The Opelousas courier., 1886-12-25
A RACE OF PIGMIES.
A Singular Discovery in the
Mountains Of Arizona.
Dwellings, of a Liliputian People Who
Existed Ages Ago.

It may be that Dean Swift was in
spired to write Gulliver's immortal
travels by legends and traditions brought
from America to England by adyentur-
ers of the Raleigh and Gilbert school, it
appearing from a recent discovery that
apigmy race at one time lived and died
upon this continent. The discovery
spoken Of Il that of a traveller in the
region of the Grand Canon of the
Colorado River, in Northwestern
| Arizona.
This traveller was recently visiting
Cheyenne, and from a correspondent Of
the San Francisco Call obtained particu-
lars Of his singular find" The gentle
man is a veteran traveller and has grown
gray in the climates of many regions,
but says that he never experienced a
more genuine surprise than when he
came upon the traces which established
beyond all question the existence, in the
obscurity of long-past ages, of a lilipu-
tian race in the wilds of Arizona.
The adventurous narrator had been
wandering for some time in the Arizona
mountains, hunting, fishing and explor-
ing. He came at last to that portion
of the terrific chasm of the Colorado
now known as the Marble Canon. Here,
seduced by the wild and grand beauty
of the surroundings, he pitched his adj
venturous camp for some time. Cne
day while on the trail of a deer he
noticed some singular indentations in
q lofty cliff of marble that overhuug
the chasm. These ind~entations pre-
sented such a curious appearance to
the naked eye that he ceased the pursuit
Of his game to examine them through
his field glasses. What was his aston
ishment when the glasses. revealed r,gu-
lar paths, cut deep in the face of the
solid marble. These paths though deep
were very narrow, having more the look
of trenches. ALI thought of his deer
now forgotten, the hunter turned his
eager attention to the investigation of
his sigular discovery.
He had noticed that the paths or
branches all tended toward a deep re-
cess situated high up on the face of the
cliff. Accordingly he began the ascent
of the cliff from the land side, and after
an hours severe toll stood upon the sum-
NIT of the dizzy eminence. He had
marked well the position of the recess in
the face of the cliff, and was delighted
to find that the descent from the summit
was less perpendicular in the direction
of the locality he sought than elsewhere.
He could even discern a species of plat
form which seemed to be situated exact,
" at the mouth of the recess. Scram,
bling back by the way he had assembled
he proceeded to his camp, and returned
with a long and stout rope. Fastening
this to the trunk of a storm-beaten pine
which stood upon the summit of the
cliff, he carefully knotted it at distances
of twelve to fifteen inches, lowered il
over the edge of the precipice and trust
ed himself 70 It's strength. Hand under
hand down he went, swinging fSw of
dizzy and perilous depths of the reyn
Marble Canon. At last his foot touched
the rocky platform in front of the recess:
and he found himself at his goal. Ane
now indeed a singular sight presented
itself. In front of him was a miniature
dwelling imbedded in the recess. Thi
dwelling was perfect in all it's ap
p%ointments, though those appoint
ments were of the rudest kind. It hat
certainly been fashioned by human hand
and those hands, though small, had evi.
IDENTIFY been industrious and guided BY
intelligence. The marble dwelling
boastea doors scarce fifteen inches il
height. and the tiny-Mindrilic
lighted up the front were scarcely tn
span Of a baby hand: These doors ant
windows wers nothing mUig 5daT Hole
in the wall of the dwelling and through
them the various apartments could b
, seen. There were accommodations ap
: parently for some eight on ten ittl
persons, and scattered about were man
utensils Of use and ornament. Thes
things were fashioned from the clea
veined marble and bore the look {
" E&&a&&
, children's toys rather than the househol
goods Of grown folk. The paths whic
: converged TO the entrance Of the DIVE
ling from all parts of the cliff face wei
0 some ten or twelve inches in depth, an
8 must have been cut with enormous lab
7 by men whose stature have not exceede
q foot.
Our ADVENTURE, after concluding b
observations, grasped his rope, and a
: ter a perilous ascent again stood upe
! the summit of the mighty cliff, in who
face the pigmy race Of old had hollowe
= and hewn their dwelling place. WI
2 these little folk were, how they live
= and how they diei, are secrets burie
y forever in the mighty tombs of the pas
TIE lNeiO Baby.
IL a little Southern girl who had Be
for ave years an only child was surprise