Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1896-02-07

interesting Discoveries In Arizona's
MountaIn Reqions.

Mountain Regions.
Probably there are very few, IL any,
towns in Arizona that can boast of the
Interesting surroundings of Eaglestaff.
Within radius of ten miles are to be
found the famous cliff dwellings, the
beautiful San Francisco peaks, the
ancient cave dwellings. and the we'll
known bottomless pits. Here the every
within Of the geologist and philologist
can be satisfied. The former has for
his investigation the San Francisco
peaks, which are over 1900 feet high,
and which are said to contain every
geological stratum known.
The cave dwellings, reached by a
sten mile drive through a beautiful
country, are full of interest. Reaching
the mountain and beginning its as
cent, we find broken pieces of pottery
strewn In every direction. and walking
further up until we reach within 500
or GOO feet of the top, we first begin
to encounter the caves, which average
from twenty to forty feet in circum-
ference
Descending into these about fifteen
feet, we find ourselves in the midst of
a circular Chamber, with openings lead
ing from each side into other chambers
OF equal or smaller sizes. BY kicking
up the ground In the cave person will
frequently find choice pieces of pottery.
Around the outer edge Of the caves
there are walls, evidently placed asa
fertilization. The general character Of
all the caves is the same. 81.
Continuing the ascent to the top of
the mountain, yor will find a large,
square plateau. which is fenced of by
a rude stone wall, and here are found
large stones, which were evidently used
by the dwellers for the grinding OF
their corn, etc. They bear great SIM
ilarity to those used by the Indians
and Mexicans OF to-day.
Coming down from the ancient
mountain and following the road sew
eral miles to the southeast, the tourist
comes to the cliff dwellers' abode
Here, in large canyon, from 400 to
1000 feet deep deep and several miles
long, are found the last dwelling places
of these mysterious people. AS you
approach the brink of the canyon, tier
after tier of these dwellings rise he
fore you, some hewn into the solid sides
Of the canyon, with door opening OF
about four feet square.
Following the trail down the canyon
about half mile. we come to differ
ent class OF dwellings from these.
Here, under large, overhanging cliffs,
the ancient builders have constructed
rude walls of masonry from the floor
to the top Of the cliffs, thus making an
apartment with the cliff for the roof.
In these are found remnants of old
fire ovens, and now and then piece Of
pottery or stone work, which would
lead a person to believe that they were
in some way connected with the cave
dwellers, as the relics found in both
places are almost identically the same.
The question yet TO be solved is
whether these dwellings in the cliffs
and in the caves were permanent
homes or merely places Of refuge in
time Of danger. The latter theory APP
pears to be the most plausible in the
case of the cave jewellers. as their
places Of dwelling are all very difficult
Of access and are fortified by stone
walls, and from the further fact that
the surrounding plains are thickly COW
cred with broken pottery, which would
indicate the presence Of resident pop
ulation-