New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-04
EXPLORING CANONS.
INTERESTING RELICS OF rHE CAvE-DwELLERs FOUND
IN ARlzoNA-INDIAN BUMAL-PLACEs AMONG

rN1rPrsTING RELICS Of THE CAVE-DwEILERs FOUND
IN ARIZONA-INDIAN BURIAL-PLACEs AMONG
THE CLIFFS.
rrDu An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlBUNE-l
KEARN's CANON, Arizona, Nov. 2O.-Some
reas AGO a Frenchn IN wandering through the north
NJ Ar,zona and following towards lie source one or
those arroyos deep aud vide enough TO contain
wafer sufficient TO float steamer, but during ten
months III the year 50 dry along is general level that
locust could qJcnch It's thirst entered one Oh lho-e
peculiar ellis in the earth known a. cauonS HIS calm
o. being the first white who ever ser 1907 Wihh us
walls has eener lily been conceded, and by common con
sent this In Interesting region has been designated by the
uaroc ofirs discovrrcr, and called Canon de CheAy
Major Powell director Of the Bureau Of EthnooSy Wis
Ited the canon IN 1870, and Ia the dOIeu yeare tal
have succeeded. few other Americans have from time
10 time passed through It. So Tar az the WOrd II con
cerned how YER Canon de Chiefly has remained bit on
terra tc3g ill., Tie Interest attaching to toe canon is
sacu ,Aat Was greatly pleased TO accompany party
under charge o. Colonel Stevenson, VINO Proposed TO
make some Investigations there a. representative OF
the Bur. "a ~ E.uuolocy The place from wmch
write i. 100 mics northwest from Fort WuGHe New
Mexico aud Canon d. Chiefly Il situated between l.ty
and sixty miles OF north from his point 10 Il en-
rev within the Naval, Reservation, aud several thou
sand Of the people of tnat tribe live III s immediate
vicinity.
Canada Nucho, head chief OF the Navajos, informed
Coion, stevenson taat tIere Was canon leading from
the side o Canon dc Cneiy that contained many inter
...in. clif cu.e ruins and taat nad rsver YET been
wished by white man. I having been decided 10 SEC
a. u canon atonce, me party advanced 10 po'ut ~
f. tr miles from is mouth, after one nights encamp-
1soat iu canon Be Che w. Tie walls Of these eanons
Use with sheer he ht % from 500 10 l5oC feet A.
few points the opposing sides 'tle more Than nan
mile apart V ale in macy u ccs hey are only lie"
rods apart In he wder portions earth deposits nave
accanu ated until there are extensive areas oi SOL
ftff lpfi M
ou- there are cotton wood trees uore haa three eet
g. dame er st the base Tie soil productive ana the
/ IuG.aus,a uuAber OF whom I've IL tht canon uuHne
the growing season, cultivate corn melons etc through
the entire canon T. bed u sand Is level as floor some
times r,ac ting from wall 10 Will In wit'h and rdrel
LEST than 800 feet broad In rainy a regular
ryr flows here and daring other portions ~ te year
,u stream comes from The head Of The canon but j.
