Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-08-19
THE HAYDEN SURVEY.


.E.I I..- July 10, 1875. }
There are but few large areas of
country about which so little is known
by the world as this about the adjacent
corners of Colorado, New Mexico,
Utah and Arizona. 1t Is recorded in
the maps that the San Juan river
flows in westwardly course through
the northern portion of New Mexico,
and it is supposed that it finally reach
es the Rio Colorado; but where and in
what manner. no man has been able
to discOver-also, that from the north
a number of large streams, fresh from
the mountain SHOWS, sweep down into
the loWlands, finally reach the San Ju-
an-that roaming bands of Utes, who
acknowledge no ruler and no law,
infest the country like banditti, and
more obscurely than all, it is rumored
that on every stream, in every canon
and on the very submits of the desert
highlands, there are scattered the re-
mains of an ancient civilization, ante
dating, it is thought, even the con-
quest of Mexico by the Spaniards.
Exploring parties that passed through
the country many years ago, numer--
Gus gold hunters, and wanderers who
see more and record less, have brought
these and other fragments of infOrma-
tion to light. 1t remains for US to seek
for what remains unknown, and record
for science and the world the results.
1t was with no little interest that
we took our first look into the eastern
borders of our territory, that we stood
on high hill overlooking the La Plata,
and thought of the difficulties and dam
gers-of the possibilities of our under
taking.
Already we had, in our westward
march crossed the valleys of the Piedra
Pinos, Florido and Animos rivers
northern tributaries of the San Juan.
Two more lay still to the westward
the La Plata and the Rio Mancos-and
beyond these only the dry stream beds
that carry off the melting SHOWS of the
semi-deSert.
At the head of the La Plata there is
a mining camp, where aparty of about
twenty men, under the direction of
Capt. John Moss, are developing some
rich mines of gold and silver. Captain
I Moss, we found to be very pleasant
and versatile gentleman; one well in
Horned in regard to the surrounding
country, a master of the customs, hab-
its and language of the Indian tribes,
r and in their eyes most potent "med-
icine man." He informed us that the
Utes were expecting party of Govern
) ment surveyors to run the line of re-
cent purchase-a large tract of mining
land about the heads of the Animos
and La Plata-that they were deter
mined to stop the survey and drive
: the surveyors out of the country, since
the government had failed to fill their
contract, and were trying to cheat
them out of two or three rich valleys
beside. 'Poor Lo,' who can speak nc
English and not great deal of Mexi-
can, would be quite liable to mistake
us for the obnoxious expedition, aud
, treat US pretty roughly. A few bands
i of them were encamped on the La
Plata, some % miles below, and as we
wished to move that way, the Captain
was kind enough to send them word
by an Indian who happened to be
present, that our party was only trav.
cling through their country, and would
do them no harm whatever. ''Say tC
them," said he, "when they meet you
and speak to you, Pai-d-,oitch te-aoeel
j minnie l,iqua-I go to the land of tht
q NaUajoes, and they will let you pass
of course they will want something tc
eat-give them that, and they are
6ue1eO." E.
Three days successful marching
would take us to the San Juan. On
: the first day of July we turned oul
backs upon the handsome group of La
Plata mountains, and the gold sprink.
led terraces and their base, and enter,
r ed the sage covered depression through
which the river runs. TO the left were
the green hills of the AniInos, and .to
the right the gradual ascent that leads
: up, to the pinon-covered Mesa5 ol
: the west. There was nothing remark.
liable either in the geography or geolo-
Icy of the region, and only an old Indl-
an trail to remind US thatit was inabit-
ed by living creature:
On the second day out the first Indi-
an came into camp. He was good
looking and rather pleasant fellow, but
not Over-dressed, his outfit consisting
of a shirt, made from fancifully let
tered flour sack, and pair of mecca
fsins. He could speak little Spanish,
and seldom failed to make his wants
known, which wants were only limit
ed by the number of articles in our
stock. He was gOod-natured and fond
lof fun, and never lost an opportunity