The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-03-16
TIE CLTEE DWELLERS.


Prof. Hayden, of the government geo.
logical survey in the far west, has pre-
pared his report, which will soon be pub
lished. The Rio DE Chiefly, for a dis
lance of about thirty. FIVE miles above its
mouth, is 50 canyoned-and the wash for
the bed of the stream is perfectly dry
the greater portion of the year, cutsfrom
wall rock to wall-rock SO frequently
that Ii is impossible to travel up it, ex.
cept in the bed, and that is so tortuous
and rocky in places that it would be diff
ficult, if not impossible. Making de-
tour to the right, the first opening into
the canyon was reached ten miles above.
In here an interesting and extensive ruin
was found which was so well preserved
that it seemed to have been vacated less
than score Of years, so near like the
workmanship and manner of building of
the present Moquis, that it would not be
difficult to imagine them lurking among
the deserted rooms. This ruin was stu
ated in a long Cave-like bench or mesa,
running along the face of a perpendicular
bluff, some fifty feet above its base, aud
a total length of nearly three hundred
yards. The town was irregularly but
compactly built, conforming to the rock
on which it was placed, the rooms arr
.s,s-,I =, , gsv,rv1o yrg.y net re kIro v,,,vy
but at either end punching up to two or
three deep. A ground plan shows sew
enty-five rooms, with many little irregu-
lar "cubby holes" with a total length of
54S feet. A few yards further to the
right are a half dozen detached build
ings. Cisterns and reservoirs yet re-
manned perfect enough to show their pur-
pose. In the center of the mass was a
well preserved circular apartment little
below the general level ofthe others, that
was probably an estWa. The great cor
rails were inside, between the houses and
tine bluff Digging beneath the debris
several pieces of finely preserved pottery
were found, the same finely Ornamented,
and glazed ware, of which the fragments
are so universally scattered over the
whole country. Beneath the center Of
the town there was found in one group
some whole ias Of about two gallons ca
capity each, OF the gray indented ware,
but they were too fragile too transport
upon pack mules. Besides the pottery,
many stone implements and arrow points
were unearthed. Another detour to the
right, this time over an elevated plateau
Of white sandstone, across which were
drifted great dunes Of white sand,
brought the party to the famous sO-called
diamond fields of Arizona, about
which there was such an excitement in
1872.
Lingering on is bare red plain, upon
which the sun beat with redoubled i'm
tensity, only long enough to gather
about a pint of garnets, which were of
excellent quality and very abundant,
camp Was made at the foot Of a side can
yOn which came IN from the west and
was known a. the canyon BOnito Chi
quito, Another group Of ruins occurred
here, not IN large but in scattered houses
up and down the De Chiefly and Bonito.
A marked feature was the great reser-
yoirs, Ia which there was, even now,
abundant and excellent water Two or
three miles below in the canyon Of the
main stream was well.preseryed two
story house, standing upon 4 bench ele-
waited ffty feet above the valley and
oyerhung By a great roof Of rock
that efEectaally shields II from the
storms Near by was 4 natural reservoir
filed with good water. Another FIVE or
six miles aud the canyon Of De Chiefly
opened out into 3 great valley, from one
70 three miles N width, and extending
up to the foot Of the great canyon near
Fort Defiance. twenty-five 70 thirty
Eve miles above Tho Bonito are some pc
culiar table rocks and monuments that
form notable landmarks. The ruins ara
now scarce, only a few being met with,
IN the caves al the side Of che valley.
The bottom lands bear the impress Of
very numerous ruins, adobe very likely,