Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-08
|aANJUAN'S WONDERS.
Hs MARVELLOUS PREHISTORIC PIC
IA IuRe GALLERIES OF UTAH.


Avsls aIountSin'a Kvsry Bowidor md
rs.apsth suriacc Covered with weird,
TAntnstio and Touching Specimens of
| 'ftnrhaElc Art of Long Ago.
f,tWdstern newspaper correspondents have
ryearp at irregular intervals discoursed
sicoine length upon the wonders OF the Rio
y IN juan, and in the category of the mar.
iloua this mountain tributary OF the great
dorado has taken its place by the side OF
CSC far famed and mysterious ella. The
IN ruins of the San Juan valley have been
sle eeuler of attraction have been viewed
en- all sides. and their wonders have been
.p,5ld and retold TO the world time aud time
rain Scientific men have visited this re-
eofi. have penetrated southeastern Utah
I'd have considered this valley place of
gpeciai Interest because these cliff and cave
sclllnus are probably the oldest in this
.aruuae country, being the first built In
1, lat mysterious Journey southwark Of
eat bud unknown people. For 80 years
tac prnspector has followed this bold little
ivor and gazed with careless unconcern on
shezotiEh and broken walls 50 full OF inter
N 70 The Archaeological.
a Whether this Is u region that will ever
row rich pay dirt the writer knows not,
| j al he can say without hesitation that 10
ono Of tho most wildly picturesque and
:, sautiiul regions in the world. The bleak
Ia NAVAJO mountain rises abruptly and
wsrs Ike grim sentinel over the sur
,aunding mesa, while in canyon gorge
orc than 5000 feet below its base the Rio
IN Juan appears like a silver thread.
THE Navajo mountain, the jutting buttes
az line the nyon's verge, the huge bowl
" as that ore lodged On the canyons sides
the straight walls OF the canyon proper
hall points of wonderful interest, for
= ry are the canvas upon which are depicted
me Of the most strange aud beautiful
s.touaphs that have ever been discovered
this Country. Nearly every bowlder is u
etnre gallery. and nearly every smooth
y 'rface IS covered with weird and fantastic
.Enres.
sOn the mountain these continue TO tho
!, imnlit, and as the browning piece a huge
locl OF sandstone stands on the top, the
EUR sides presenting smo both surfaces. These
y scea are more than 100 feet square, and ON
n, lch face Is picture OF the sun. with the
kuro of seven warriors bowed, as to the
nth, IN prayer. Beneath the warriors hre
ANY hieroSlyphic characters, probably a
af4ytl to the sun god
. y ona lbowlder by the verge of a canyon Is
lee picture OF woman kneeling in prayer
p The mn.
\ On one OF the canyon walls, more than 100
N'tct from anything that could have fur
lAshed the barbaric artist foot or hand
eioid. there is u weird panoramic view In
,hrcr genes. Under tree child Is
lecping. One little hand lies across its
la. nfAaf. has fo1lan
ezsly b. its side. A few feet from the
leepins babe large snake, evidently
9attlesnake, is coiled to strike. Down the
nknyon toward the west is scene .. The
,anakc Is crawling away, and the limbs Of
Il he child are drawn as though in the last
ponvultions Of death. The snake has done
rs deadly work. Still further down the
rnyon y scene 8. A warrior, evidently the
i"sther Of the child, with one arm clasps
ne dead babe; with the other hand he holds
y dub, Upon his face the rude artist has
| ,epicted a look Of mortal anguish and
ate. A snake lies dead at his feet. This
| !. probably the most beautiful picture ever
s'skccuted by savage hands.
" On one OF the canyons walls warrior and
mniden are represented, gayly tripping
| 4lonR hand in hand, while two doves are
. 9irnling around their heads. Photographs
| ~ the bear--in Que place a bear followed by
4 iRo cubs-the dog, the mountain lion and
10 cAtAmount arc all to be found. Many
~ these are evidently OF recent date aud
aNavs pfobably been executed by the Nnya-
19ts, bnt here and there one meets with a
Z, Jim pietograph that bears evidence OF great
~ On one wall. in an apparently inaccessible
1laoe, Mere is u picture undoubtedly in-
| N.44AMA| 70 tho fpaafNAnu Thu
rnnk. the tusks, the massive body, are all
. raere, Ind the long, shaggy hair tells OF an-
| Is lher tAan the modern elephant. Close by
,ese Is representation OF camel. The
,nc1ption Of the mastodon may have been
nkAIiitd from the great north, but whence
hat o. The canelg II IS well known that
. he camel Is al oriental beast and found la
.inerica only In the menagerie, with one
ofewofthy exception.
"A foN years since the United States gov
nipens imported Il few OF those ships Of
4 loe descrt TO BE- used as a means OF trans-
orsttion IN southern Arizona and the Calf
- Ffia desert but the scheme proved i'm
ganticable, and today these oamels afe
,Ansng at large. the Navajo indians may
ave hsd an opportunity to see the camel,
=. is t,lese photographs arc not Navajo work.
4. 'htg we're undoubtedly placed there by an-
Their peoples ftdsis ono of the many puE.
hog questions cpnNrning This people,
ihtm Tor sake o. convenience we call Az.
ics. Gould it be possible that they were
it4,ttrn origini
Arothcr striking feature Of this rude
lcinla gallery is The number Of tlgaes that
h1 lug sterioas Biblical Number seven &C
q'urs' pn the verge Of the canyon. as APP
rtAtifd from the tuuth. seven bow,derh
l1rd tile by side, On the east end OF each
cu'fpr are the piciuros Of seven animals,
f.lIt b the south sde afc hieruglyphics
',I4n1|Ied In rows, Of which there are seven
"a tAfh stone. Dewn Ia the canyon. near
he f.fsr, Is a bewlder with hat. top, on