The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1879-12-07
An Ari.o.a Cave. MIne.. Etc.

inlIAbited by prehistoric race. Whom
they were; from whence they came, and
how they disappeared, history seems to
be IN the dark. The traveller may
wend his dreary way in any direction
through this Territory and the same
evidences appear on Nil sides. Distinct
s'aces are plainly perceived OF what
was once thriving towns aud villages,
thickly populated, fields under oultiya-
ton aud acequias for carrying water
for irrig"ting purposes. They were
built ut no small outlay of money and
labor. In many portions they eau be
traced for miles. and appear to have
been constituted with vast amount OF
engineering skill, and wero larLe
enough 70 float n fair sized boat. Moth
ing is left Of the villages but the stone
foundations aud mounds which are very
discerulble, and quite numerous. The
Giia valley. on the west, nt,
or near San Carlos. and going eastward
as far, or beyond SIfford. distance Of
hfty-iye miles. there ruins are very ex-
tensiye for the whole distance. E1ca-
: tions have been made near Camp
Thomas, at Parbio viejo. near SafIord.
and other points. and a number OF
ollns, unglazed pottery, and a few trink.
cts in. the way OF shells, etc, found, to
provo they, were far in advance OF the
Apachos in civilization. aud in all prr.
suits. The mountain sides in numer-
GUS placcs arc penetrated with holes or
caves containing rooms some 90, so and
90 feet square. having been inhabited
in by gone years, by the cliff dwellers
or other inhabitants OF this wild region.
Tho cavo which l am about 20 do
scribe, no doubt was occupied at some
time by these peculiar people. l was
travelling at the time visited this cave
and consequently my time was rather
limited and my Investigation not very
extensive. Tho cave il situated nbou.
ono mile north of Mountain Spring
Station on the road between Camp
Thomas and Tucson, being twenty
miles from the latter point, and what
. surprising is that it should re-
main undiscovered to the present day.
The opening or mouth of the cave, to n
person knowing its whereabouts, can
be distinctly seen at a distance Of sew.
eral miles. II Is situated upon the siie
Of n lrw. rough. bat prrcipitioGs noun
tain side. and u. .nctTatts tho mountain
about midway, through n ledge of por-
phry and lime stone. running parallel
with the mountain chnin. Ii i. arrhcd
at the mouth, and nearly six feet in
height in the center.
The first object OF interest which at
tracted attention, and scarcely two
feet away Was large sized rattlesnake; +;
they are quite common throughout the
Territory. and consequently caused
little surprise.
Lighting our candles We then nd.
vanced few feet and entered large
room filed with n peculiar odor. nnd
plenty OF bats; the floor being covered
with ashes, fuo dust, sticks and other
refuse, the accumulation of years. Deer
nn'lors were hero piled by the hun.
drcds. some exposed to yiav, but more
covered Ivy debris. Most OF Them were
broken, but ono complete pair was Sc.
rnFa1 which hovn haa,,
will DO preserved ns relic.
Alcoves, rcccsscs aud other aud
smaller rooms were fouui. all rescmb.
ling the one mentioned. With a stick
tho only implement nt commando
a lew arrows were unearthed, which
appeared to have been mnde with stone
implements. In the end OF one was n
hole in whieh n sinow was tied; some
were blokcn and others pointed. Pieces
Of broken nnglazed pottery were also
found. Advancing to the extreme end
OF this room, n descent OF fifteen feet
was made. when smaller side caves
wcro found tu exist both TO tho right
and left, extending above md below to
apparently fnthomless depths.
Pushing forward by the light Of our
candles, numbers OF caves and rooms
wcro entered by passing over elevations
ten to twelve feet in hight; under arch.
es aud along shelving rocks. finding
however, nothing worthy Of note.
During the three hours consumed in
these suherrancOus explorations, n
-nild or moro was travorscd. and at tho
point most remote, an arrow and pieces
Of charred wood wero found. Pendant
from the walls aud roof. reaching 70 tho
hight Of sixty or seventy foot were beau.
tiful stnlactites, and from the floor rosc
mn equal variety Of stalaguites. Tho
air OF these caves contains no impuri.
ties, the candles burning frocly ovory-
whero, but many parts OF tho route
traverscd woro extremely dangerous, n
slip or misstop being liable 10 send ono
into mn Abyss Of unknown depths.
Though ongorly embracing tho op.
poriuning to mako tho above mentioned
exploration, the light Of day md honv.
ems frcsh air were never moro wolcomo
than when emerging from our threo
hours tomb. where darkness and dnmps
no longer reigucd supreme. w. A.
------ - a-a----- .
A TWELVE year old boy while playing
witha revolver In KcDton. Ohio. ncci.
dentnlly shot and killed. another boy.