National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-29
ARID ARIZONA.
ANOTHER INTERESTING LETTER.
The ella River and Its flushing Haters-Claizs
Pedestrian VeBtures-The Lost Tribes
The Fine Heather-Reiics Of Pot
tery-The Cost OF Living.

ana old Kris kTiDgle has diSported himself in an
ether season of merry go-rounder" to the delight
ofthe little knights of the stocking the recipients
and giVers of goodwill gifts and the stalwarts in
friendly greetings by firesides in festaI hall and
eyergreened sanetuaries wherever the Star OF
Bethlehem has shone, we eheerfully note the fact
that the season of garlands and mistletoe was not
forgotten even by the yariegated people who dwell
out here ON the ragged edge of civilization.
Although our festivities were wanting in skating
Kinks, eoasting, sleigh-bells, and "the beautiful
snow, and with no very great carnivals of pleasure
the Christmas-tree and the flowing bowl had their
place and celebration with rockets and burning
powder. Christmas Day was warm and delightful, so
down to the ella and out on the desert, beyond
the river, We set free energies for climb of Mt
Pastor. The way to the river was easy enough /;
but without bridge, a boat or horse the cross
ing was a problem We sat upon the banks 10 solve
Over the river we must go, but how to get over we
did not know. Presently Mexican ho-seman
overlook us on the banks of
THE RUSHING WATERS OF The CHA.
with whom bargain wasstruck for an equestrian
ferry. Slipping back on the horse, my wife took
her position in the saddle and was shortly landed
on the opposite shore. Returning, the Professor
took position postePiOr TO the Mexican. and Your
humble servant one still to the rear The sitting
room on the back Off small horse was no more
than required for three men at once and to pre-
vent sliding of into the river it was necessary to
ride in close ranks. no matter how unsavory the
Mexican 10 the middle man. Reaching the land
ing, 1t became a question how to dismount in an
orderly manner. There was no room to turn
around and to slide down the near hind leg of the
animal did not seem graceful, and, however shock
ing to the dignity of the land Office it might
appear to an observer, the feat of a dismount by
the rear, and slide down the horses tail, was
handsomely performed with no casualties to re-
port. The mountain is about a mile and
half from the river, volcanic peak rising out
of the desert, the road to which runs through
the ruins of an ancient city, now given
up to scrubby growth of sage bush and cactus
Colonel PASTOR constructed zigzag carriage-way
from base to summit, at cost of some thousands
of dollars, for the accommodation of himself and
friends in making the ascent; but through neglect
much of this road is now washed into a canal,
down which the water runs with great force after
heavy rains. The whole mass of rock formation is
cracked and scanned, and every crack and seam is
filled with eream-coloTed cement that one day
was forced by volcanic action up through the mass,
which had been fired by the gases employed in
the laboratory within the earth's surface. stand
ing upon the apex OF PASSIONS Folly" as il is now
called the desert spread out miles around us, and
the mountains, from forty to sixty miles distant,
seemed but short way of. To the west, and at
the foot of the peak is the abandoned shaft of a
silver mine, where one of the four discoveries of
the famous "Silver King" located claim some
years ago, but, not yielding ore rich enough TO
meet his expectation,
He GAVE IT UP.
No better prospects than this have been devel-
oped into valuable mines; and should some CAPT
talist take up and go ON with the work already
thousands are often expended before paying ore
is discovered and with few more blasts of giant
powder the coveted wealth might be brought to
light in this deserted shaft Having descended on
the west side, down the precipitous, rOek-rolling
peak, to visit the mine, we wended cur way
through the brush and among the cactus till wa
struck the road leading back to town. Fortunately
we were able to secure the services of boy and
horse from neighboring ranch for passage over
the river, and shortly amer the sun went down we
were back i'll our adobe quarters in Florence.
During the holiday week the professor and
myself made several extended pedestrian ven
lures One day we concluded to prospect up
along the north bank of the ella in search
of ruins. Taking position on the bank near the
ford of the river we shortly had the company Of 3
Mexican horseman who took us across. starting
up the valley, We soon came upon the ancient
ruins of once populouS town. Old irrigating
bitches remain in very good condition, even to-
day. and the mounds of erumbled concrete build
ingS cover the surface of hundreds of acres. The
cement used in the construction of buildings was
of q quality as durable as that entering into the
works of the present time. 1t was everywhere
scattered over the ground, and nearly as hard as
the stones imbedded in it. Broken pottery and
fragments of stones, worked out and used fol
grinding grain the elbow gristmils of the race OF
hat IF
manning tribes that now make their homes on the
deserts of Arizona, were evidences of once dense
population.
Pottery must have been the leading industry OF
this people. In many places the ground is fairly
paved with the fragments of broken vessels Many
specimens We have gathered exhibit skill in
eoloTS and painting lost to the Indians Of to-day.
In strolling over the ruined homes and sepUl-
chTes of
THESE UNKNOWN TRIBES,
we visited many of the mammoth eactuses, stately
monuments to the departed, fully forty feet high,
and from two TO four feet in diameter Departing
from the scenes of once busy life, the lresides
and industries of people whose history is known
only to the recording angel of time, we solemnly
retraced our steps to the ford of the river, musing
over the strange life that preceded by centuries Of
years the few who now wander up and down this
valley Waiting by the river gets monctOnoUs
when one is hungry and tired, and having He
harps to play or to hang upon the willows, We
sang only the song Of" Over the River
Every conveyance went the wrong way, and
still we were waiting and thinking that "Over the
river they beeSon 90 me-" Impressed with the
necessity of staying our empty stomaehs with
something more strengthening than soliIequizinG
over the dead-gOne red man and the silence OF
deserted, crumbIing cities, lover the river"
ncb a
we proceeded to go. A noble Mexican led the
van followed by the Professor in nankeen leggingS
an undress uniform quite out Of season for Christ
mas time. While the old soldier made a bold adj
vance upon the opposite shore, / maintained a
rearguard for observation and safety until he had
taken up 8 position covering the retreat when,
gathering up my forces, proceeded to move for
ward for a battle with the raging ella. Having
moved my column to the LEFT oblique, esssb-
lished my pOsteriOr base on the south bank 10 the
right of the Professor, where we performed a
rectangular shin and heel movement in prepare
ton for q march upon the town and an assault
upon the Turkish breusltrorEs thrown up in antiei-
patton Of an attack. Deploying our forces 70 the
right and left we carried the works and by night
fall the town was ours.
As seread of the billiards that have come down
upon YOU at the East and Of the snow and ice
blockade all through the upper and eastern
States, we are enjoying climate and country Tree
from snow, rain, mud, or winds Just nov il Is
said TO be colder than usual at this season of the
year. the ground slightly freezing at night and
standing water being glazed with ice. The atmOS-
phere is so thoroughly
CHARGED WITH ELECTRICITY
that we become more sensitive to cold than we
would be in sonic sections where the thermometer
marks much lower temperature. The effect Of
somueh electricity seems to throw open all fabrics,
entering into clothing materials. requiring OF Us to
wear more and warmer articles of dress than in
the East with the same degree Of temperature.
Everything considered, we are very very well sat
isfied to be excused from your winterwes:hef this
season, and 10 make the best of the country and
people of Arizona for the time being. nOtwith-
standing we are restricted to but very few home