The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-06
ANTIQUE BEAUTIES.
The Marvellous Mountain Tributary
Of the Colorado River.
Cliffs and Bowlders Which Bear the
Print of Artistic Hands of Mys-
terious Race-Homcs Of Pre-
Historic Gave Dwellers.

Western newspaper correspondents
have for years, at irregular intervals,
discoursed at some length upon the
wonders of the Rio San Juan, and in
the category of the marvellous this
mountain tributary of the great Col
orado has taken its place by the side
of the far-famed and mysterious Gila-
The cliff ruins of the San Juan valley
have been the center of attraction.
have been viewed from all sides, and
their wonders have been told and retoid
to the world, time and time again.
Scientific men have visited this region,
have penetrated southeastern Utah.
and have considered this valley place
of especial interest, because these
cliffs 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
gazed with careless unconcern on the
rough and broken walls, so full of in
terest to the areh8ologist; but the
mind of the prospector has no room
for curios, and he has no time for
archaeological investigation, says a
Phoenix correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Tribune. He sees only the glitter
of the gold in the sand. and thinks
only of the time when he shall have
made his stake" In November of
1882 hundreds of gold hunters rushed
madly into the canyon north of the Nav
ajo mountain, travelled three hundred
miles over bleak, desert tabielands, suf-
fered terribly from cold, hunger. and
the long, wearisome journey; in a
few days staked off all the available
land for fifty miles up and down the
river, and then returned home without
having obtained so much IA color of
gold, and to-day have nothing 20 show
for IL but the stakes.
Whether this is a region that will
ever show rich pay dirt the writer
knows not, but he can say, without
heGi.ation, that IL is one Of the most
wildly picturesque and beautiful re-
gions in the world. The bleak old
Navajo mountain rises abruptly and
towers like a grim sentinel over the
surrounding mesa, while in a canyon
gorge, more than 5000 feet below It's
base. the Rio san Juan appears like
silver thread. The canyon is several
miles wide, and a descent can be made
TO the river By PERCEPTIONS trail. but
as the river approaches the, great Col 1
orado the canyon becomes more mar
row and the walls more perpendicular,
and when it mcrges into the grand /.
canyon It is scarcely more than deep, /
dark channel.
The Navajo mountain, the jutting /
buttes that line ths canyon verge, the I
huge bowiders that are lodged on the 1
canyons side. and the straight walls Of 1
the canyon proper are all points Of /
wonderful interest, for they are the i
canvas upon which are depicted some /
Of the most strange and beautiful pic /
that have ever been 6iscov-
cred in this country Nearly every
bowider Is 4 picture gallery, and near
Is every smooth surface is S0Ycret.
with weird and fantastic figures
On the mountain these continue 10
the very summit, and. as the cyoyvning
piece. j huge block Of sandstone stands
on the top. ths tour sides presenting
smooth sarzaee2 These faces are more
taan one hundred feet square, ard on
eacn face IS . p;ctare of the sgn, with
the figures of seven warriors ho9sed. as
- tie earth. IL przyer. Beaeath tas