Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18
Written for The Evening Star.

| sea, nlas sooH uc eApfortu Oy government
OF late the Department Of Agriculture has
been devoting much Of its attention to investi-
eating the waste regions Of the United States,
with view to finding out what things, animal
and vegetable, live in them Two years ago the So
called painted desert Of Arizona was the object
of inquiry, and. in addition to geological and
botanical specimens for enriching collections,
vivid pictures were brought back Of that red
expanse of heat and barrenness, with it's
scattered cliffs Of rainbow hues, topped by
heaps Of fossil wood, and it's sand storms
threatening the luckless traveller with their
towering columns Of whirling sand dancing
over the plain.
THE COLORADO DESERT.
Not less weird are the descriptions sent by
the present expedition to Death valley, re-
| specting scenes and experiences in that strange
alkali sink. But even Death valley is nothing
as to heat and picturesqueness, when compared
with the Colorado desert, which was the orig
inal tornado del Muerto or Valley Of Death Of
the Mexicans This extraording region is 200
miles south OF the so-caled Death valley, in al
most straight line, being that much nearer
the equator, and is a considerably deeper hole.
1t covers 5000 square miles, and more than
! quarter OF this area. a space of 100 miles long
by an average width Of Is miles, is below the
level of the ocean. In some parts its bottom is
2SO feet below tide water Reliable authori-
ties assert that it is the most intensely hot spot
on the face of the earth; the Sahara is nowhere
compared with it.
may fairly be said to be strewn with the bones
OF human beings who have lost their lives
there. Expedition after expedition has been
lost In attempts to cross it. Prof. Gilbert
Thompson of the geological survey spoke yes
terday In conversation of an occasion some
hon, .l.~a, IL l.
was passenger broke down in the Colo
RADIO desert. By good luck the nearest
station was only three-quarters of a mile away
and a number of people started out to walk the
distance over the ties Before reaching their
destination twelve of them were struck down
by the heat. so that rescuing party had to be
sent out for them. The thermometer stood at
l26 degrees in the shade. Many time tramps
have undertaken to walk the track for
distance and their corpses have
| subsequently been found between the rails,
sometimes not 500 yards from a station where
safety was. Under such conditions people can
not live for more than very little while with
out copious draughts of water. The water in
the blood dries rapidly, all the secretions Of
the body thicken and constipation of a most
direful type sets in.
NATURAL CONDITIONS OF HORROR.
1t might be said that this tornado del Muerto
was the ideal desert Of the world. In no other
such natural conditions Of ideal horror Even
the mirage tempter of the dying travellers de-
spair, reaches a more extraordinary de-
velopment there than anywhere else.
On any fine day-and in that region all
days are fine, because there is no rain-one
can behold in the Colorado desert, where all is
hopeless misery around, beautiful lakes, tempt
ing verdure and even towns with houses and
churches within distances apparently small.
Beyond all other characteristics this desert
hat 90 he.
aesthetic who can live on pictures it should be
an ideal abode. He would never be fatigued,
because the strange phantasmagoria is end
lessly changing.
FIRST EFFECTS OF A VISIT.
The explorer who is bold enough to venture
into this region of despair for purposes OF in
vestigation is struck. to begin with, with the
weirdness of finding himself walking on what
was once the bed of the ocean, hundreds Of feet
lower down than Neptune's waves are flowing a
few miles away. He knows that this branch of
the sea subsequently became an inland lake and
1t Is with interest that he looks upon the shores
OF what was erstwhile mighty body Of water
A great shallow lake it was years ago, and the
rocky banks which inclosed it still remain
cliffs of imperishable stone, with the ancient
water marks still upon them. When water was
there the lime which it contained was
deposited upon the rocky shores gradually
Tor thousands OF years. SO that now
thick in many parts and one is thus enabled to
observe just how high this strange inland reser-
voir threw its waves in times gone by.
ADEsERT WONDERLAND.
Its bed today may well afford study to the
seeker after marvels as we'll as to the geolo-
gist. 1t is desert wonderland. Imagine a
plain Of clay. monotonously level, relieved
here and there by hills Of sand built in beauti-
fully wave-like outlines. These hills are not
ats fhey fra vel
slowly, journeying over the plain As the
winds direct. The sand OF which they are
composed is not like ordinary sand at all but
of a nature marvellous. Most of the grains are
are of rainbow hues, being in fact small gems
OF red carneian, green chrysolite and vari-
colored garnet. Looked upon beneath a micro
scope they are most interesting. A majority
of them are perfect spheres, rounded and pol
ished by attfiton with each other When mixed
with a familiar acid they effervesce like seid-
litz powders. Composed of these strangely
wrought materials the sand hills look like great
snow drifts with here and there a CLEAN of
color: Continually they give forth rustling
sound, as the tiny spheres shifted by the
winds, slowly rolling onward.
BOILING SPRINGS.
In some parts Of the desert, here and there
water boils up from springs, which are sur
rounded by circular hillocks Of carbonate of
H..
terial Of which has been deposited from the
flowing fluid. The latter is SO highly charged
with gas that it is very difficult 10 Keep corks
in bottles filed with it. 1t seems queer to find
in such desolate country real soda water
fountains supplied by nature. Srups are not
offered to order. unfortunately. The lime de-
posted on the rocky shores was contributed by
such springs as these, bubbling up from what
was then the bottom of the lake.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE DESERT
is so clear, owing to the absence of moisture,
that small objects at a great distance seem
close at hand. All sorts of illusions deceive
the eye. man far away on the plain assumes
gigantic stature. Ranges of hills take on won-
derful effects Of color-rose. violet and yellow.
The phenomenon OF the mirage is developed on
a gigantic scale. Mountains below the horizon
rise into view. and vast lakes of clear water in
vite the traveller to turn aside for refreshment.
MOSAIC FLOORING.
The northern portion Of the desert is paved
with the most wonderful pebbles in the world,
in many parts SO exquisitely laid as to defy
successful imitation by the most skilled worker
in mosaic flooring. These pebbles are made of
porphyry, sgates. comedian. quartz, crystals
garnets, chrysolite and other such beau
tiful materials. They are packed to-
gether SO that the surface composed Of
them is like q floor. and they look as if pressed
into it with q roller. As a rule they are of
nearly uniform size and each one is polished
brilliantly, as if oiled and rubbed. Most Of
them are perfect spheres and the reflection