The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-03-09

on the top 1t had small sticks twisted in
the rawhide at right angles with the lariat
which served as steps In the ladder On
them, one after another, lower point was
gained, except in a fewer cases where a
long pole was used a. q substitute At last
the bottom was gained, and after Journey
OF half a mile over beautiful, smooth sur
face, we came to one of the most beautiful
bubbiing springs we had ever seen, of pure
cold, and sweet water. At this point, to
my astonishment and dismay, found an
abundance OF Indian signs Cracks Of In
dians). l could look around me and realize
the stubborn fact that | was in one of Ma
lures most secure prisons. The walls were
perpendicular to the height Of $500 to
1900 feet with seemingly no possible means
of escape, save by the way we entered. The
first thought was horrifying in the ex-
treme. The idea Of having followed an In
dian into stone bound cave or chamber,
and into the midst Of a band Of wild
Apaches, was terrible indeed | suspicious
ly and trembling followed the Moqua
quarter Of mile further, when the stream
Of the spring had grown to quite little
springs, and the signs Of Indians had chang
ed to that of real Indian village yet not
an Indian was to be seen, and this was but
confirming my suspicious OF danger, and ad-
ding more horror to my trembling nerves.
Our guide mounted a large rock and yelled,
ut the top Of his voice, most horrifying
howl. After seemingly long suspense, 4.
| very old, decrepit Indian almost blind, crept
! out from the mass Of detached cliff shat had
fallen from above, and with trembling fear
exclaimed amigo, amigo '' The salute
was returned, and two cowards-no, brave
men-each fearing the other, rejoiced and
as evidence Of friendship, there was an ex-
change Of tobacco, and the pipe Of peace
was smoked. 1t was followed by calling
together the whole tribe,-a poor relic Of
some ancient tribe, numbering in all but
sixteen, They had probably fed to this
most secret and remarkable spot Of earth
for refuge in time of trouble, possibly pre-
vious to the invasion Of Cortez. They were
most marvelously struck by my appearance.
The Devils Nest is situated in the north
west part of Arizona Territory, on the east
side of the Colorado River, and opposite
the lower end Of the great Canon of the
| Colorado. That Canon is in some places
5000 feet deep The Devils Nest is a
sunken hole in a nal pace or lava formation,
to the depth of $500 to 1000 feet, with
perpendicular walls, excepting the hazard
Gus entrance through or over which was
passed. 1t is an oblong square some y by
10 miles. [ found these Indians in posses
sion Of small flock Of goats, which had
been kept within bounds by means Of lariats.
They had also plenty of beans and corn
and, more astonishing still, they had the
most thrifty peach-trees that | have ever
seen, and quite quantity Of dried peaches,
which | here connect with our guide, the
Moqua trader, for he exchanged his blank
cts for dried fruit 1t is supposable that
the most uniform climate in America is to
be found in this sink,-the Devils Nest.
| have been for many years travelling as
a pioneer in the Far West, and, upon reach
ing this hidden valley, [ concluded that
here was a spot upon which no white man
had ever trod before myself, but, to my as
tonishment, just before taking my leave OF
the humble Chief and his tribe, I got to
know, through the medium of a paper
handed NE by the Chief, that the notorious
assassin and leader Of the Mountain Meadow
Massacre had been here The paper-a
piece or leaf of blank book-had written
upon it, in pencil, the following
ARIZONA TERRITORY, July 3, 1873.-Capt
Slupe-Salie and tribe,-ignorant innocent, and
hnd harmless
JOHN D. LEE.