River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-09-07
One Of the Wonders of Arizona The DEVILS
Nest.

cation to the Chicago Tribune, de-
scribes q wonderful valley, which will
remind the readers of that inaccessible
valley of diamonds described in the
arabian Nights
In the winter of 1874 | was in the
service of the government on the Piute
Reservation in southwestern Nevada
My business was to look after the
wants Of the Indians, visit the different
subdivisions Of the tribe anu use my
influence to bring them to the reserva.
ton where they might be cared for
and taught the principles of civilaza
ton. On one excursion was looking
after the scattered bands of Sebits
and, on returning to the agency, was
attempting to cross from the lower
crossing of the Little Colorado on the
east side of the main Colorado river,
to the month of the Red Virgin, over
a dry, barren plateau of seventy miles.
1t was wearisOme march, and both
man and beast were actually suffering
for water. Serious thoughts and cal.
culatiOns occupied every moment; the
fear of destruction seemed to be indel.
IDLY stamped upon all yet |, who had
the guardianship of the party, ha |
many times in my twenty-six years in
the far West experienced very similar
tests of mems souls, and babe them on
ward and with my assurance that they
would reach water, they trudged on.
While travelling along a very old Indian
trail, | discovered an object in the dis
lance which supposed was a deer or
antelope, which was regarded as a
sign that water was close at hand.
Spurs were applied TO the faithful
mules, and they were not long in APP
preaching the supposed animal but to
the establishment of the party, it prov.
ed to be an Indian laden with Zeona
blankets, on his way to what he called
the Diable-the DEVILS Nest. lie was
most fearfully frightened He after
wards stated that he expected to be
killed by the party ; but upon being as
sured of friendship and good will, he
gave information of water and of his
business. lie proved to be a Moqua
Indian trader, with large pack of
blankets on his back, and, as stated be-
fore, was on his way to the DEVILS
Nest. He invited us to follow him.
We ..ad travelled but a short distance
when we came upon a great descent
in the level plain or Mesa. 1t was ev-
identity too steep to be descended with
animals, so we dismounted, picketed
our annals, and, on foot, followed our
guide. A few rods travel brought us
to perpendicular cliff of solid NAL
pace OF cooled lava, from which we
obtained plain view of a wonderful
chamber lying a great distance below
us. At this point our guide threw
over or down his pack, and it was soon
out of sight. Immediately before us
was narrow, deep crater in the NAL
pace, through which we went down at
at angle of so degrees, until another
perpendicular cliff was reached, which
we descended by the aid of a Mexican
ladder. 1t was made of rawhide and
was securely fastened in large
pile of stones at the top. 1t had small
sticks twisted in the rawhide at right
angles with the lariet, which served
as steps in the ladder. On them,
one after another, lower point was
gained, except in few cases where a
long pole was used as a substitute.
At last the bottom was gained, and,
after a journey Of half a mile over a
beautiful smooth surface, we came to
one of the most beautiful bubbling
springs we had ever seen. of pure,
cold and sweet water. At this point,
to my establishment and dismay,
found an abundance of Indian signs
tracks of Indians). | could look
around me and realize the stubborn
fact that | was in one of Natures most
secure prisons. The walls were per-
pendicular to the height of $500 to
1000 feet, with seeminly no possible
means of escape save by the way we
entered. The first thought was hOr.
rifying in the extreme. The idea of
having followed an Indian into a
stOne-bound cave or chamber, and into
the midst of a band of wild Apaches,
was terrible indeed. ! suspiciously
and tremblingly followed the Moqua a
quarter of a mile further, when the
stream of the spring had grown into
quite little creek, having been in
creased by many other springs, and
the signs of Indians had changed to
that of real Indian villages yet not
an Indian was to be seen, and this was
but confirming my suspicious of dam
ger, and adding more horror to my
trembling nerves. Our guide mount.
ed large rock and yelled, at the top
of his voice, most horrible howl.
After a seemingly long suspense a
very old, decrepit Indian, almost
blind, crept out from the mass of de.
tached cliff that had fallen from
above, and, with trembling fear, eX.
claimed, "AmigO-amigo J" The sa-
lutte was returned, and the two COW.
ards-no, brave men--each fearing the
other, rejoiced, and, as evidence Of
friendship, there was an exchange Of
tobacco, and the pipe of peace was
smoked.
1t was followed by calling together
the whole tibe-a poor relic of some
ancient tribe-numbering in all but
sixteen. They had probably fled to
this most secret and remarkable spot
of the earth for refuge in time of
trouble, possibly previous to the inva.
sion of CorteZ. They were most mar
yelously struck by our appearance.
The DEVILS Nest is situated in the
northwest part Of Arizona Ter.
ritory, on the east side of tie Colorado
river, and opposite the lower end of
the great Canyon of the Color do. The
canyon is in some places 5000 feet
deep. The Devils Nest is sunken
hole in malpace, or lava formation TO
the depth Of $500 to 1900 feet, with
perpendicular walls, except the hazard.
GUS entrance through or over which
we passed. II is an oblong square,
some > ls2 by 10 miles. found these