The Iola register., 1885-05-08
NEW MEXICO.


yiAit 60 Pueblo Constructed br Prehis-
torlc Inhabitanfs.
Passing on, we soon entered a laby-
rinth of dry, red sandstone hills. which
seemed to jostle one another in endless
confusion, and came at length to a
stand in valley of horseshoe shape,
larger than the rest. 1t was an arid,
inhospitable place, growing nothing
but few dry cactus bushes. Acotton-
tail rabbit rose as we halted, and hop
ping away to neighboring cactus, sat
watching us from behind his friendly
shelter.
The red sandstone cliffs positively
blazed in the sunlight. The strong blue
sky seemed to come down and touch
their submits with burning fingers. and
where they met there was a ascintillating
simmer of pale pink fire. All around
near the skyline these cliffs were per-
forated with hundreds of little black
ened holes, like SO many swallows
nests in sand-hill. These were the
doors and windows OF the cliff-dwellings.
Most of them were entirely inaccessible,
being from two to three hundred feet
up the sheer side of the cliff. In few
places great quantities of debris had
fallen-enough to allow a venturesome
climber to reach the apertures; but
Buckskin Joe, who knew the ways of
the place, led us to stairway which
had been cut in the rock by the prehis-
toric inhabitants.
Eleanor, who was the first to enter
one of the little black doorways, reap
peared almost Immediately with a
shudder and little scream
''Oh. you mustn't go in there" she
cried. ats all full of horrid things"
Notwithstanding the earnest nature
of the warning, venturcd in, dislodg-
ing rs l did so two large lizards and a
horned toad, which came scampering
out. indignant at being disturbed
Joe, who had meanwhile entered
another doorway. came out. Offering a
human skull to one of the ladies. Then
ensued a general stampede in search of
relics. We found arrow-heads, bits of
decorated pottery, small agates, and
some broken bones. In one room we
saw some freSh-looking corn cobs.
which had been preserved, who could
say how many centuries, in this won
derful dry atmosphere. In another we
came upon millions of butterflies
wing. They strewed the floor in rich
layers-a wonderful carpet-and flut-
tered like living things rs we moved
about. We could find no spiders or
other deadly insects to account for
their presence. Why the beautiful lit
tie creatures had come away up there to
die, none but the god of butterflies
could tell. Some of the rooms we
found in state OF perfect preservation,
the whitewash on the plastered walls as
fresh rs the day, centuries ago, that it
was laid ON. The dwellings consisted
generally OF only one room, with door.
Il window. and chimney reaching up
to the top of the cliffs above. In one
case, though, we found as many as four
rooms connecting one with another.
Occasionally two dwellings would lie
connected together by low dark pas
sage. Whils | was explor ng one of
these holes IN incident occurred which
had very nearly brought our junketing
to melancholy conclusion. When
about halfway through, dark object
suddenly appeared in front of me,
shu.fling and Breathing heavily. | IN
stantly jumped to the conclusion that a
bear or some other wild animal had
made his lair at the further end of the
passage. The situation was unpleas-
ant, and my heart tiuttered disagree
ably as l pulled and cooked n large
forty-four Colt S revolver. was about
to fire. when an answering click came
from the mysterious figure.
Don't shoot" Icried.
"Wa'al," said Euckskin Joe-for it
was he" if didn't take you for Gin
naniOn bearI'
We both of ss kept out of those holes
for the remainder of the day.-Birge
Harrison, IN Harper's Maga=ine.