The weekly Arizona miner., 1869-12-11
Chr '= 9E1iner.
Beaver Creek Ruins.

September 20, 1869, from Camp Verde, in this county and Territory, gives the follow ing interesting account of the ruins on Bea- yer Greek, sixty or seventy miles east of Prescott. It will be seen that he confounds | the Black Hills with the Sierra Prieta:
 On Saturday. September 18th, a small par ty from the military post at Camp Verde vis- ited the "Montezuma Well,n situated on Beaver Creek, about eight miles distant. The well is about one hundred yards back from the stream, upon high isolated zesa, and IS about one hundred and twenty-five yards in width, and about one hundred feet down to the water, which is surrounded by perpen dcular walls of rock. The water is very clear, of light green or buish color, and is very strongly impregnated with lime, sulphur, soda iron, and other minerals. It has no visible inlet, but its outlet is by subteranean passage at point nearest Beaver Creek, into which it empties a large volume of water.
 The whole country between the "Sierra Prieta and the "Mogollonn ranges of noun tains is a limestone formation, and full of cav erns, some of which are quite extensive, as was shown bo the results of the days explo- rations. All along the bluffs of the Rio Verde and Beaver Creek wherever these caves exist they are found to have been the d long since passed away and about which not even mythology tells tale but it is gener- ally supposed that they are of very ancient character. probably older than the Aztecs of Mexico
 The writer says "The object of the expe- dtion 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 in- Hated and launched. Dr. w H. Smith (post surgeon) and myself undertook to make the soundings, which we did in very satisfacto- " manner, but with great deal of labor and at imminent peril, owing to a thick growth of water plants which toated upon the surface, and extended some twenty feet from the shore and through which it was next to an impossibihty to swim; by great exertion the difficulty was overcome, and the soundings made, which in the deepest place was eleven fathoms.
 All around the well in the high walls, were 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 entrances and loopholes for protection. The walls overhead are blackened with the smoke of their fires, now so old that it will not rub off. The plastered walls show the print of their hands as plainly as if they were made but yester- day. Corncobs, pieces of gourds, mescal and seeds are found in the plaster, which is con elusive proof that they were an agricultural peope-and for a similar reason it IS believed that they were manufacturing people, as a good article of cloth and common twne have been found in these caves, and which have been preserved in the same manner.
 To-day we discovered new cave which no white man had ever seen before; it was evi- deptly the Gibraltar of this ancient city-=the name of which to us is forever lost. Upon entering the great front room, in every direc- ton were seen little rooms where inches in the rocks had been built up with loopholed <. walls, forming as 1t were connterscarp gale ries, as interior lines of defense, impregnable to any enemy except starvation. Leading from here are numerous passages which have not yet been explored. One passage led down into great chamber at the lower end of which a stream of water was found, ed dently branch of the ostlet to the well Owing to the poor improvised torch that wC had, it was not deemed prudent to explore any of the passages leading from this room .1 These caves are a strange place to live in some of them are almost perpendicular wall of rock to a considerable height. And under extreme difficulties, with an incredible amount of labor, they have carried great rocks, i'm mense timbers, and other building material whence it is almost impossible now for mal to go
 Stone metates upon which they ground their corn, acorns and mesquit beans, piece of broken ollas in which they. cooked thei food, and pieces of pottery, painted am glazed are found everywhere. It seems as every inhabitable place teemed with life, am that this country was once as densely popu lated as any of the Eastern States of tn Union are to day 5u
 The most perfect of any of these ruins and which is in the best State of preserya tion is in a cave on Beaver Creek, about on mile and a half from Camp Verde. It is il perpendicular wall of rock between 200 and 5000 feet in height; the lower entranc is over 100 feet above the valley below. is four stories in height, and like all of tn others, has its interior lines of defense. Tn floors are elaborately constructed of sma timbers covered with straight sticks place. closely together, and upon this is placed tn cement for flooring, usually six inches thick The upper floors seem to have been construc ted entirely for defense. A crenated wa breast high oyerhangs the whole structur, from which can be seen the entire surround ing country and from it's giddy height stone can be thrown into the river l5O fee below.
 The excellent state of preservation of tn wood and material used in these caves is du to their sheltered position and the dry, hc climate of tho country. Were it not fo this, nothing would have been known ( these people, as everything perishable whio l..s. .f.e. .oft nf taE