The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-29
DESERT LAND OF FIRE.
Strange valley Near the Mouth of the
Colorado River.
From the Chlcago Record.


Los Angeles, Cal.-An expedition of Cal
ifornia scientists with two gentlemen
connected with the United States geologi-
cal survey. have just returned from
trip down the lazy. muddy Colorado river
from Yuma to the Gulf of California. and
have spent several weeks in investigating
the volcanoes in that region The men
who comprised the expedition say theirs
were the first pale faces seen in the wal
ley of the volcanoes" in several years
and that the region at the mouth of the
Colorado river is full of natural wonders.
The exact location of the land of volca-
noes is southwest of the Cocopah noun
tains and exactly on the boundary line be-
tween the state of Sonora, Mexico, and
the eastern part of Lower California As
a bird would fly it is 2lS miles southwest
from the quaint old Mexican and Ameri-
can pueblo of Yuma, and a few miles from
where the Rio Colorado sprawls It's muddy
waters into the Gulf of California.
All Indians are superstitious and those
in Arizona and Northern Mexico believe
that the land of the volcanoes is the next
door to he'll itself. There are hundreds Of
legends and stories among the Pimas,
Maricopahs and Cocopahs about the hor-
rible beings that have in ages past, come
from among the volcanoes, TO the injury
of the Indians and of the spirits of dead
and wicked red men that wander about
down there in the sulphurous atmosphere
only waiting an opportunity TO wreak
vengeance upon some unsuspecting saw
age. The Jesuit missionaries, who came
up the Rio Colorado in 1888 on a mission
of Christianity and civilization among the
savages were probably the first whites
who saw the volcanoes in that region.
Their diaries contain several pages Of the
grewsome legends of the Indians connect
ed with the land of the always-mad
spirit"
The air for miles around the valley of the
volcanoes is heavy with foul fumes, and
onl ypersons Of strong lungs and throats
can stand the odors, even a dozen miles
away, for more than a few hours. When
one has gone to the volcanoes the odors
are found to be dangerous to animal life,
unless there is a strong breeze blowing TO
carry the sulphur-laden air away. There
are undoubted stories of persons who
have ventured too far among the volca-
noes, where the air was calm and heavy
with the poison, who have died In few
minutes
Several years ago Prof. Smed;ey of On
tario College fitted up an apparatus where
by he could carry a rubber bag fun of
pure air while he was exploring among
the liveliest of these volcanoes. In some
way his device did not work, when he had
gone only 200 yards into the valley OF the
fire spitters." as the Indians call them.
and. had he not been seen 20 stagger and
fa.l by several companions, who, at the
risk Of their own lives, rushed In to his
rescue he would have died in a few min
utes As IL was, the whole party was in
for week or more from the effects OF in
hallng the poison.
The first view Of the locality OF the vol
canoes, from an elevated spot on a hill on
the edge OF the valley. is memorable. The
feeling as one gazes over the area Of thirty
miles, under the burning sun Of the desert,
dotted everywhere by thousands Of hum
mocks and mounds, with blue smoke cur
ing up from some Of these. and flames and
particles of molten lava from others, Is
that here indeed is a literal Inferno on
earth The mounds or volcanoes are OF
all sizes, from that OF a hogshead to a
mound some $50 to 200 feet high. The ma
jority Of them are about fifteen feet high
and are sixty feet I'm circumference
Most Of these little volcanoes are active
and when they are not splitting forth va
pors and lurid flames are boiling and
stewing within The noise Of several
thousand volcanoes seething. grumbling
and bubbling rs indescribab iesdThe ground
q
purple haze envelopes the scene as fer
as one can see. on some days "A few OF
the larger volcanoes-those that are 100
feet high. and slightly less than an acre
IN area-may be IN eruption. Then the
scene b even more impressive. The rum
bling Is so loud that one must shout 70
be heard by bystanders. dozen times
minute a fame twenty-five feet high
and eight feet In diameter bursts from
the crater Of each OF the large volcanoes
and Is accompanied by a sound like the
escape OF steam from an enormous safety
valve on a steam engine.
The flame ~ OF a peculiar dark-reddish
hue and when hundreds OF bits OF lava
the size OF cabbages are thrown with u
the noise Is louder. The flame settles back
within the volcano as quickly az Il shoots
out. only 10 burst forth again IN four or
five seconds. Sometimes the large vol
canoes are active for "A fortnight &C "A
time and then may rest for a year. A few
days II the usual period OF eruption with
these and the periods may BE- months
apart.
The valley OF volcanoes may be reached
only by a boat from Yuma down the Col
0rado river. The Journey can be- made
only al a certain season In che year. and
then u r. hazardous. The danger n In the
Cddlcs and ruf)Ida Of The Colo