, 1869-11-05
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN
ARIZONA.
S1ueulnr Cuves and Tracks OF Old
Civilizations

SINGULAR Caves and Tracks OF Old
Civilization
A correspondent Of the Cleveland Herald wrttes
fruu ArtzonB, under date OF September 81, IN tu-
tclsst!pE account OF the recent cave discoveries
" ION On sasa1,is!, September Is. Small party from
the military post a. Camp Verde visited Monte
e,gat miles distant The well ia about one nun
dfed yards back tom the aiream, upon q high,
i.olaled 1assd, aid Is about onc hundred and
fcet uown to tue water, which "a surrounded BY
pe1peudicuia1 walls Of rock- The water IL very
cit AZ, Of light green or nusa color, and tcsT
iron, and other minerals It has no riaiblu inlet,
but is outlet IL by 6uhleITanean passage at 3
point nearest Beaver Greek, into which II emprea
"The wnule country. between the 'sEera
P,lesta and the tMoyS!lon ranges Of noun.
tstns is a limestone formation, and tu,t ol CAY.
erns, rome q which are quite ex..ssnsive, a. was
shown by the result Of ..tae days expj1rattotaa
All alops the nluds Il the Rio Verde md Reaver
Greek, wherever these caves exist, they arc found
nsc 6ssn has tie en awen Places q race q
about which not even mythology tells 8 tale; bat
1t IS generally supposed that they are Of very
anclent character, probably older than the Az.ecs
The writer saJs: .- ..
"The object 81 the expedition was to explore
and possbs he en y sur M
water IN the well. We took with US Rubber paV
Wnlcn Has inflated and launched. Dr., W. Ii.
make the sounuinga, which We did in very salts.
fscicry manner, but with great deal Of labor
and a Imminent peril. owing 70 thick g1ow1a Of
cxlenuel some twentT feet from shore, and
through which It was next TO- an imposstbllIty TO
SWIM BY gseat exs1:on the nsn!ttss were
deepest place, was eleyen fatho1ns.
All around the well: tn the high walls. were
fhe{r rnstfnn fp.ratTl
| perfect to-day as they were when abandenrsi
probably hundrcls Of yeazs ago. The openings
small entrances aud lourbolcs for perfection The
| wills overhead arc backcucd with the smoke Of
their trcs, now 80 old that IT will not rub on The
plastered walls show the prints Of their hands as
plainly as II they were made but yesterday. Corn
! cobs, pieces OF Courda, mescsl aud Feeds arc
found III the plaster, which ts conclusive proof
similar reason 1t Is believed that thcf were mau.
u!actnIlng people, as good article Of cloth and
pieces OF common twine hAye been found IN these
| manner.
"To. day we discovered new care which no
white man had ever seen before; It wns evidently
| which to us ts forever lost. Upon entering the
Rrea: front room to every direction were seen IT.
| tie roons Hhere inches IN Inc rocks had been
counterscarp galleries, as interior lines OF de-
| fence, lmpreguable to any enemy except starya-
ton. Leading from here are numerous passages
| which have not yet BEEN explored. One passage
| led down into great chamber, at the lower enu
OF which AIIeaM Of water Was found, evidently o
branch Of the outlet to the well. Owing to the
/ poor tmrrpv1sed torch fhRr We had, Il was not
| deemed prudent to explore any OF the passages
| leading from this room
"I6ese caves are strange pace to live fn;
| Of rock TO . considerable height. And under cx-
| IRENE d!tncnlt!es, with an incredible amount oil
ns5 haye Gsea gsst tin
| 1mr9ssible DOW 1cr man to 80.
"stone, metals upon Whlch they ground thei,
catn, aeo!ns ard mes9nit eeaas' Pieces Of broken
POTTERY, painted and glazed. are found every where
1t seemed as II every 1nhAhttable place teemed
with Life, and that this country was once as dense
| II populated as Rny OF the Eastern States OF tht
"Ihe most perfect Of any Of these ruins, ant
which Is in the hest stats Of preservation, Is IN
fr1m Camp Verde. It 10 IN q perpendicular wal
Of rocE buiwecp 900 and so feet IN height; tn,
lover entrauce is over 100 feet above the valle,
ss s II nes 81 desaca ke
noors are elaborately constructed OF small tim
bstB, covered With straight sticks placed closci,
aea nPoaM az nses sse hs 70
floors tecus to have been constructed entirely 10
defence. i crenated wall breast high overhapg
ur sufr"undinE County, aud rom s M guy esht neIa
. stcue can be thrown into the river, 100 feet be
low; . ~
! wood and materials used in these caves Is ,iue I
their sheltered position aud the dr. hot cltnAs
, OF the country. Were 1t not for this npLhtn
, would have been known Of these pcop.e, 90 ever!
thing perlshable which has been used IN the col
etrncuon OF these houses hns decayed Wnenevf
, It has been exposed to the weather.
! "Much has been sad Of these RUNS and mar
| Epeculatlnns hare been male as 10 the builder!
| they were. A vo1ume might be written Oh III
subject and still leave 1t un1a:saed."