Underground Rivers - University of New Mexico

Chapter 23 -- Girls, Too!
Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew Stories, 175 titles between 1930
and 2003, is still a library favorite, and here we have Nancy's sole
adventure in subterranean waters, The Secret of the Forgotten
City (1975). The title of the French edition, Alice et la Rivière
Souterraine, speaks to our interest.
Nancy and the gang join an archaeological dig searching for lost
gold. The mystery begins when an Indian visits Nancy in hopes
that Nancy can help her translate the petroglyphs on some stone
tablets.
"I believe I know where an underground stream supplies a small
spring that is above ground.
"I think the underground stream runs through a mountain, but at
one time no mountain was there. Over the centuries sand and
dirt have blown across the area and formed a high covering over
the stream."
Nancy was eager to see the place. "Maybe we can find clues to the treasure in the Forgotten
City!"
In the field,
The person most delighted over Nancy's find was Wanna. She looked at the tablet, trying to
decide what the petroglyphs meant.
Presently she said excitedly, "I believe these pictures prove my theory that there is an
underground river with gold nuggets on its shores."
Nancy said she could hardly wait to start a search for the stream.
A bit later,
"We stop here," the young Indian student said a little later. "We'll walk down this hill to a water
hole, which the Indians say is a spring bubbling up."
When they reached the spot, Wanna pointed out what appeared to be no more than a pool of
water that came out of the mountain and ran back into it on the other side.
Wanna saw the looks of disappointment on the faces of her friends. "You expected more, I
know," she said, smiling. "I believe that at one time this was a tributary of the Muddy River. By
the way, now it's called the Moapa after the tribe of Indians that live nearby.
"I haven't quite figured out just what happened. Perhaps there was a great landslide, and the
only spot where the water bubbled to the surface was right here. But that wouldn't have been
enough for maybe a thousand people. So they moved out."
Nancy asked, "Do you think the Indians needed water badly and might have tried to tunnel into
the river so it wouldn't stop running?"
"It's a fascinating idea, Nancy," Wanna replied. "Maybe someday we can find out. One thing I
do know is that the well where the poor young man lost his life is very close."
"Let's not stand around talking any longer," Ned suggested. "Come on, fellows, we'll bring the
tools down from the car and see if we can unearth this stream with the hidden gold plates."
The suspense mounts!
Nancy stayed there and took up one shovelful after another of the soil. No interesting items
showed up. She kept digging deeper. In a little while the young sleuth reached a very wet
place. Was this part of an underground river?
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