The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-02-08

Atth III WAuN1f tit cfAtAAh nNAiAsl Az u " '@fa,A
It was lost. Wave followed wave and
rolled along and was swallowed up, and
still the floods came from above. j
found / could travel faster than the
stream, SO Ihastened ON TO camp and
told the men thero was o river coming
down the canyon. We carried our camp
eauipnge from the bank TO where we
thought It would be above the water,
and then stood by 10 see the river roll ON
to JOIN the Colorado.
Near the foot Of Cataraet canyon the
walls suddenly closed in, so That the
gorge wRs narrower than We Ind before
seen II. The watsr filed IL from wall to
wall, giving NO larding- -place'at the foot
Of the cliffs; the river was very swift,
tho canyon very tortuous, so TINT wa
could see but few hundred yards
ahead. The wills lowered overhead,
often oycrhanging 80 asto almost shut
ont tho light. Istood ON deck watching
with intense anxiety, lest the way should
lend us into danger, but we glided along
with no obstruction, no falls, no rapids,
and in mile and q half emerged from
tho narrow gorge into more open and
broken portion Of the canyon. Now that
II Is past, Il seems very simple thing
indeed to run through sucha place; but
the fcar Of what might be, made Q deep
impression upon all Of uH. Shortly after
We arrived at the foot Of Cataract
canyon. Hero long canyon valley
comes down from the east, and the river
t1irns ahnrply to tho west in continua-
ton Of the line Of the lateral valley. In
the bend on the right yast numbers OF
crags, and pinnacles, and tower-shaped
rocka nro seen. We called 1t Mile
Crag Bond.'
On the Goth Of July, wo entered d
canyon with low rcd walls. A short dis
tanca below It's head we discovered the
ruins Of m old building on the left wall.
There is 10 narrow plain below the river
and the wall Just here, and on the brink
Of rock two hundred feet high this old
house stood. Its walls were OF stone
laid in mortar with much regularity. IT
was probably built three stories high;
the lower story was yet almost intact,
the second much broken down, and
scarcely anything was left Of the third.
Great quantities Of flint chips We're found
on the rocks near by, and many arrow
heads, some perfect, others brokon, and
fragments Of pottery were strewn about
in great profusion On the face OF the
cliff under the building, and along down
the river for two or three hundred yards,
there we're many etchings. Two hours
were given to the examination Of these
interesting ruins, when We ran down
fifteen miles further and discovered an
other group.
The principal building was situated on
the summit OF the hill. Parts oil the
walls were standing 10 the height Of
eight or ten feet, and the mortar still re-
manned insome places. The house was
in the shape of an u, with five rooms on
the ground floor; one in the, angle and
two In each extension. In the space in
tho angle there was o deep excavation.
From what we know of the people in the
province Of Tueayan, who are doubtless
Of the same race as the former inhnbi-
,tants Of these ruins, we concluded that
this WIS o /" Kiya" or underground
chamber in which their religious cere-
monies were performed.
The sandstone through which this
canyon Is cut islred and homogeneous,
being the same rs TINT through which
Labyrinth canyon runs. The smooth
naked rock stretches out on either aide
Of theriyer for many miles, but curiously
carved mounds and cones are scattered
everywhere, and deep holes are worn
out. Many Of these pockets were filed
with water, and in one Of these holes or
wells, twenty feet deep, / found q tree
growing. The excavation was so mar
row / could step from its brink to o |
limb Of the tree, and descend to the bot
tom OF the we'll down o growing ladder.
Many Of these pockets are pot holes, be-
ing found in the course Of little rills or |
brooks that run only during the rains
which occasionally fall in this region,
and often o few harder rocks, which eyi-
IDENTIFY assisted in their excavation, could
be found in their bottoms. Others
which are shallower ore not 80 easily ex-
planned. Perhaps they are found where
softer spots existed in the sandstone.
places that yielded more readily to at
inospheric degradation, and where the
loose sands we're carried away by the
winds.
Just before sundown ]. attempted TO
climb o rounded e1inence, from which
Ihoped to obtain O good outlook over
the surrounding country. 1t was formed
OF smooth mounds piled one above ati-
other, and upthese i climbed, winding
here and there to find o practicable way,
until near the summit, when they be-
came too steep for me 10 proceed.
searched about for o few minutes for o
more easy way; what was my surprise at
finding q stairway, evidently cut in the
rock by human handsl Al one place,
where there Ia d vertical wall ten or
twelve feet high, found an old rickety
ladder. II may be TINT this was o witch
tower Of that ancient people whose
homes we had found in ruins. On many
Of the tributaries Of the Colorado i had
before examined their deserted DWELL
ings. Those that showed evidence Of
being built during the latter part Of their
occupation Of the country were usually
placed on the most inaccessible cliffs.
Sometimes the mouths Of caves had been
walled across, and there were many
other evidences showing their anxiety TO
SECURE defonsible positions.
Probably the nonadic tribes were
sweeping down upon them, and they re-
sorted TO these cliffs and canyons for
safety. tits not unreasonable to sup
pose that this orange mound was used
as q watch.tower.
/ stood whore q lost people had lived