The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-08-08
PICTURE ROCKS.
One Of the Curis.ities of Colorado Canyon
In Arizona.

One Of the CuriSsities of Colorado Canyon
In Arizona.
The Navajo mountain, the jutting
.uttes that line tho verge of the
Grand canyon of the Colorado in Ar
iona and the straight walls of the
proper are all points of Won
.erful interest, for they arc the can
vas upon which are depicted some
of the most strange and beautiful
that have eve been dis
covered in this country. Nearly
every bowlder is n picture gallery,
and nearly every smooth surface is
covered with weird and fantastic
figures. On Navajo mountain these
continue to the summit, and as the
crowning piece a huge block of sand
stone stands on the top, the four
sides presenting smooth surfaces.
These faces are more than 100 feet
square,, and on each face is n picture
of the sun, with the figure of seven
warriors bowed, as to tho earth, in
prayer. Beneath the warriors are
many hieroglyphic characters, prob
ably a prayer to the sun god.
On a bowlder by the verge of the
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 furnished the barbario artist a
| foot or hand hold, there is a weird
| panoramic view in three scenes. Un-
der a tree q child is sleeping, while
| the other has fallen carelessly by its
side, A few feet from the sleeping
babe a large snake, evidently a rat
| tlesnake, is coiled to strike. Down
the canyon toward tho west is scene
2. The snake is crawling away,
and the limbs of the child are drawn
as though in the last commissions OF
death. The snake has done its dead
ly work.
Still farther down the canyon
scene 3. A warrior, evidently the
father of the child, with II 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 proba
bly, the most beautiful picture eve'
executed by savage hands. On one
of the canyons walls q warrior and
a maiden are represented. gayly
tripping along, hand in hand, while
two doves are circling around Their
heads. Photographs of the bear-i,
one place a bear followed by TIVE
cubs tho dog, the mountain liol
and the catamount are found.
Many of these are evidently Of re
cent date and have probably beef
executed by the Navajoes, but her
and there II meets with a dim pic
tograph that bears evidence of grea
age. On one wall in an APPARENT,
inaccessible place there is a pictur
/ undoubtedly intended to represen
+ the mastodOn. The trunk, the tusks
the massive body, all I there; an
; the long, shaggy hair tells of anothe
r than the modern elephant. Close b
these is a representation of a came
/ The conception of the mastodon ma
h have been obtained from the gres
!, north, but whence that of the camel
n 1t is we'll known that the camel
+ an oriental beast and found in Anne
f lea only in the menagerie, with OF
e noteworthy exception. A few yea
n since the United States governmel
imported a few of these ships of IL
!. desert to be used as a means
transportation in southern Arizoi
=. and the California desert, but tt
scheme proved impracticable, al
q today these camels are roaming
,e large. The Navajo Indians mi
,r have had an opportunity to sec tt
" camel, but these photographs are n
I Navajo work. They ere undouf
n, eddy placed there by another peopl
+. This is one of the many puzzlil
n questions concerning this Poop.
i. whom for sake of convenience '
call Aztecs. Could it be possible tn
G. they we're of eastern origin?-De
III YER Field and Farm.