Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-09-05
ALONG RIO SAN JUAN
The Marvellous Mountain Tnbu-
tary Of the Colorado RIVER
CLIFFS AND BowlDERs
which Bear the Prints OF Artistic
H.a<ls OF . Mysterious Race.
Cave DeelierA
AND BowlDtRs

have Cor years. II irregular intervals.
diseourssd at some length upon ne
wonders Of the BIO San Juan. and IA
che category OF the marvellous this
mounssin Tributary OF she great Col
crado has taken ifs place by the side
OF the far-famsd and mysterious CHA
The elf ruins of the san Juan valley
have been the center of attraction.
have ho<D viewed from all sides. and
their wonders have been told and retoid
20 the world. time and time again
Scientific men have visited this region.
have psnstrased southeastern Utah.
and have considered this valley . place
OF especial interest because these
eliza and cave dwellings are probably
the oldest In this strange country. be-
Ing the first built Is that mysterious
Journey southwark Of great and un-
known people
For twenty years the prospector has
followed this bold little river and
gased with careless unconcern on the
rough and broken walls. 50 fun of In
terest % the srcheologist; but the
mind of tho prospector has no room
for curios. and he has no time for
archaeological investigation. says
Phnnix correspondent Of the Cncin-
natl Tribune. lie sees only the glitter
Of tho gold in the sand, and thinks
oniy of the time when he shall have
made his stake" In November of
lisa hundreds of gold hunters rushed
madly into the canyon north Of the Nav
aio mountain, travelled three hundred
miles over bleak. desert tablelands, srf-
fered terribly from cold. hunger. and
the long. vearisorne journey; in q
few days stakod OF ell the available
lsnd for fifty miles mp and down the
river. and then returned homo without
having obtained 30 much IS color Of
gold. and to-day have nothing 70 show
for 70 but the stakes
Whether this " region that will
ever show rich pay dirt the writer
knows not. but he can say. without
hesitation. that il is one of the most
wildly picturesque and beautiful re-
gions In the world Tho bleak old
Navajo mountain rises abruptly and
surrounding mesa. while In q canyon
gorge, more than 5000 feet below its
hasa. the Rio San Juan appears like .
silver thread The canyon is several
miles wide, and desoent can be made
to the river by q PERCEPTIONS trail. but
as the river approaches tho great Coll
orado the canyon becomes more mar
row and tho walls more perpendicular,
and when Il merges into the grand
canyon IL n SCARCELY more than q deep.
dark channel.
The Navajo mountain, the jutting
buttes that line tho eanyon'svergc, the
huge bow sfcrs that are lodged on the
canyons side, and tho straight walls Of
tho canyon proper are all points of
wonderful interest. for they arc the
canvas upon which are depicted some
of the most strange and beautiful pic
tographs that have ever been discov-
cred in this country. Nearly every
boUldcr Is q picture gallery. and near
" every smooth surface Is covered
with weird and fantastic figures.
On the mountain these continue 20
the very summit, and, as the browning
piece. huge block of sandstone stands
on the top, the four sides presenting
smooth surfaces These faces are more
than orc hundred feet square. and on
each face Is q picture of the sun. with
the figures OF seven warriors bowed, as
70 the earth. In prayer. Beneath tho
warriors arc many hieroglyphic charae-
tcrs, PROB ably q prayer 20 the sun god
On bowlder. by the verge Of the can
yon. II the picture Of a woman kneel-
ing IN prayer 70 the sun
On one of the canyon walls. more
than one hundred feet FROM anything
that could have furnished the barbaric
artist a foot or handhold. there Is n
weird panoramic view in three scenes.
Under . tree child Is sleeping. One
ii,tle hand lies across it, breast. while
the other has fallen careiessly by It's
side. A frw feet from the sleeping
babe. large snake. evidently rattle
snake. IL coiled 20 strike. Down the
canyon. toward the west. is scene two.
The snake IL crawling away. and the
limbs Of the child are drawn as though
In the last commissions OF death. The
snake has done It's deadly work. stu
! further down the canon IL scene three.
A warrior. evidently the father Of she
child. with one arm CLASPS his dead
babe; With the othor hand be hokis a
club. Upon his face the rude artist
has depicted . look Of mortal anguish
and hate. A snake lies dead az his
feet This Il probably the most beau
tifui picture ever executed BY savage
han<is
On one Of the canyon = walls q war.
nor and . maiden are represented.
esyiy tripping along. hand Ia hand.
while two dov~s are eircling around
their heads. picsographs Of The bear
In one place bear followed BY two
esbs-the dog. the mountain lion and
the cafamount are all 20 - fcstnd.
Many % these are evidently Of resent
dssr. and have probably been executed
By The Nsvzjos. bat here and there one
meets wifh . dim Photograph that bears