The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-01-16
A CITY OF THE PLAIN.
From the Denver (Col,) News, December 49,
THE TALE AN ARIZONA TRAVELLER TELLS
RUINS OF A ONCE PoPULOUs CITY.

THE TALE AN ARIZONA TRAVELLER TELLS
RUINS OF A ONCE PoPULOUs CITY. :
Col. W. T. Roberts, who went down tt
Arizona with the Mike Gray partyYhuntine
after diamonds and things, had some won
derful stories TO detail upon his arrival
home, concerning the land through which he
passed, the people he saw, hardships endur
ed BY the party, and discoveries made. The
parties started for Arizona from Denver
out6tting at Puebla.
Beyond the San Juan River, to the south
ward and westward, they came into q des-
perase looking rninhabited region, seldom
trod BY foot of civilized man, and shunned
by the indians. It consists of succession
Of elevated plateaus, covered by sand and
cut up by deep, impossible gorgss cut out in
the sandstone BY the heavy rains which pre-
vail there. On the top Of many Of these
niesas b a scanty growth of nut-pine and
scrpbby cedar, while others are covered with
punches of grass, upon which the wild
sheep, in great numbers, fattcs. There is
no water in all these regions except in the
deep holes washed out at the bottom Of the
canon, and gorges washed by the winter
torrents, where the water stands and grows
stasuant under the scorching summer sun.
For miles and miles, further than the eye
can reach, these barren wastes stretch in
continuous succession of desert table lands
and yawning chasms.
The party were repeatedly lost on the last
trip, none Of them knowing the trail, and
keeping, as was wrong, on the tops Of the
naesas4nstead Of in the valleys. At one time
they wandered fourteen days without the
least idea Of where they were going. and
suffering greatly for water. At enc period
of their wanderings they were thirty-six
hours without water. and nearly perished of
thirst They travelled until many of their
mules gave out and several of the men de-
clared they could 60 no further. Captain
Gray, Col. Roberts and Ben Harpending,a a
nephew of A. Harpending, rode on short
distance, and fortunately found pool of
water. which proved the salvation of the
entire party. They travelled on day after
day, resolutely struggling against despair,
and finally, by good fortune, found way
out of the desert.
Roberts tells strange story Of strange
city-or the remains of one-away down
there in that desolate land. 1t was while
attempting tc find his way out of the gorges
into which the party had stumbled, that Ro
berts came out upon mesa, and was aston
ished to find before him the ruins of what
was once evidently populous city. 1t Co
vered an area of about three square miles,
and was enclosed by wall Of sand and
stone. neatly quarricd and dressed, ten or
twelve feet high, and which, judging by the
debris, was fifteen or twenty feet high be-
fore its fall. In most places it had crumbled
away and fallen. and was covered with sand,
but IN many places it was standing six or
eight #. above the sand banks which had drift
ted around it. The entire area inside of
this had at one time been covered with
houses built on soil sand stone, which
showed excellent masonry in their construc-
ton. This ancient city is situated in Ari
soma, ninety miles from the boundary line Of
Utah and Arizona, and the same distance
from the western Colorado line. 1t has the
appearance of being an old Aztec city that
has been deserted for hundreds Of years and
fallen to ruins. It is entirely stone, and not
a stick of worked timber is to be seen among
the ruins Nothing but the walls are stand
ing, and none Of them are now left more
than eight or ten feet above the sand, which
is eight or ten feet deep. The walls still
bear traces of many hieroglyphics, cut deep
into them, showing various Indian customs
and supcrstitiops There are also the ruins
Of stately monuments, built of square block
sandstone, well squared, and showing good
masonry, which are worked with notches
and crosses cut into them at regular inter-
vals.
The city is covered with sand, which, it is
thought, was blown there from the desert.
The sand has become solid and packed by
the rains Under the sand is blue clay
six or eight feet doep. No bones, imple-
ments or relics Of any kind were found, with
the exception Of some pottery of dark color
These were embcllished with paintings Of
flowers and ornamental figures in blue CO.
lors. The coloring matter is Of blue min
eral substance of some kind. 1t is perfectly
indehble, and pieces Of the pottery which
have been exposed to storms which have
worn away the solid masonry of the walls of
the city, show their colors fresh and bright
70 all appearances as when new. The pot
terry itself has been found to be perfectly
fre.proof, when tried in crucibles and fur
naces.
After the discovery Of the city, which, by
the way, Roberts was the only one to see,
the party moved on. 'Afterward one Of the
explorers was lost, and wandered without
food several days. He finally made his way
to Defiance, and then found his companions.
STORY OF THE Poor LITTLE STEPHEN
GIRARD.-The man hves in Philadelphia,