Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1897-10-20
WAS INHABITED.
The Enchanted Mesa o. New Mex
loo Again Visited
Second Party of Explorers Find
Traces of Former Inhabitants
of the Elevated Noun.
tain Plain.

IL mas been proved tnat lnO1an tra0l-
tons should not be dismissed as merely
mythical after only casual explora-
ton.
This has been demonstrated as the
result of the trip of F. w. Hodge, of
the bureau of ethnology, Smithsonian
Institution, who has just returned
from an expedition to the mesa. The
Enchanted Mesa of New Mexico has ex-
cited the interest of scientists and the
daring of exploring parties. 1t was
brought into prominence few weeks
ago by the expedition of Prof. William
Libbey, of Princeton university, who
took rope-throwing mortars, huge
kites, balloons and tons Of apparatus
20 scale this hitherto inaccessible table
land.
The purpose of the investigationshas
been to determine whether the summit
of the mesa was at one time inhabited
by the prehistoric Acoma Indians. Prof
Libbey reported no evidences of early
occupancy. Mr.. Hodges explorations
have brought different results, however,
for after scaling the mesa he spent
come time on the summit, found num-
Der of fragments of pottery, arrows,
shell bracelets, stone axes, ETC., estab
fishing conclusively that the top of the
mesa was at one time the home of hu-
mans.
Mr.. Hodge was sent by the bureau of
ethnOlogy to examine series of
ruins in western New Mexico and to
attend the snake dance of the Moki
Indians. This done, he was directed
to proceed to the Mesa Escanada and
scale its precipitous walls in any way
he saw fit. lie procured an extension
ladder, comprising six sections OF six
feet each together, with an ample sup
ply of rope, and proceeded to the mesa
September 3, accompanied 10y Maj.
George H. Pradt, deputy United States
surveyor at Laguna, N. M, who is ia
miliar with that section; A c. Nroman,
of Pasadena, Cal, who acted as photog
rapher of the expeditions; H. c. Hoyt,
of Chicago, and two Laguna Indians.
The NEST was determined to be 431
feet from the western plain to the top
Of the highest pinnacle above the cleft,
and the talus, at the base of the cleft,
PA feet above the plain. The climb was
without any serious difficulty until the
party reached great sandstone. The
ladders were hauled section by sec
ton to this point by means of the
ropes, then fitted together, and raised
against the cliff.
Mr.. Hodge assembled to the top and
climbing over the slope Immediately
above, dashed the top of the ladder
to a huge bowlder that had fallen from
above and lodged on the terrace some
20 feet from the summit. The ladder
was then assembled by the remainder of
the party and the top easily reached.
The ascent consumed exactly "a hours.
The explorers had not been on the
summit of the mesa five minutes be-
fore Maj. Pradt picked up fragment
of ancient pottery, which indicates
clearly that the mesa had been visited,
at any rate, in former times, and that
Prof. Libbey was mistaken in his co.,
illusions. During the afternoon and the
next day Mr.. Hodge examined the
ground critically, while Maj. Pradt
made survey Of the mesa, and Mr.. Nro-
man secured a number of photographs.
Several potsherds, two stone axes
(broken), a fragment of shell brace
let and a stone arrow point were the
chief evidences of former occupancy
found on the narrow storm-swept crest,
but abundant potsherds, ETC., were
found in the talus swept down from
the summit. All vestiges of the an
cient trail ascending the talus and
continued thence to the summit by hand
and foot holes in the solid rock, have
been obliterated, but some traces OF
the hole remain. This verification of
an Indian tradition, notable for in
herent evidence of accuracy, is peculiar
ly gratifying to students of anthrop-
ology.
Prof Libbey's ladder was discovered
still dashed in place above the crevasse,
Mr.. Hodges researches will arouse
great interest among American ethnol-
ogists and archaeologists. - Chicago
Times-H Herald.