Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-07-31
GAVE DwEIIERs

t'ANNN|At 80 10 AANNNNNN AAWAA Al ANla4 NNNlAf
To-day stood In what remains OF
/ what Is the oldest Of American habit
ations. one by one the illusions OF
the past are being dispeled, and
among others the one that america
lhas no ruins" is vanishing. Ruins OF
castles and places around which cling
I Legendary lore, their are none; but
here in Arizona are the remains OF
lpopul0us villages, concerning whose
habitatiou not even tradition gives an
account None the less interesting,
however are the remnants of this
civilization.
TO the northwest OF Flagstaff some
nine miles isa volcano mountain GOV
cred, or rather perforated with the
homes Of the cave dwellers, to whom
the archaeologist has ascribod priority
to American citizenship. Through
the courtesy Of Air. Goshey, former
PRESIDENT Of Sc. Joseph, your cores
lpondent had the pleasure of viewing
this interesting locality. a pleasant
drive ascends to the base OF the Gin
drous mountain. Signs Of the ancient
haOitations thereof appear in the
thickiy strewn fragments Of pottery
which line the sides Of the extinct vol
cano. The caves are at the top.
Some Of them are still in a fair state
Of preservation. Their general plan
seems to be for each cave a large cen
tul chamber, circular in form from
which raiiaLe smaller chambers.
Whether these caves were originally
bubbles formed in the cooling lava, or
Ilhtir2ly the work of hulnaA agencies
isalguestion; but mans handiw0rk
is piaialy dlscegnable Around the
opening of each cave a small space is
enclosed hy stone walls, which walls
interlace with walls surrounding other
caves foralng complete neu work Of
walls on the srmmitof thcaonntains.
These walls were eTldelay used as
5geastwolks by the prehistoric race
that inhabited the caves. Thickly
ssrewa aooag the fragments Of pot
terry are to be found portions OF basket
pottery Tie most ancient ofanmakes.
same pieces in an csQegeat state OF
pfe creation, haYe been found. The
earth hIied-b9itomS Of many caves
tave never been disturbed and rich
Grds uraucstionably awaits the anti
quzyy who takes the trouble TO delye
therefor With tie pick and shovel.
Another prehistoric race, but a more
recent one taaa the care dweller, elso
inhabIted the region or Flagstaff.
E.ght miles TO the Southeast from
kagstafl are to be found the elf
-dwellers. Walnut canyon, In which
they areslu,ated, presents q picture
which of itself repays the little trouble
necessary to reach it. Several hun
drod feet dowa It's rugged and pie
turesque sides enc reaches the cliff
dwellings. The dwellings are built
between two juttlng ledgos, followed
out by the action Of the water and
weather into the form of a u tarned
on It's side. The front of this is walk
ed up and at intervals of few feet
are division walls separating dwellings.
a small hole being left to crawl in, and
you have the famous clifi dwellings.
The descent to these dwellings is by
means Of a difficult and somewhat
dangerous path. With little care,
however, it can be made in safety
Remains OF painted pottery are still TO
be found under the accumulated dirt
Of tie aoorsof the dwellings and on
the ledges outside Of tho wall. It is
not generally beliyed, at present. that
these dwellings were eyeroccupled ex-
cept in times Of war, as in places above
the canyons in which the dwellings are
situated, remains Of ancient villages
are found ON the level ground.
Some distance from the location Of
the cave dwelier5 are now to be found
the MoFgue Indians, q race which
seems to be the defendants OF this
now famous and historic people. Like
tile ciln dweilers, they seek practically
inaccessible dwelling places, and they
have many curious and Interesting
customs peculiar to their tribe. Their
beinnlai rattle snake dance, arcligious
festival occurring IN August Of This
ycaf, win be weil worth Witnessing.
But not alone In the cave dwellings
and cliff dwellings does FlagstaG pre-
sent interesting features to the
tourist It was long supposed that the
Santa Fe route to the paelac passed
through "A country containing no att
fractions 10 the sight seer; bat north
west from Flagstan is scenery, des-
tined for It's granduer and beauty to
become the most famous on the globe,
I refer to the Grand Canyon of Col
ondo. Ia company with Mr and Mrs
Thomas Of Chicago, Mr., aud Mes. Al-
drich Of albuquerque, and pr Post of
st. Louis, your correspondent Visited
this wonderful locality. The road
flfft.a. 1nua n.roD,I Gan Nrnrafs4a