The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-11-15
SAN JuANS WONDERS.
wee MARVELLOUS PREHISTORIC PC.
rURr ohlLrnts o. UrAH

FssJa seuniains rtsr, noWiasr md
smsa,h sss'ass co,sssa WIN wsifa.
Fantastic asa foaehins Specimens ~
nsthsfie Az ~ Tons Asa.
Western newspaper correspondents have
" Years ~ irregular Intervals discounted
q some ienrfh uron The wondered the RIO
fan Juan. md in the catHr0fy N The mar
toi0ua this mountain trihutary ~ Tie great
folofado has tale its plsre Wv the side N
tho far famtd and mysterious ella The
Elm ruin. ~ the San Juan valley have been
ihe center n attraction. have ieon viewed
from an sides and their wonders have Teen
told aud rotoid 10 the world time aud time
again. Scientific men have Visited this re-
zion, have penetrated southeastern Utah
aud have considered this valley place ~
especial Interest because thcse cln and cave
dwellings are probably the oldest In this
strange country, being the first built IN
that mysterious journey southwark 81 n
great but unknown people. For 90 years
the prossector has followed this bold little
river and gazed with careless unooncern on
the rough and broken walls so full 81 inter
eat 20 the arohmologist
Whether this Is n region that will ever
show rich pay dirt the writer knows not,
but he can say without hesitation that II
is one Of the most wildly picturesque and
beautiful regions In the world. The bleak
old Navajo mountain rises abruptly aud
towers like n grim sentinel over the sur
rounding mesa, while In a canyon gor %
more than 1900 feet below its base the Rio
san Juan appears like silver thread.
The Navajo mountain, the jutting buttes
that line the canyons verge. the huge bowl
dcrs that are lodged on the canyons sides
and the straight walls Of the canyon proper
are all points OF wonderful interest, Tor
they are the canvas upon which nrc depicted
some of the most strange and beautiful
photographs that have ever been discovered
In this country Nearly every bowlder Is
picture gallery, and nearly every smooth
surface is covered with weird and fantastic
Ggures.
On the mountain these continue to the
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 100 feet square, and on
each face is picture Of the sun, with tho
figure of seven warriors bowed, ms TO the
earth, In prayer. Beneath the warriors are
many hierog!yphic characters, probably
prayer to the sun god.
On bowlder by the verge of a canyon is
the picture of a woman kneeling in prayer
TO the sun.
On one OF the canyon walls, more than 100
feet from anything that could have fur
nished the barbaric artist foot or hand
hold, there is weird panoramic view in
three scenes. Under tree n child Is
sleeping. One little hand lies across its
breast, while the other has fallen care
lessly by its side. A few feet from the
sleeping babe a large snake, evidently a
rattlesnake, is coiled to strike. Down the
canyon toward the west is scene 2. The
snake is crawling away, aud the limbs Of
the child are drawn as though IN the last
commissions of death. The snake has done
its deadly work. Still further down the
canyon is scene 3. A warrior, evidently the
father Of the child, with one arm clasps
the dead babe; with the other hand he holds
a club. Upon his face the rude artist has
depicted n look of mortal anguish and
hate A snake lies dead at his feet. This
Is probably the most beautiful picture ever
executed by savage hands.
On one of the canyons walls warrior and
maiden are represented, gayly tripping
along hand in hand, while two doves are
circling around their heads. Photographs
Dl llt DtdF-lll Out lliLt u btdI ny
two cubs-the dog, the mountain lion and
the catamount are all to be found Many
of these are evidently of recent date and
have probably been executed by the Nava-
Toes, but here and there one meets with O
dim Photograph that bears evidence of great
age.
On one wall, in an apparently inaccessible
place, there is n picture undoubtedly in
tended to represent the mastodon. The
| 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 IA camel. The
conception of the mastodon may have been
obtained from the great north, but whence
that of the camel9 1t is well known that
the camel is an oriental beast and found in
| America only in the menagerie, with one
noteworthy exception.
A few years since the United States gov
eminent imported few of these ships of
| the desert to be used rs a means Of trans
portation in southern Arizona and the Cali
tornia desert, but the scheme proved i'm
practicable, and today these camels are
roaming at large. The Navajo Indians may
| have had an opportunity to see the camel,
| but these photographs are not Navajo work.
They were undoubtedly placed there by an
| other people. ms Is one Oh IDe many puZ-
ding questions concerning this people,
whom for sake Of convenience we call Az
tees. Could it be possible that they were
Of eastern originf
Another striking feature of this rude
picture gallery Is the number of times that
the mysterious Biblical number seven &C.
ours. On the verge of the canyon, as ap-
preached from the south, seven powders
stand side by side. On the east end Of each
bowlder are the pictures of seven animals
while on the south side are hieroglyphics
arranged in rows, of which there are seven
on each stone Down in the canyon, neal
the river, Is bowlder with fat top, or
which are the pictures OF seven snakes. a
rude attempt was made to supply the rat
ties, of which each snake is supplied witt
seven.
A few miles from the Colorado river, wher,
the canyon is not more than 800 or ,00t
Seet from wall to wall, and where the wall
are perpendicular and smooth, on the righ
wall are the pictures of seven warriors will
bows drawn to the last notch, while acros
the river on the opposite wall are the pic
lures of seven antelope, apparently in full
run to escape the hunters. These picture
are well executed and are in the most mac
,essible places. Evidently the artist wa
lowered from ledge hundreds Of fee
above the picture and held suspended W il
he performed his tedious task.-St. Iioui
| Globe Democrat.