Episode

Описание: Spanish Mound Legend – For years, a puzzling legend has persisted in the Similkameen: The legend of the Spanish Mound.
The Spanish Mound is, reputedly, a low grassy mound in which are buried both numerous pieces of armour and weapons and the remains of long-dead Spanish Soldiers, members of an ill-fated expedition which was ambushed an annihilated in the Similkameen over two centuries ago.
The legend relates the story of an expedition which came to the Similkameen long before “King George’s Men” arrived in the area.
This expedition, supposedly during the mid-1700, marched up the Similkameen, headed north. Somewhere near Keremeos the column halted and camped for some time until an altercation arose between an Indian and a Spanish soldier which precipitated blows, resulting in a small scale battle in which the heavily armed Spanish inflicted heavy losses on the Indians. After this battle, the Spaniards, along with several Indian prisoners retreated to the north-east and disappeared up the valley of Keremeos Creek. It has been stated that they eventually made their way as far north as Kelowna, built permanent quarters near there and wintered. The following spring, for some unknown reason, possibly disease or again Indian hostility, they retraced their steps southward. At any rate, the column, their numbers somewhat depleted from the summer before, re-appeared in the valley near the upper reaches of Keremeos Creek.
After treking down to the valley floor, they camped, so the legend goes, on a small flat near where Keremeos Creek flows out of the hills (evidently somewhere near where the Green Mountain road braches off the main highway) to rest and graze their tired horses. Several days later, somewhere near there, the Similkameens in overwhelming numbers attacked the Spaniards and after a prolonged and bloody battle, slaughtered them to the last man.
After this epic battle, according to the legend, the Similkameens buried the Spanish, complete with armour and weapons, in a small mound somewhere between the Old Spanish Camp and Keremeos and there they still lie, in an unmarked and long lost burial mound. There are no historical records, Spanish or other, which indicate that a Spanish expedition actually did penetrate inland this far north. However, this legend is supported by some circumstantial evidence which is rather difficult to explain away.