Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-28
EXPLORING CLIFF DWELLINGS.

The Difficult Ascent Made to the Summit
OF Tres Piedreas Rocks Well Rewarded.
Almost three months ago a young man named
Morrison, who was sojourning in New Mexico
for the benefit If his health, began an attempt
to climb to the top of the immense pile of rocks
east Of Tres Piedreas, from which the place
takes its name. The three heads are huge
cliffs, which stand hundreds of feet above the
surrounding country, and on top of which can
be seen the ruins of ancient cliff dwellings.
Morrison was impressed with the idea that
with time and patience the ascent could be ac-
compliLhed, and probably great aid might be
given to those who are studying the habits of
the ancient races which left SO many signs of
their civilization in this country.
He began on the south side Of the cliff and
started to cut steps in the stone and soil in
order to make means of ascent. He carefully
examined every portion Of the cliff, and de-
cided upon his route and since then he has APP
piled himself with the greatest industry to his
set purpose. He has succeeded, and now has
the satisfaction Of having accomplished that
which has been Set down an impossibility.
EIGHTY-THREE DAYS TO REACH THE SUMMIT
1t took him just eighty-three DAYS to trav-
erse the $50 feet from the base Of the sum-
nit and there he found that his labors were
well repaid. for he found the houses Of the
cliff dweilcrs intact, just a. they had been left
when some great CONFUSION Of nature had torn
away part of the ridge and left the immense
heads standing in the air.
There were seventeen houses found in various
parts Of the cliff, most Of them being on the
extreme summit and invisible from the plains
below. In these houses he found not only the
utensils used by the former occupants. but
found evidence that when the CONFUSION
spoken OF occurred many Of the inhabitants of
the place were on the top and either were
killed or died of starvation from being cut off
from all supplies.
The houses were exactly alike. being built of
stone and adobe bricks, One-storied, and with
from one to three rooms. In each of them VIC re-
| found numerous bowlsandOthere ear thenware YES
sells. while In one was found a sealed jar which
contained a lot Of corn.
The grain was hard and firm and looked az IL
| II bad been placed in the jar within u year. The
! jar, being almost Theoretically sealed had kept
| in good condition the corn, which otherwise
would have rotted.
SOME OF THE THINGS DISCOVERED.
| Remains Of bones were found, but these
were so crumbled away In the long time which
| must have elapsed since the cliff had fallen
that it was impossible to more than examine
| them But there was one place where an I'M
print OF a human body was perfectly preserved
| by the same process which preserved the forms
Of those who persisted In the ruins of Pompeii
| and Herculaneum.
mans form was plainly to be seen where be
bad been living, and was covered by the dust
| which had arisen from the mass OF rocks and
dirt which went down when the cliff fell. This
dust had covered the body completely and
packed around it until it preserved the shape
When Morrison saw the little mound or ele-
walton on the floor Of the house he dug into il
and found that its interior was hollow. and he
disturbed it ~ little possible, with the inten-
ton Of returning and taking a cast of the body
which had been inside.
Morrison has entered into correspondence
with the Smithsonian Institution. and hopes to
have the government supply means for further
exploration Of the cliffs along the Mancos and
Los Pinos rivers. where there are hundreds OF
these cliff dwellings which have never beer
4 explored.