The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
THE CURIOUS
MARKING OF ARROWHEAD
MOUNTAIN.
Strange Freak of Nature Plainly
Visible on the Side of Great
Eminence in Sonoma
County.

Who is not interested in the strange
forms that can often be seen in the rock
form ations OF mountain sides? People
will travel hundreds of miles to see some
combination of rocks that has accident
ally taken the shape of a mans head.
They will stand, almost in awe, before a
cliff on the side of which groups of figures
can be seen, by good stretch of the imag-
ination, when the same work done by a
human being would not arrest their atten-
ton for a moment. All of which shows
that nearly every body has some admira-
ton for nature and are even inclined to
give her shade the best of it when judg-
ing her efforts at reproducing herself.
Down in San Bernardino County there
is a spot on mountain-side that has
taken very much the formation of an
Indian arrowhead. Ever since it was dis
covered it has been a sort of show place
for tourists in the vicinity many of them
travelling many miles to see it. 1t proved
to be such an attraction that big hotel
was built near by, and there were often
hundreds of visitors in day. And yet it
took considerable imagination to see the
arrowhead, even after one had it located,
which was not easy to do, as the whole
mountain side was nearly the same color,
the curious effect being produced by a
smooth gray rock that was surrounded by
rough ones little darker, and the dull
grasses and weeds that grew between them.
People were so interested in the curiosity
that it was almost impossible for some
time to keep enough photographs on hand
to supply the demand. All guide-b books of
the southern part of the State contain pic
lures of it, so that its fame is world
While this freak of nature has been prov
ing such an attraction one of the same
kind in Sonoma County has scarcely been
heard of, and it is really great deal more
remarkable. 1t is on the western slope of
a mountain, just to the northward of Vine
yard station and can be seen for many
miles. 1t requires no imagination to see
it, as it is of much lighter color than the
rest of the mountain and always stands
out in strong relief. In fact the contrast
is almost equal to black and white.
This freak or nature has not only been
a curiosity to white people, but it is known
that the Indians had some sort of regard
for it. When it first came into existence
is not known. 1t was there when the
their Indian predecessors that it had been
referred to in the legends of their tribes
for thousand moons or more.
The Mexicans paid little attention to
the Arrowhead further than to think it
queer. Many of them went up to it but of
course it then lost ITS curious aspect
and became patch of bare mounts tain land.
1t was difficult TO get the Indians to talk
of the Arrowhead, but the cause OF this
aversion has never been ascertained.
About twenty years ago number of the
residents of Sonoma determined to make
an explora ton of the peak and started to
work with pick and shovel. In less than
five hours they had found a whole wagon
load of Indian pottery. In few months
the whole surface of the Arrowhead had
been dug over and hundreds of curious
objects found, totally different from
those in use by the Indians of the present
day. ALI efforts TO find out what they
were proved failures. The Indians abso-
lutely refused to talk about them and from
the day the ground was first broken it has
been impossible to get an Indian within
mile of the locality.
The Sonoma County Arrowhead lies with
its tip pointing uphill and towards the
north. 1t is perfect in form and has
shaft that shows plainly. The arrowhead
itself is of a sort of a light clay color, and
the surroundings are very dark green. 1t
was evidently caused by landslide. Aside
from the strange shape the landslide took
it is stranger still that nothing has since
grown on the spot. The land is of good
quality. and in the many years it has been
exposed to the action OF the rains should
have become fertile.