The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-29
THE CANYON OF THE DEAD.
An Uncomfortable Camping Spot in
Lower California.


de los Muertos, Canon Of the Dead"
Grewsome appellation, that, and sugges-
tive hut see it and you will admit that it
Is appropriate; camp in it over night,
ond if YOU are sane enough in the morn
inrto fabber an Ineligible phraseyou will
dpsirnate it as the "Canon of Lost Souls"
.Canon of Unknown Horrors, or some
thing equally as suggestively descriptive.
Canada de los Muertos, as it is known
N Indians and prospectors, is situated in
the Black Buttes, a northern spur of the
Cocopah mountains, and surrounded by
the desert of that name, just over the
border. in the eastern part of the PENN
suIa of Lower California. But few men
have visited the canon, at least of late
Years There IS gold in its bed, but not
in sufficient quantities to attract prospect
mrs. and YOU cannot hire an Indian to go
within rife shot of its shadows after the
sun has dropped behind the highest peaks
of the range to the west. ! never was in
the canon but once, and great, indeed,
must be the inducemont thatwin occasion
a second visit.
We were on prospecting trip, Georgy
and I. "Georgy," as he is known from
the Nevada line to San lsidrO on the
gulf. and from the eastern border of Ari-
iona to the Pacific coast, is 80 years of
age or more. tall and spare, tireless
mechanism of bone, blood and muscle, re
ticent among strangers, but laxative
over his pipe, around the camp ire with
compadres Out outfit consisted of four
burros two carrying our TOOLS provisions
and blankets, each of the others bearing
two zinc Canteens, each containing six
gallons Of water. We were headed for
the COcOpahs and since yesterday morn
ing had been tOiing across that ninety
mile stretch of burning sand that lies be-
tween the Canyada de las Palmas in the
Sierra Madras to the west and that deep
notch in the peaks of the COcopahs that
marks the location of the next water hole
in the Canyada de las Mujer Perdida,
"Canon of the Lost Woman The sup
ply of water in the canteens had been ex-
hauStCd hours before, and, with the ami
mails, we had begun to experience the
discomiorts Of the burning thirst of the
desert yet we were not alarmed, as
Lost Woman Canon" was now but
few miles ahead, and although our
shadows now fell in front of US and
gradually heightened as we plodded east
ward, we felt confident of reaching the
water hole before dark. This confidence
was shattered Just around the base of the
next SAND hill, where we came upon an
Indian, who, with a short, thick bladed
knife was digging out the pulp in mig
ger head cactus. Indians seldom. if
ever, carry water in crossing the desert,
but rely on the cactus for nOurishment,
the pulp of which yields a bitter acrid
Juice unpalatable and unsatisfactory to a
n a "a of M ,igh
he informed us that a temblor earth
quake, common in that region had dried
up the spring in Lost Woman's Canon
few days ago; that the nearest water
was In the Canyada de las Muertos, fur
t1er to the north and east.
VI know whar it's said Gregory.
We changed our course from directly
east TO edst-northeasta and plodded silently
On through the sand. The burros' heads
We're dropping, their tongues lolling and
our leet dragging YEARLY as we entered
prodd, deep. rocky wash" in that arid
Oarrgn spur known as the Black Buttes.
Inns IS not bad | remarked, refer
ring to the broad wash.
,.n gu wait replied Georgy Half a
mile further up, and he pointed ahead
ana TO the right. Thar It's"
Isaw narrow rift in the towering
wall OF rock, as if Jove had cleft the
mountain from summit to base A deep,
narrow gorge, its precipitous walls of
GaCH porphyry rising to a hight of l 200
!teV OF higher. Behind us the sun had
disappeared over the mountain, and the
uarHehlng purple shadows of the canon
SIleauy looked gloomy and forbidding.
as we approached it l involuntarily
Elanceu overhead, half expecting to see the
user Ptlou, All hope abandon. We who
euVer mere At the entrance the burros
stopped. The old gray in the lead threw
,,olmdFu ms long ears, shifted the air,
t tooh one or two steps, then paused again,
LhSsIaIlhg between his desire to Stake
ans an, VlIfSt at the spring he scented ahead
INV an instructive dread of what might
Oe lurking IN the deep shadows beyond.
IN, I3 on Jack, said Georgy, lit air that
Tor ~ oty camp AS if he understood the
%.gIus the old burro, followed by the
O'ugrS. went forward into the gorge.
o, lowed we'd better take an armful
SGLIece Nv wood with US" suggested
i; LOFTY ~ don't guess there's a stick
roeS mar an Wen need some for the
I ca9 From a drift in the wash we
r, ''ou ourselves with the dead limbs of
b,SIuIVe and juniper and followed the
fI1'Os' Two or three hundred wards
drto,fI.eer ana we came to where they were
its ,IFl9g from little stream that lost
A.. IA the sands near the entrance
a Az. W. tnem short distance we camped,
fbo WI "uIIe Neorgy built "a fire l unpacked
ro' u.u5eS' In the gloom l stumbled over
EcSt ~ Wnltlsh substance, that felt so
oHar. vuaJ IL might be honey
4 '" t w. an indication of mineral. / picked
II IT, ior closer examination, but dropped
AZ ~ sc Hlately. 1t was human skull.
evot zen tarantula slid out from one
rGi,o'e and scuttled away among the
lama. made brief examination of the
ana 1j%'ICS' and found other skulls. Here
WHOM ,Nt SIX. lodged among the boulders,
Tuere they had been carried bv the
and nay, W ere The bones of legs and arms,
bp ~" ana then foot or hand, bleached,
hurrio5 Rood state of preservation. l
inc tho gI4ck TO where Georgy was plac-
blaz%C, . va kened coffee pot among the
tI|t SUCKS, and told him of my find.
SLICED u.s. huthin'," he replied, as he
'o,,. me 'ue bacon. "If 'twuz only light |
air tI S1T u see a heap mo- NV em. They
,1 WICK aroun' yeh"
~" e az IS IT. A graveyard"
4 yard amt what yer mout call grave
4 heaE uut Ihey wuz sirgivus oil KILN
it AT, INI.e spell back. I'll tell We about
sista5 supper" That meal, which con-
beans VI pfoSpectOrs' regular fare, coffee,
der ooal,coSh, and cake Of baking pow
4 Soon 5Cal,u baked in a frying pan, was
4 dram. After lighting our pipes and
4 bango,HIR ourselves comfortably on our
n IFS, Georgy began:
n harre"a" U so pow'ful long ago sence what
Il uytba}}u yen give the name Nv KENYON
8 hey net Eau eau Tor this gulch, an seeini az [
Fl ley ~ " Auou many nv the men who war;