The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-07-17

stone partitions and aoors into numerous
small apartments, where Il would seem
that this strange people passed years Of
doubt and fear, threatened by famine
within, aud by cruel prosecution and tor
ture from besieging enemy without.
The lower caves are about ten feet from
the bottom Of the cliff, and may be entered
with some difficulty by climbing the pro-
jecting points Of the bluff. The larger
one can be reached only BY ladders, which
have at best precarious foot-hold on mar
row lodges, along which the explorer must
feel his way with the utmost care some
thirty yards at height Of forty aud fifty
feet, from which careless step might pre-
cipitate him upon mass Of rocks below.
A solid masonry wall two feet thick, with
a curved front about thirty feet wide and
fully as high, has been built on the natural
floor Of the cave, sixty feet above the
stream at the foot Of the cliff. The wall
is Fashioned, evidently to afford a hank
defense, and has what appears 70 be
sentry-box Of masonry protecting the sin
gle entrance at the centre and base 81 the
wall. The top Of the wall forms parapet,
rising three feet above the upper noor,
and within four feet If the natural roof Of
the cave. Loop-holes, which may have
served either for observation or defense,
occur at regular intervals at the base Of
the parapet.
Having climbed with some difficulty
about thirty feot Of debris, we reached the
lower ledge, scarcely two feet wide, along
which we worked our way with the utmost
care to the foot Of the first ladder, ascend
ing which we were on the second ledge,
from which another ladder Of uncertain
strength led US to the entrance Of the cave.
Passing narrow doorway at a right angle
with the main wall, we entered small
chamber, from which man-hole admitted
Us through the ceiling to an apartment Of
irregular shape about twelve feet square
and seven feet high. The roof Is Of nat
ural rock, as is most of the floor; that por-
ton, however, of the latter which covers
the lower apartment being Of large cotton
wood timbers covered with rushes or small
brush, over which is layer of cement.
The timbers used in this and other rooms
of the structure were cut with stone hatch
cts, and are evidently very ancient. From
this cave are two exits besides the one re-
ferred TO, one on either side, through
which we crawled on our hands and knees
to larger rooms Of various sizes honey
combed behind this wall, which protects
three irregular tiers Of cells. Nearly all
are dark, and the roofs, without exception,
are blaekened by smoke.
A deposit Of bat lime covers the floors
to depth of ten or twelve inches. Digg-
ing through this, we unearthed many
fragments Of pottery, which subsequent
comparison proved to be identical in ma
terial and workmanship with that found
later in old ruins Of Tonto Basin and
elsewhere in Arizona, as well as with the
pottery still manufactured by the Moquis
and Zunis.
Directly above the caves, and on nearly
every commanding point near Beaver
Creek and the Rio Verde, are ruins Of
stone dwellings built without cement, and
Of such materials as could be adapted
without cutting to the rough walls, which
appear to have been protection from the
arrows Of their foes rather than from the
weather We found no evidence that
these or other dwellings in Arizona
had been rooted, though it would seem
that the people who occupied them must
have had some protection against the
scorching rays of an almost tropical sun.
That these were the dwellings Of the
cave people in peaceful times is certain,
and that their occupants were to some ex-
tent agricultural Is shown by the many
irrigating bitches and canals (calIed by
the Mexicans acequaas) found in the vi
entity Of this and other Of the pseblos
vigos in many parts Of Arizona and New
Mexico.--Harper's Magasine for August.