The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-16
CAVE DMELLERs IN ARIZONA.
Ancient Ruiup-- Remains of an ENttnct Race
|'T'E hiOutezumn Well.

-.
Gently visited place called 'MonteaunaWel,"
situated on Beaver creek about eight miles
distant. The well is about one hundred yards
back from the stream, upon a high, isolated
mense, and is about 125 yards in width, and
about 100 feet down to the water, which is
surrounded by perpendicular walls of rock.
The water is very clear, of light green or
blush color, and is very strongly impregnated
with lime, sulphur, soda, iron, and other
minerals. 1t has no visible inlet, but its out
let is by subterranean passage at point
nearest Beaver creek, into whichit emptes a
large volume of water. The whole country
between the Sierra Prieta" and the 'Moya-
lion" ranges of mountains is limestone
formation, and full of caverns some of which
are quite extensive. All along the bluffs of
the Rio Verde and Beaver creek, wherever
! these caves exist they are found to be the
dwelling places of o race of people which has
long since passed away, and about which not
even mythology tells tale; but it is generally
supposed that they are of a very ancient char
acter, as old, and probably older, than the
Aztecs Of Mexico. 1t is certain that the pre-
sent aboriginal occupants of the territory are
of a different race altogether and from
their fierce and warlike character it
is supposed that they are the destroyers of this
industrious agricultural people. The object
of the expedition was to explore the caves
and ruins by which the place is surrounded
and ascertain, if possible, the depth of water
in the well. We took with us q rubber bag,
which was inflated and launched. DIR. w.
II. Smith (post surgeon) and myself under
took to make the soundings which we did in
! a very satisfactory manner, but with great
deal of labor and at imminent peril, owing to
a thick growth of water plants which foated
upon the surface, and extended some twenty
feet from shore, and through which it was
| next to impossible to swim. By great exer-
| tions, the difficulties were overcome, and the
soundings made, which, in the deepest place,
was II fathoms. Around the well were
massive walls of masonry, upon which time
had made such fearful havoc that it was
almost impossible to tell anything of their
inner construction; but it was certain that
they were intended as much for defense as
for habitation. They were like the feudal
castles of old-their fortifcations and their
homes. All around the well, in the high
walls, we're caves, which, too, had once been
occupied, and, from their sheltered position,
all remain nearly as perfect to-day as they
were when abandoned, probably hundreds of
years ago. The openings are built up with
masonry, through which are left small en-
frances ndloopholes for protection. The walls
overhead are blacked with the smoke of their
fires, now so old that it will not rub off. The
plastered walls show the prints of their hands
as plainly as If they were made but yesterday
Corn-cobs, pieces of guards, metal, and seeds
are found in the plaster which is conclusive
proof that they were an agricultural people
and for a similar reason it is believed that
they were manufacturing people. as good
article of cloth and pieces Of common twine
have been found in these caves. and which
are preserved in the same manner. We dis
covered new cave which no white man had
ever seen before; it was evidently the Gibral-
tar of this ancient city-the name Of which to
us Is forever lost. Upon entering the great
front room, in every direction were seen little
rooms, where inches in the rocks had been
bnilt up with loopholed walls, forming, as it
were, counterscarp galleries, as interior lines
of defense, impregnable to any enemy except
starvation. Leading from there are numer-
Gus passages which have not yet been ex-
plored. One passage led down into great
chamber, at the lower end of which stream
of water was found, evidently branch of the
outlet to the wall Owing to the poorly i'm
provised torch that we had, it was not
deemed prudent to explore any of the pass
ages leading from this room. These caves
are strange place to live in; some of
them are up almost perpendicular walls
to considerable height. And under ex-
treme difficulties, with an incredible amount
of labor, they have carried great rocks, inn
mense timbers, and other building material,
where it is almost impossible for man to
so. Remains of granaries and water works
in which they kept their supplies, are found
/ in nearly every abode of this character.
/ Now it must not be supposed that the entire
population were living in these caves, for in
every direction that you may go in this ter
ritory, ruins of cities and towns are every
where to be seen, in every valley, on every
mesa, and on nearly all small eminences are
remains of forts which they have built for
protection against some common enemy
which eventually exterminated them. Stone,
metals upon which they ground their corn,
acorns, and mesquit beans, pieces of broken
ollar in which they cooked their food, and
pieces of pottery, painted and glazed, are
found everywhere. 1t seems as if every in
habitable place teemed with life, and that
this country was once as densely populated
as any of the Eastern States of the Union are
to-day. The most perfect of any of these
ruins, and which is in the best state
OF preservation, is in a cave on Beaver
creek, about one mile and a half from
Camp Verue. 1t is in perpendicular wall of
rock between 200 and 800 feet in height; the
lower entrance is over 100 feet above the
valley below. 1t is four stories in height,
and, like all of the others, has its interior
lines of defense. The floors are elaborately
constructed of timbers covered with straight
sticks placed closely together, and upon this
is placed the cement for flooring, usually six
inches thick. The upper floors seem to have
been constructed entirely for defense A
orenated wall, breast high, overhangs the
whole structure, from which can be seen the
entire surrounding country, and from its
giddy height q stone can be thrown into the
river 100 feet below The excellent state of
preservation of the wood and materials used
| in these cavaR is dua IN their shaltared posi-