Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-03-24
THE DEVILS NEST.
From the Chicago Tribune by Col j. W.
Brooks.

THE DEVILS NEST.
From the Chicago Tribune by Col j. W.
Brooks.
In the winter of 1874, was in the
service of the Government, on the
Piute Reservation, in Southeastern
Nevada. My business was to look
after the wants of the Indians, visit
the different Subdivisions of the tribe,
and use my influence to bring them
to the reservation, where they might
be cared for and taught the princI-
pies of civilization. On one exeur-
sion, | was looking after the scatter
ed bands of Sebits and, on return
ing 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
mouth of the Red Virgin, over dry,
barren plateau of 20 miles. 1t was
a wearisome march, and both man
and beast had reached state of
actual suffering for want of water.
Serio us thoughts and calculations
occupied every moment ; the fear of
destruction seemed to be indellbly
stamped upon all +; yet ], who had
the guardian ship of the party, had
MANY times, in my twenty-six years
in the Far West, experienced very
similar tests of mems souls, and bade
them onward and, with my assur-
ance that they would reach water,
they trudged on. While travelling
along a very old Indian trail, / dis
covered an object in the distance
which | supposed to be a deer or an
antelope, which was regarded as a
sign that water was near at hand.
Spurs were applied to the faithful
mules, and they were not long in ap-
preaching near the supposed ami
NAL but to the astonishment of the
party it proved to be an Indian "a
den with Zoona blankets, en- route to
what he called the Diablo-the
Devils Nest. He was most fearfully
frightened. He afterwards stated
that he expected to be murdered by
the party !; but, upon being assured
of friendship and good will, he gave
information of water and also of his
business. He proved to be Moqua
Indian trader, with very large pack
of blankets upon his back, and as he
stated before, was en- route to the
Devils Nest. He invited as to fol
low him.
We had travelled but a short dis
tance when we came upon a great
desceat in the level plain or mosa,
1t was evidently too steep to be de-
scended with animals, SO we dis
mounted, picketed our animals, and
on foot followed our guide. A few
rods travel brought us to a perpen-
dicular cliff of solid malpace, OF
cooled lava, from which we obtain
ed plain view of a most wonder
full chamber lying at great distance
below us. At this point our guide
threw over or down his pack, and ii
soon was out of sight. Immediately
before us was narrow deep crater
in the malpace, through which we
went down at an angle of 80 degrees
till another perpendicular cliff was
reached, which we descended by the
aid of a Mexican ladder. It was
made of raw hide, and was securely
fastened IN a large pile of stone on
the top. 1t had small sticks twisted
in the raw hide at right angles with
the lariat which served as steps in
the ladder. On them, one after an
other, low point was gained ex-
cept in a few cases where a long pole
was used as substitute. At last
the bottom was gained, and after 8
journey of half mile over a beauti
ful, smooth surface, we came to one
of the most beautiful bubling 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 tracks
of Indians1. Iacould 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 tc
1000 feet, with seemingly no posi-
BILE means of escape, save by the way
we entered. The first thought wa:
horrifying in the extreme. The idea
of having followed an Indian into a
stone bound cave or chamber, and
into the midst of band of wild
Apaches was terrible indeed. / sus-
piciously and tremblingly ftllowed
the Moqua quarter of a mile furth
er when the stream of the spring had
grown to quite little creek, having
been increased by many other springs
and the signs of Indians had chang
ed to that of q real Indian village
yet not an Indian was TO be seen,
and this was but confirming my sus.
picions of danger, and adding more
horror to my trembling nerves. Oul
guide mounted a large rock and yell
ed, at the top of his voice, 9 most
horrifying howl. After a seeming
ly long suspense, a very old, decrep.
it Indian, almost blind erept out
from the mass of detached cliff that
had fallen from above, and, with
trembling fear, exclaimed .Amigo
amigo !" The salute was returned,
and two cowards-not 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. It 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 troub-
le, possibly previous to the invasion
OF Cortez. They were most marYe-
lously struck by my appearance.
The Devils Nest is situated in the
northwest 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 g, 900
feet deep. The DEVILS Nest is a
sunken hole in a malpace or lava for
nation, to the depth of a.hnn to