Questioning him closely he stated that he had seen some good-sized flat stones that had rolled down and lay near the bottom of the hill. This had occurred after the contents of the box had been removed and these stones were doubtless the ones that formerly composed the box. I felt a strong desire to see these ancient relics and told him I would be much pleased to have him inform me where they were to be found. He stated that they had long since been taken away. He further said that he knew "Joe" Smith as a "money digger" and a "visionary man" and Martin Harris as an honest reliable farmer. Joseph in his history says that he worked in a mine for Mr. Stowel, hunting for hidden treasures, at fourteen dollars per month, hence his name as a money-digger. I then inquired if he ever knew Joseph Smith to be convicted of crime. He replied that he had not known him as having been convicted. The surrounding scenery, which embraced a young grove of beech, sugar maple, hickory, oak, bass-wood, etc., covering about five acres of ground, was very beautiful. The grove is about 200 yards southwest of where the plates were found. There was a fine, well-cultivated field of grain on the hillside. My loquacious guide showed me another and much deeper cavity made on the east side of the hill by the above-named Rochester treasure seekers, a company of prospectors. They said that science aided by mineral rods did not lie and that most assuredly there were rich treasures concealed in the hill, and they were determined to have them. But with all their science and laborious excavations they failed to get a glimpse of the coveted treasures and returned to their homes if not richer, at least it is to be hoped wiser men, for the only results of their efforts were the holes they left on the hillside. Notwithstanding this, there are strong and feasible reasons for believing that there is abundance of treasure hid up in Cumorah, but it is guarded by the hand of the Lord and none shall ever possess it until made known in the due time of the Lord. The great and mighty nation of the Jaredites, having departed from God and shed the blood of the prophets, became divided into bloodthirsty factions, who waged relentless and merciless wars against each other for many years; finally, after millions were slain, they arrayed themselves into two mighty opposing armies and mutually agreed to give each other four years in which to gather their entire forces of men, women and children around Ramah, and there make one last appalling death struggle for victory, but so well were these colossal armies matched in numbers, valor, fury and hatred that they continued to fight day after day till both sides were completely destroyed from the face of the land. One man of all these great and mighty armies alone remained alive. Ere they begin the dreadful carnage, they made excavations and hid up in Ramah their immense treasures.