, with only about three thousand five hundred inhabitants. Huayacocotla was an interesting place. It was actually a community that was settled by the Nahuatl Indians before the Spanish conquest. In the language of the Nahuatl Indians,
Huayacocotla
means “place of tall trees,” which indeed was the case.

Miller said, “I guess we need to look up Mendez’s friend, Dr. Guillermo Toa Vaca. He can help us round up the pack animals that we will need for our fieldwork in the canyon. Arturo, next time we see a knowledgeable-looking citizen along the way, I suggest that you ask him where the good doctor lives. We may have trouble finding him at home because we are already a day late. I’m sure he is a busy man, but it’s still early in the morning; it’s only eight o'clock.”

After stopping several times to ask directions, somebody finally pointed Arturo in the right direction and they found Dr. Toa Vaca’s house. Fortunately, the doctor was at home. His house was situated right on the edge of the escarpment that overlooked the Canyon of the Río Vinasco. The house appeared to be one of the nicest houses in town. It was a two-story stone house with a red Spanish tile roof. Behind the house there were numerous cages full of fighting cocks, which the good doctor was proud to show his visitors. Dr. Toa Vaca was a tall, slender, gray-haired man sporting a dandy handlebar mustache. He was apparently the only veterinarian in the broader municipality of Huayacocotla, which included the town and the surrounding region.

Dr. Toa Vaca said, “I hear from my friend Roberto Mendez in Tamazunchale that you geologists are planning to study the rocks of the Canyon of the Río Vinasco and need to round up some mules or burros to help carry camping equipment and the rocks that you collect in the canyon. He said you probably need four animals accompanied by their handlers. Keep in mind that it will take you about two hours to reach the bottom of the canyon and twice that amount of time to come back out. As I am sure you are aware, it’s very hot and tropical at the bottom of the canyon. I’m glad that I don’t live down there. At any rate, let me know how I can help.”

Arturo said, “The main thing we need is the four mules and their handlers. How long will it take you to round them up for us?”

Dr. Toa Vaca responded, “It will probably take the rest of the day to get the animals for you. Where do you plan to stay tonight?”

“I guess we’ll camp out in the woods around here. Could you suggest a good spot?”

“You are more than welcome to stay with me if you like. I have a big house. I am sure that my wife wouldn’t mind. It would be a pleasure for us to accommodate you. I would like to learn about your geological studies.”

Arturo said, “We hate to impose on you. However, we accept your offer. It would be good to take a shower after camping out last night. We look forward to talking with you and your wife.”

Guillermo Toa Vaca said, “I suggest that you park your van in my driveway. You can actually drive it behind the house near the cages for my fighting cocks. I will see what I can do to get the pack animals for you. When Roberto Mendez contacted me, I immediately made some inquiries about the availability of mules and burros for your excursion into the canyon. I don’t think I will have any problems getting the animals here by early in the morning.”

After being introduced to Guillermo’s wife, the geologists carried what they needed into the house to spend the night. Miller said, “I think we ought to sort out what we need for the trip down into the canyon. Even with the help of pack animals to carry our food and equipment, I think we ought to travel light. We will have to take enough canned goods for dinner. We will probably spend two nights in the canyon. Breakfast is another matter. Bananas may have to do. Maybe we can find some other fruit in the canyon. We will need to take a five-gallon container full of water, and several canteens full of water as well. Felipe, don’t forget to bring along the powdered Gatorade mix. It’s probably going to be pretty hot down there.”

After the geologists finished their preparation for the trip to the canyon, Guillermo said, “Why don’t you let me show you around Huayacocotla? I have to make a house call on one of my patients.” Much to everyone’s surprise, Guillermo’s patient happened to be a Brahma bull by the name of Bubba with prostatitis. The veterinarian had to put the large animal to sleep with a tranquilizer gun. Finally, Bubba collapsed to the ground. Guillermo, equipped with rubber gloves that extended to his shoulders, inserted one arm into the poor animal’s rectum and dutifully performed a prostate massage. After withdrawing his arm, Guillermo said, “You all better stand back and stay behind the fence. Señor bull will not be a very happy customer when he wakes up. I am sure, however, that he will be feeling better shortly.”

After an enjoyable dinner with Dr. Toa Vaca and his wife, the conversation turned to what the geologist were trying to do in the canyon. Miller and Arturo tried to explain the project in layman’s terms. Guillermo and his wife had little trouble understanding their explanation. Then Guillermo said, “I hear from Mr. Mendez that you guys found some sort of strange diagram in caves in the Sierra Cruillas and near Taman. He said the diagrams were indicators for Moctezuma’s Treasure.”

Arturo said, “The arrows on the diagram indicated that the treasure was located somewhere to the south of Taman. Have you ever heard of anything like this in the caves around here?”

“There is a strange tale among the Indians about the ghost of an Aztec war chieftain appearing at sunset at the entrance to a cave. The story goes that the ghost can be seen blowing a horn made out of a conch shell and that a mysterious green glow is emitted from the cave.”

Arturo said, “The green glow that you mention is quite interesting. We observed a green glow in the caves to the north. The green glow seems to be emitted from crystals that are embedded in the limestone. Although we have examined the crystals, none of us can identify them. We collected some samples and intend to get them analyzed with an electron microprobe when we get back to Dallas.”