gradually lost the sandy depths. leaving no sem
Nance NJ wafer for distance OF five or SIX miles along
The anne before leaving the canon Wafer IL readily
obtained however ~ digging Aoo TO depth OF three
/ or four ieet tito this apparently dry bed OF sand
The most Interesting feature connected with the can
cps s found IN their imposing walls that stand like grim
bur unerring and yet unread, chronicles 81 the Va
lapse OF tine through wIch, by She taldy process Of
eroontuey have been exposed The base Oi thes- Walls
j. IMPOSED Of pure red sandstone sometimes reaching
aheght of 200 feet, above which appears Strata OF
white sandstone The formation Is uniform bat 10 con
tour color they present great variety Of views IN
response 10 the elements that have acted upon them
sonbre tinae OF mahogany walnut may cover acres
OF surface while ike the work OF the painters brush
fellows equally magnificent field OF rcu yellow gus
surfaces are again Oruamenteo by green. gray or yehoN
lch,p some lines a distance OF quarter Of mile
an Uninterrupted smooth face Of tue wall will be pre-
sen,ed IL Will break OIL az an angle as wei denuc1
As ne corner block OI buildings Eecesses ana side
/ cauuus appear here and there presenin 10 NeW
pleasant Wis or perhapS nail concealed Nv cluster
Of oak box. alder or cOttDnwO0i win mere ana mere
nine uuge fragment cleft the main rock viii be
observed single shaft OF sone givnE II the effect OF
IN ne walls taese appear number Of caves
worn rock IN the long d-0 Ihel vary IN sl|'
in height from tue base ana ID accessDily ID
Cnely found twenty fou: OF these, cohtalLhg
clG dwccrs ruins, while IN the new canon "ert iouu
! only slpVe hOuse, but more frequently there were
clusters and N ihiee or onr places tncie 'u one
communities 3D. from iuriF I" Sky laiL.es Ino ~ 1Jo
Indians never occupy these hoa-es but u Is Gust
f1r final rcstiug-pace. Navajo once buried ln one
Of those kes 80 po 10 bc forever stunned by
H. 1e,y mon ,,+r lnd "a crea many 81 these graves.
Inst below tuc LOS extensive ruin discovered IN I'VE
yault tie ~ WIcn were OF puOu poe lud
Inv ar ard The top aud bottom mcoscd with fiat
one. we're fouud two human s4cr Ous Gcpositel on
fqfr hacks With their legs doubled against their bodies
About each wa, wrapped fragment o. 4caYy neiuns
posed ~ Tie Adrlks Hbrl ~ roe 1icc" p1hl o. nan
isn bavoI e. The Nlvjo- call these ancient II dive
ers Nau-.Is-si" When tis sing iar grave r"che
George" our cnict guide ana an lndh"S - ".s
Iudiau. once e1 ai ncd' Nths'ssl iT NJ. $500
tna these yer. t1e remains o, the ycranie c'lH Gwen
!ur Lines 10 tAc same y icN' A.iu
20 t.ev CT. probably t.c hrst genuine rrlcs ~" tL'
tnd ever found. In COMMUNICATION oi ths , hut, ana
f1r ne rfa-ou hat there Gany dead INDIANS dc
Uso alo & us walls, AZ t3e sug-esti0u ol AF' M't
well lniniug engineer VINO dCcOuip thlrt lhe ppIlS
/ ana. canon was named " Canon de- Muert~.
The RUNS rlrrc Inc sk"lc ions were lOdlN AIt fDoN
800 feel above TIE bed oil the canon IL t"oE mar
c'f.1 10 reach them. Oucc there. h0w'FrF we iouhu
fI- nos, fr-srrvra MN n I'll W observed tue od4l'
inca are small strlcJuTea, rarely Allowing room I"tH
fpf square while they Centrally lcse tLA' teu' ~
wall. ar. .olstuc cd " small nat sonrs iaid ~ tu'l
beds OF mortar winch haA attained harbnesA Amos
TN, ttff te u.ifI
e-lrr stands fawcTKe uuldluE ia bne ia = 81 pr
eyya.ou. t4ai beus tnc apPcai aucc o. ha1thE Le's
? ne.r 14ai after beng completed. Inr NoFhh,ah--i
nrre "A .iurr8iu fact, 10 VII compare %'OIa"g NJ
80 ula.otr If tO-dty. TIE walls seem 90 DC kOos ot
,1.,usa,,d y.ars 10 come. have vsled nan uuho
too,4rn pieblU, ipriunng LlD the larg-s' one 10 @
- o1i Dsvo a. yet Ia ed 10 OUserVe piece u 80, -,
INV vi thtm that viii equal ssnc i0iAu aHVNs III
! rhine IL these two cahOus .-..,d ~, rti
AUanr items oi etuuoiOsic tnpor 2ucc lO"h" on ~
| orra,,u may be mentioned sandal hNllli'' ."
srUIruf Cf tic Yucca fibre and Arusichl! u h'n'ea'
/ 4 bn's worn through under tnc urel gave tNi'S"N ~
it, use while ia WtprcscryCd shape ~nr pi.o, VI "
perior vorRmansmp. neatly formed sHoe oi TIC S-
% | material WGs also found.