The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-27

IN the descent of a particularly steep and
rough slope leading into a short canyon be-
low. The canyon was of peculiar form, rum
ming almost due north and south. the east
ern side, which we descended, sloping at a
considerable angle The western wall
could have been scaled by nothing short of
wings, for it rose perpendiculTly to
height of 300 feet. A small thread of water
ran at the foot of the cliff and by this we
made a temporary camp and ate our dinner
of biscuit aud canned meat. | tasted and
found the water sweet and cool and a heavy
draft was grateful after the dry fare.
As | raised myself from my knees beside
the water | saw a fragment of earthen-
ware, light brown in color, with an artis-
tIcaIly worked Greek border in black pig
ment. 1t was fragment but half the size
OF nay hand, but it sent an odd sensation
through me. Cliff dwellers" | queried,
mentally, raising my eyes up the western
wall of the canyon. No, that couldn't be it,
for there seemed to be no Judgment in the
face of the cliff for any of their structures.
| turned TO the other side of the canyon and
not 800 yards away beheld that which made
my heart stand still.
The eastern slope grew gentler little to
the northward, and there, but few yards
above its base, stood a low wall Of duh
gray masonry, crumbling and broken. but
showing distinctly, even at that distance,
that the builder WAS human.
With winged feet flew over the ground
until 1 stool with my hand resting on the
wall, and then my wondering eyes saw
above and beyond another and another,
rising to greater heights and standing in
far better preservation. | was daZed; l
didn't know what to do, but stood ike one
OF those affected with moonshine. | had
really discovered dead city. My knees
were too unsteady 10 hold me. and | sat
down on one of the fallen blocks of mason
~ until they should regain their frmnesS;
then began survey of the field.
The houses Of modern New Mexico are OF
sdobe-sundried blocks of mud and gravel,
and rarely rise above single story. The
cliff jewellers and the builders Of this city
OF mine showed a higher civilization and a
higher knowledge OF architecture, for here
were walls OF beautiful symmetry, built of
hewed sandstone blocks OF an even size,
laid IN strong mortar beds and with the
joints broken" that Is, with the stones
laid so that the joints come alternately. as
they DO in the walls of q brick house Of
modern times This gives far greater
strength.
The wall which had first espied was a
little more than six feet high in its high
est place and nearly thirty feet long, los
ing itself AZ the ends in the earth and
debris which had washed down around it
since the time OF its desertiou. centuries
ago. This wall WAS three feet thick and OF
stone throughout, and there were others
close by of even i've feet in thickness
Ny city must have been quite metrop-
oils in it, day aud generation. for the de
cayed remains covered unny acres. aRd
the knowledge we have of mems habits Of
life III those Troublesome times tells rs that
they lived almost ~ Close together aS rab-
BITS IN huTrow. One OF the houses farther
up the hill must have included three or
four acres within it, outer walls and been
Of several stores The outer walls still
stand. IN many places 10 4 height of nearly
thirty feet reaching 10 the thiri story. and
some o! the rooms on the lower floor are in
tact. even 10 the roof of cellar tim5ers set
in the walls. The whole structure was evil
IDENTIFY built AROUND an inner court or plaza.
Is the modern adobes and pueblos are
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