The Kanzas news., 1858-04-17
Wonders of the Interior.

The Philadelphia Press publishes high
lIy interesting narrative of Lieut.. Beale's
Wagon-Road Expedition from Fort Defiance
to the Colorado River, In which the writer
notices some of the objects of note on the
route. Crossing the Rio Frio, the expedi-
ton passed through
VALLEY OF LAVA.
The Piscado, small stream of cool and
delicious water, upon which at the time the
train was encamped, runs through valley
covered with a sheet of lava. IL has evi-
IDENTIFY poured from the crater of some ex-
tinct volcanic mountain IN that vicinity, and
rolling down the gorges, burst into the vale,
and there spread entirely over it, presenting
at this time the singular appearance of a
black and motionless torrent, bearing upon
the crest of its still swelling waves green
and luxuriant trees.
The southern part of the Navajo country
is described as region more beautiful than
any vet traversed. Interminable forests of
lofty pine trees cover the mountain sides,
and the long sloping valley seemed ever
green with that grass most highly priced by
Inc PIONEER, the gramma. Next came the
INSCRIPTION ROCK.
On the 23d of August, the train emerg
ing from the dense forest that clothes the
backbone of the American continent, passed
down the slope on its western side, and en-
camped at the base of the celebrated FL Mo-
70 or inscription Rock-so called on account
of its sides being covered with names and
verses of various dates; some of century
ago, others more recently inscribed.
This remarkable natural monument rises,
without any previous indication of its ex-
istence, 1000 feet above the level of the
plain extending along its base. Its sides are
perfectly perpendicular and smooth, while
the atmospheric action upon the soft, white
sandstone of which they are composed has
made them look as if enameled. 1t is
formed like a wedge, whose base is crowned
with an ancient aboriginal fortifcation, evil
IDENTIFY the work of the same artisans whose
tumuli are visible from Peru to Wisconsin.
Sloping from the southwest is a plateau
leading to the western entrance of the noun
tain, which forms a natural coral of great
size, and evidently impregnable to the abo-
this country. Riding into it, they found
growing within it the largest pine trees,
whose heads are far below the crest of the
rock Wnlch runs ABOVE I0em.
Lieut.. Beale, after leaving the Colorado
Chiquito, passed over country but par
TALLY explored, and has discovered what is
believed to be the celebrated canon of Au-
brey, described by him in his notes. Here
were found
| PALISADES, PETRIFACTIoNs, INSCRIPTIONS.
The natural peculiarities of this part OF
our route are worthy of remark, the ,palli-
sade formations crowning the SUBMITS OF
the mountains are formed with such regu-
larity as to appear less like a work of ma
ture than of art and the road being over
the perfectly level mesas, resembled those
great thoroughfares of ancient times, famil-
lar to the historian. The route was covered
by the most luxuriant blue gramma grass in
greater abundance than many of the noun
tain men of the party had ever seen it.
Here also petrifactions of the most
wonderful description presented themselves
whole trees, in many instances, having been
seen turned to stone and on one occasion
on the bank of the Rio de la Kara, the trunk
of large cedar was found petrifed and i'm
bedded in solid rock, rising at least TWEEN
ty feet above it.
The party moreover discovered on the
rocks, and in the caves near the bank of the
Colorado Chiquito. ancient yet unaffected
Inscriptions, evincing the change from the
idiographic to the phonetic style of writing
among the people who once undoubtedly
inhabited in vast numbers this at preser
deserted country. and whose remnants o
civilization are described in the works or
American archaeology.