The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-11-14
Colorado River SceneRy--A ztec
Remains. =,
A member Of the Powell Coloral

)
a member of the Powell Colorado
Exploring Expedition says:
On september 10 we reached juno
tien OF Green and Grand rivers and
entered the portals of the Colorado
River of the West. We have been
long upon the water. Let us look
abroad. The steep, almost perpendic-
ular walls are l $50 feet high, by baro-
metrical measurement. To climb
such a cliff is extremely laborIous.
The muscles of the arms are in con-
stant tension. Clinging to an occa-
sional shrub, hanging ON prominent
points, batfled by projecting ledges,
threading tortuous, boulder beset ra-
vines, slowly we ascend. The out
look well repays the effort. Stretch
ing to the horizon is vast variegated
plateau; wide waste, waterless, ver-
dureless, oppressively silent, devoid
of all life. The appalling stiffness is
broken only by the roar of the tenn
pest, the moaning of the wind, the
melancholy drip of the rain The
plain is thickly set with " ith sharp,
slender peaks and serated ridges
bare spars in an ocean of sand. The
winding courses Nof the rivers are
q 0Pl'1A
ed by art rather than carved by the
elements. Immediately about us are
miniature parks, walled about by but
ties OF queer, grotesque designs. Pines
and cedars shoot up from beds of
sand. Although this strahge forest
has no song OF birds or hum of insect
lite, no shade or show of leaf or flow
er, it is by no means devoid ofcolor.a
Hha oh hoxre aorllx
the varions strata can be traced. the
layers lying one above another
in regular order and varied tints red
and gray, orange and yellow are seen
in broad bands or mingled and blend
ed all over the desert. The glisten-
ing peaks of the Sierra Ia Sal, the salt
mountain of New Mexico, and the
domes of the oietra Abjo form fit
ting. backgroundato the picture. To
render the desolation more complete
we find evidence of former occupa-
tion. 9af 9aH 99ost .1a9 a
Broken pottery is strewn about, and
the ruins of antique dwellings are
found upon the cliffs. A singular
race once lived upon the inhospitable
shores OF these, obscure and forinida-
bic streams. 70 theiops. of towering
4
gle's eyrie, the fated people fed from
their plundering and more powerful
neighbors. A scant subsistence was
gained from patches of corn on the
rivers shore and game and, edible
plants in the valleys. From this point
thier runs and relics are found as far
as the canons extend. In many pla-
ces stone steps lead upto terraced
cliffs, where houses still are seen.
Tho positions were impregnable. |
Upon The smooth surface OF rocks near
their picture writing is readily traced.
1t consists of rude outlines, cut in the
stone, of men. beasts, reptiles, light
ming clouds and unknown symbols. !
Specimens rare and valuable we |
have obtained in large quantities. I
Our scientists have got immensely |
rich with a multitude of fossils, aud !
found many wonderful theories there |
on. A bed of flint was discovered |
where arrow heads were made; many |
are of beautiful colors. We |
have severai varieties of precious
stones, such as garnets, rubies, agate
and chrysolite. Rock crystals, dis
covered in a cave, prove to be clear
and lustrous.