Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-12-04
ANTIQUITIES OF COLORADO

we had heard $50 writes the New Yor
ta'bunc's correspondent with the Hay.lc
exploring expedition in Colo,ado) before lea,
ing Denver, strange storiss told by prospcc
tors who claimed to have seen in the ruth
western corner of Colorado wonderful ruin
of great extent aud surprising architcctur,
cntirely different frora xaything before ot
served in the country. 1t was impossible {
ascertain anything definite with respect to tn
exact character or whereabouts Of these re
ported ancient dwellings, but as other dutie
also lead the Photographic party If the s, /
vey into that portion, the carefulinv. s;igat;u,
Of whatever facts gave foundation TO til
AruMors was especially enjQincd upon them. :
The instructions were complied with 1rin.
the first half Of September. IN what matt,
and with what result | propose this lcttc
shall tcF. but little preliminary geo raply
is necessary. Just along the sOuthw. S eri
border Of C0lnra 10 the mountains sink al:nos
abruptly INTO plains, which stretch away L
the Gila and Colorado rivers. Rising i.
northern New Mexico, at tie end IF the mai
| range of the Rocky mountains, which her,
stops short and flowing south ard wcs in:t
Utah, twenty i've or thirty miles West OF til,
inc Colorado. line, then gradually westward
into the Colorado river, is the REQ San Juan
the largest r.v,r in this district. 1t receive:
but one tlibu'ary Of consequence from the
draining. the southern slopes Ct the mountains
the principal Of which are the Rio Ffe,ra. Ri.
Las Aa:mas and its branch. the Florida, kiu
La Pia'a, Rio Mancos and Montlzan,a creek
naming them from east to west. Leaving
the n.aln camp stationed in Bakers park at
the head Of :he Las An;;nas, M-. Jac:.sol and
myself with two muieiecrs. Sieve and 3 b,
/ took the smallest possible outfit, except of
cartridges. and started for repid rcconnois
sance OF the valleys of these rivers in which
We hoped TO find what We sought. Our irst
ard second days marches carried us across
high ragged. volcanic mountains. wild and
picturesque and full Of gr;zz,lies. and down
into Anilnas park, which is success on Of
grassy valleys, diversified by frequent grow. S,
and seemingly always warm and lovely. A
few adventurous ranchmen have located here.
ard raise splendid crops. From here across
to the La Plata is days pleasant ride. Al
the La Pa.a we found jolly camp Of old
CAl.forIians preparing to work the gold
placers. Their leader was Capt. John Moss,
q New Englanlcr by birth. who. possessed
with rowing spirit, went West VIII n mere
boy, end has ever since remained there, if
anywhere. But to his immense experience
of life and adventure he has added much
knowledge Of science and literature, is as
familiar with the streets aud drawing roon.s
OF New York, London, Paris: Rio Jane 70
and Sa,, r-~-:-- =: "a ..-- - ..-sa ..s' 70
jo teepces or their labyrinth of trails &C s
the distracted jumble Of mountains. Ha fully
understands the languages and cus'o Otis Of all
the southern tribes west of the mOuntains,
and We we're very glad to accept of bis prof
fered guidance and entertaining company,
and to learn tina! our search would rot be
fruitless one.
THE SANDSTONE HOUSE OF FORMER TIMES.
Proceeding west Is miles, and descending
some 2 600 feet, we struck he Rio Mancos
few miles down, where we began to come
upon mounds Of Garth which had accumulated
over fallen houses, and about which were
variou;ly painted in coiors, often glazed with
in, aad impressed with various designs with
out Then the perpendicular walls that hem
mel in The va ley began to contract, and, for
the next ten miles the trail lei oyer rocks
which were anything but easy to Traverse
That night We campcd under some forlOrn
cedars. just beneath bluff a thousand or so
feet high, whicl for the upper half wls ab-
sOlutcly vertical. This was the edge OF the
table land, OF wesa which stretches over hnn>
drcds Of square miles hercabOuts. and is cler
by these great cracks or canons, through
which the drainage Of the country finds its
way into the great Colorado. In wandering
about after supper, we thought we saw some
thing like house away up on the lace OF
this bluff, and two of US, running the
risk Of being oyertaken by darkness, Chamber
ed over the tslus of loose debris, across
great stratum Of pure coal, and by dint OF
much pushing and hauling up to the ledge
upon which il stood, We came down abund>
antly satisfied, and next morning carried up
our Photographic Kit and got some superb
the valley, perchcd on little ledge just large
enough to hold 1t, was . two story house
made of finely cut sandstone, each block
about 14x6 inches, accurately fitted and sci
in mortar now harder than the stone ITSELF
The floor was the ledge upon which It rested,
and the roof the overhanging rock. There
were three rooms upon the ground hoor, each
one 6x9 feet, with partition walls OF feced
stone. Between the stories was originally a
wood dc or, traces of which still remained, as
did also the cedar sticks set in the wall over
the windows aud door; but this was over the
front room only, the hight of the rocky roof
behind not being sufficient to allow an attic
there Each Of the stories was SIX feet in
hight, and all the rooms, up stairs and down,
were nicely plastcrei and painted what now
looks dull, brick>red color, with a white
band along the floor like q base board. There
was low door way from the ledge into the
lower story. and another above, sho wing that
the upper chamber was entered from WITHOUT
~ WtuOoWS WcIC I0I8Cs eAu9AO 0PSAs~~~s
with M indication of any glazing or shutters.
They commanded view of the whole valley
for many miles Near the house several con-
vcnient littl, inches in the rock we re built
into better shape, as though they had been
used as cupboards or caches and behind ];
semi circular wall incl0slng the angle of the
house aud cliff formed reservoir holding
two and q half hogsheads. The water was
taken out of this from window OF the up
per room. and the outer wall was carried up
high, 80 as to project one 50 engaged from
missiles from below. In front of the house,
which was the left size 10 one facing the
bluff, an esplande had been built to widen
the narrow ledge aud probably furnish
place for kitchen. the aout>
ments which supported 1t were founded upon
\ steeply inclined smooth face of ROCK; yet
20 consummate was their masonry that these
4 abutnents still stand, although i would seem
tina, pounds weight might slide them OH
GROUPS OF DESTROYED EDI-
Searching further in this vicinity, we
found the remains of many houses on the
same ledge, and some perfect ones above 1t
quite accessible. The rocks also bore some
Inscriptions unintelligible hierOglyphics. for
lie most part-reminding one OF those
piyeu bv Lieut.. Whipplc in the ttir: volume
0f the Pacific Railroad reports. All these
o1.~A~ pc