Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-15
SAN JUAN'S WONDERS.
THE MARVELLOUS PREHISTORIC PIC
TURe GALLERIES OF UTAH.
Navajo Mountains Every Dovlder and
Smooth Surface Covered with Weird
Fantastic and Touching Specimens

Navajo Mountains Every Bovlder and
Smooth Surface Covered with Weird,
Fantastic and Touching Specimens
Western newspaper correspondents haze
for years Mt irregular intervals discoursed
at some length upon the wonders OF the Rio
san Juan. and IN mo category Of the mar
velOus this mountain tributary Of the great
Colorado has taken it's place by the side OF
the far famed and mysterious ella. Tho
elf 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 retold 10 the world time and time
again. Scientific men have visited this re-
gion, have penetrated southeastern Utah
and have considered this valley place OF
especial interest because these cliG and cave
dwellings are probably the oldest In this
strange country, being the first built IN
that mysterious journey southwark OF
great but unknown people. For % years
the prospector has followed this bold little
river and gazed with careless unconoern on
the rough and broken walls 50 full Of inter
est 20 the archsologist.
Whether this is a region that viii ever
show rich pay dirt the writer knows not,
but he can sag without hesitation that IL
is one of tho most wildly picturesque and
beautiful regions in the world The bleak
old Navajo mountain rises abruptly and
towers like n grim sentinel over the sur
rounding mesa. while in a canyon gorge
more than 3 900 feet below it's base the Rio
San Juan appears like a silver thread.
4 -. . 10 ft.ff ItYt ~
that line the canyons verge, the huge bowl
ders that are lodged on the canyons sides
md the straight walls Of the canyon proper
are all points n wonderful interest, foo
they are thoS4avas upon which are depicted
some Of the most strange ard beautiful
photographs that have ever been discovered
In this country. Nearly every bowider is
picture gallery, and nearly every smooth
surface il covered with weird and fantastic
figures.
On the mountain these continue to the
summit, and rs the browning piece huge
block Of sandstone stands on the top, the
four sides prcseEtiDRs surfaces. These
faces are more than 100 feet square, and on
each face is a picture Of the sun, with the
figure Of seven warriors bowed, az 10 the
earth, in prayer Beneath the warriors ara
many bieroglyphic characters, probablya
prayer TO the sun god.
Ona bowlder by the verge Of a canyon "a
the picture of a woman kneeling In prayer
TO the sun.
On one Of tho canyon walls. more than 1Or
feet from anything that could have fur
nished the barbaTic artist n foot or hand
hold. there is q weird panoramic view IN
three scenes. Under a tree child ~
sleeping. One little hand lies across ito
breast, while the other has fallen care
lesSly by its side A few feet from the
sleeping babe large snake, evidently "A
rattlcsnake, is coled 10 strike Down tho
CANYON toward the west is scene ,. Tho
snake is crawling away, and the limbs %
the child are drawn n though in the last
conyulsions Of death. The snake has done
its deadly work. Still further down tho
CANYON is scene ,. A warrior, evidently tho
father Of the child, with one arm clasps
the dead babe; with the other hand holds
club. Upon his face the rude artist has
depicted n look Of mortal anguish and
hate. 4 snake lies dead at his feet. This
Is probably the most beautiful picture ever
executed by savage hands.
Onoueof the canvou's walls a warrior and
n maiden are represented, gayly tripping
along hand in hand, while two doves arc
circliug around their heads. Photographs
ofthe bear--in one place bear followed by
two cubs-the dog, the mountain lion and
thee amount are all TO be found. Many
Of m 90 are evidently Of recent date aud
have .robably been executed by the Naya-
ioce. but here and there one meets with
dim Photograph that bears evidence of great
age.
On one wall in an apparently inaccessible
place. there !, picture undoubtedly in
tended TO represent the mestodon. Tho
Trunk. the tusks, the massive body are all
there. and the long, shaggy hair tells Of an
other than the modern elephant. Close by
these is a representation Of camel. Tho
conception Of the mastodon may have been
obtained from the great north, but whence
that of the camel2 1t is well known that
the camel is an oriental beast and found IN
America only in the mcnagere. with ono
noteworthy exception.
\ few wears since the United states gov
eminent imported a few OF these ships or
the desert TO be used as "A means OF trans
nortation in southern Arizona and the Calf
foruia desert, but the scheme proved I'M
practicablc. and today these camcls ara
roaming at large. The Navajo indians may
have had an opportunity to see the camel
bnt these photographs are not Navajo WORK.
They were undoubtedly placed there by an
other peoplc. This Is one of the many puz-
yliDQ Questions concerning this people,
whom for sake Of convenience we call ~
Tee. Could il be possible that they were
OF eastern origin
Another striking feature OF this rude
picture gallery is the number OF times That
,be mysterious Biblical number seven oc-
ours On the verge Of the canyon, as ap-
proached from the south. seven powders
stand side by side. On the east end Of each
howlder are the pictures of seven animals.
while ON the south side are hieroglyphlcs
arranged in rows. Of which there are seven
on each stone. Down in the canyon near
the river. is n bowlder with nat top, on
which are the pictures Of seven snakes.
rude attempt was made TO supply the rat
Ties. of which each snake Is supphed with
seven.
A few miles from the Colorado where
the canyon is not more than 500 or w
feet from wall TO wall. and where the walls
are perpendicular and smooth, on the Hsht
wall are the pictures Of seven warriors WIN
bows drawn to the last notch. while across
the river on the opposite wall are the pic
lures of seven antelope, apparently in full
run TO escape the hunters. These pictures
are well executed and are in the most mac
ee,,lble places. Evidently the artist was
lowered from q ledge hundreds Of feet
above the picture and held suspended while
he nerformed his tedious task.-St. Louis
Globe Democrat
On Fire In Street Car.