The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-05-14
BESIEGED In A A I


occurred in the summer Of 1850, "a time
,,ben the Apaches-thosc virulent
seourges of the southwestern border
ain dominated the lives and happiness
~ pioneers in that section. In July OF
che wear mentioned, a party OF five
robert Winston, Joe Baker, Clyde Hlar-
elk. Jeff Human and the writer-left
,be Rio Grande valley bound on a pros
recting trip into the Zuni country. of
whose extensive mineral wealth we had
heard some dazzling rumors
Baker, Harris and | were original
~ from the cast; but Winston and Hin
man were Texans-both splendid speci-
mons of the modern frontiersman.
They were crack shots with rifle and pis-
tol: could ride 'anythin' that growed
hair" as Human expressed it; and
they were thoroughly versed in plains
craft and Indian warfare.
Before we left the Rio Grande we
heard considerable talk of attacks hav-
ing been made by raidiDg parties of
Apaches on the scattering settlers in
the Salt river district; but such rumors
were very current in New Mexico and
Arizona at that time, and W. paid but
little attention to them, starting as soon
as our preparations were complete.
Nothing worthy of note occurred dur
ing the first ten days of our journey.
Game was not very plentiful, but we
managed to get enough to supply us
with fresh meat; we found an abund-
ance of grass and water for the horses;
no signs of Indians had been seen; and,
taking all together, we felt that our
lucky star was in the ascendant.
'Any of YOU fellers ever been TO the
Salt lake," inquired Winston. as we
squatted at supper one evening.
In response to our inquiries, he de-
scribcd the lake as occupying the bot
tom of a deep and almost circular rocky
basin. the sides Of which were so preci-
pitous that there was only one place
down which n horseman could descend.
The bottom Of the lake, he explained,
was covered with a crust of salt, from
six inches TO a foot in thickness.
But the 1ueerest part of il all is the
crater. II stands at one side of the big
When YOU get to the rim of il you find
Yourself standin' on the edge OF a big
funnel-shaped hole. about 200 feet deep;
an right down Mt the bottom of that is
n little lake, so deep nobody has ever
found a bottom to it,"
Our curiosity was strongly excited.
and before we turned in for the night
il was unanimously decided TO pay a
visit 10 the strange lake next day.
S-... -...l -. =. A., ALL. a,l
a toilsome ride Of two hours duration
brought us 10 the object of our search.
Weird and CHASTITY are the Only terms
which properly describe the scene that
greeted our eyes as we refined in our
painting horses. At our feet lay an
enormous basin of perhaps 1000 acres
in extent and some 20 or so feet in depth,
its PERCEPTIONS sides %garnished with
masses of volcanic rock, some of them
so grotesque in shape as to appear al
most unearthly. At the bottom of the
basin, and occupying the greater part
of its area. slumbered a lake of dazzling
w~hiteness. its shores epcrusted with
curious formations Of salt, from which
the suns rays were reflected i'm glitter
ing light.
On the eastern shore. about a half
mile from where we stood, an enormous
mound. in shape like an inverted wash
bowl. lowered TO "A height Of 200 feet or
more: and this we at once recognized as
the crater of which Winston had spoken.
Dark and forbidding it reared its
mighty shape. like an outcast from the
internal regions; It's grim aspect seem
ing TO accentuate the awful silence that
brooded over the scene.
"They say the Apaches. Navajos and
Zunis have n superstition about the era
rer,'' whispered Winston, awed into
something like reverence by the sub
lime picture of desolation spread out
before us. ''They imagine an evil spirit
lives in the little lake at the bottom: an
that he emits thunder an lightnin'
whenever he gets mad at anybody. I've
heard they won't kill even a white man
in the BASIN"
Guided by Winston. we rode down the
steep trail that led to the bottom Of the
basin. and established our camp near
a little spring that bubbled out of the
rocks opposite to the crater. II was the
oHlN lTeSn NHttT III Une vicinity, Dut
there were no signs to indicate that it
had lately been visited by man or beast.
Filling our canteens. and watering the
horses, we were ready to m the
ascent Of the crater
Arrived at the summit we ut once
saw that Winston's description had not
been overdrawn. At our feet yawned
a great funnel-shaped hole, at the bot
tom of which twinkled a miniature lake.
its hue Of brightest emerald contrast
ing strangely with the dark scoria of
the c~rater's sides.
With many turns and twists, and
much unavoidable sliding. we descended
TO the shore of the lake. and seating our
selves on fragments of lava, spent half
an hour in endeavoring TO count for
the presence Of such n jewel in so in
congruous a setting.
They say the water is so thick with
Anlt sl-s IL "