Miller asked, “What time do you expect the pack animals to arrive tomorrow?”

“About sunrise, from what I have been told.”

“Well, I guess tomorrow is going to be a long day. Gary, I want you and Felipe to organize the camping and field equipment that we need to take with us. We’ll probably be spending two days or more in the canyon. I would suggest taking enough food for three days.”

Guillermo said, “Your van should be safe behind the house. Nobody will bother it there.”

Sunrise at Dr. Toa Vaca’s house
was heralded by the crowing of fighting cocks that were nestled in numerous cages behind the house. The rosters served as everyone’s alarm clock. The day dawned in dense fog typical of higher elevations in the Sierra Madre Oriental during the rainy season. The temperature was about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. By the time the Toa Vacas treated the geologists to an enjoyable breakfast, Miller could hear the sound of the pack animals in front of the house. There were two mules and two burros. Miller decided that he would ride one of the mules down the winding trail to the bottom of the canyon. It was a good thing that he had been trained well by Roberto Mendez at Taman. He suggested that Arturo also ride the other mule. However, Arturo would have no part of it, so the mule and the remaining animals were used to carry the camping and field equipment as well as the food.

Miller boarded one of the mules in front of Dr. Toa Vaca’s house. Arturo chose to walk with the two graduate students. Once the pack animals were loaded, the group moved to the trail head, which was about a quarter of a mile from the house. The trail to the bottom of the canyon was steep and winding with numerous branches. Indian women carrying huge bundles of firewood on their heads and children carrying five-gallon tin cans full of water populated the trail and all of its tributaries.

Unfortunately, the pack animal handlers had no idea which way to go most of the time. It was becoming difficult to distinguish the main trail from adjoining trails. Arturo was forced to stop and ask directions one time. The Indians were very shy of strangers, including those from Huayacocotla above. For the most part, the men and women were short in stature and seldom were more than five feet tall. Although Arturo spoke to the Indians in Spanish, he could not be understood. The Indians knew little, if any, Spanish and only spoke in their native Nahuatl dialect. Little had changed with the way of life of these Nahuatl Indians since the days before the Spanish conquest.

As the geological field party descended farther and farther down the trail, Miller began to have an eerie, creepy feeling about the place. It was a strange feeling that was difficult to describe. He felt as if he were traveling back in time, to some time in the distant past—to the age of Mayans, Toltecs, and Aztecs.

The farther the group descended into the Canyon of the Río Vinasco, the more the climate changed. By the time the geologists reached the canyon floor, the climate had changed from the cool temperate climate at the canyon rim to a steaming hot tropical climate. As the climate changed, the vegetation followed suit. The canyon bottom was populated with large banyan and cypress trees accompanied by underbrush consisting of ferns, caladiums, bananas, papayas, and other plants that only a botanist knowledgeable about tropical plants could identify. Not all of these smaller plants were friendly. Some were nettles that could cause a severe reaction if they brushed against your skin.

By now it was about eleven thirty in the morning. Miller said, “Arturo, I suggest that you tell the handlers to unload the camping equipment and supplies near the old deserted stone building at La Calera. We’ll make La Calera our base camp. Then we had better start measuring some sections. According to Burckhardt’s studies, contacts between the Santiago, Taman, Pimienta, and Chapulhuacan formations are exposed near La Calera. I guess today we will try to collect samples from the Santiago and Taman formations and measure their thickness. Arturo, ask the handlers to obtain some bananas and papayas from the local Indians.”

The heat and humidity in the canyon were oppressive. The thermometer that Miller carried in his backpack read 110 °F. Miller judged the humidity was at least ninety-five percent. Although the geologists had loaded up on Gatorade, Gary and Miller both succumbed to severe heat prostration and started throwing up. They returned to camp and put ice packs on the backs of their necks. After an hour, the two geologists attempted to rehydrate themselves with more Gatorade. Fortunately, Arturo and Felipe were in good shape and were able to tend to the needs of their companions when they returned to camp.

It was not until eight o'clock that evening that Gary and Miller felt like eating. Arturo fixed a quick meal from a large can of beef stew and bread that he had received from Dr. Toa Vaca’s wife. The bananas, papayas, avocados, and limes that the handlers had gotten from the local Indians balanced out the meal. When dinner was done, the topic of conversation naturally changed to geology and how things had gone today. Apparently, Arturo and Felipe were able to complete their work on the Santiago Formation. Miller and Gary didn’t fare as well—they were only able to measure and sample the lower part of the Taman Formation because of their heat prostration as well as unexpected problems due to the presence of several faults.

Miller said, “Tomorrow, I suggest that we finish measuring the rest of the Taman Formation, the Pimienta Formation, and the lower part of the Chapulhuacan Limestone. This may be difficult, because the quality of the rock exposures isn’t as good as it was described in the geologic literature.”

At sunset, a weird sound arose from somewhere nearby in the canyon. Arturo said, “What in the hell is that? It makes my skin crawl. Look over there. There’s a green glow rising from somewhere upstream.”

Miller said, “I had a bad feeling about this place as we went down into the canyon. What we just saw and heard fits in with what Guillermo Toa Vaca told us about the ghost of an Aztec war chief blowing a horn made out of a conch shell at sunset. The sooner we get out of this canyon, the better. The last geologist to visit this place died of a mysterious disease soon after.”