The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-13
THE ENCHANTED MESA
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION OFFICIAL
CLIMBS THE TABLE LAND.
HabitatiOn of Prehistoric AcOma In
dians Established, Thus Verifying
a LOng-Existing Legend.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12-Mr. F. w.
Hodge, of the Bureau of Ethnology, Smith
sonian Institution, has just returned from
an expedition to the Enchanted mesa of
New Mexico, which has excited the interest
of scientists and the daring Of exploring
parties. 1t was brought into prominence a
few months ago by the expedition of Prof.
William Libbey, of Princeton University,
who took rope-throwing mortars. huge
kites, balloons and tons of apparatus TO
scale this hitherto inaccessible table land.
The purpose of the Investigations has been
to determine whether the summit Of the
mesa was at one time inhabited by the pre-
historic Acoma Indians. Prof. Libbey re-
ported no evidences of early occupancy.
Mr.. Hodges explorations have brought diff
ferent results, however for after scaling
the mesa he spent some time on the sum-
nit found a number of fragments of pot
terry, arrows, shell bracelets stone axes,
ETC., establishing conclusively that the top
of the mesa was at one time inhabited
Mr.. Hodge was sent by the Bureau of
Ethnology to examine a 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 it's precipitious
an extension ladder comprising six sections
of six feet each together with an ample
supply of rope and proceeded to the mesa
on Sept 8, accompanied by Major George
H. Pradt, deputy United States surveyor at
Laguna, New Mexico who is familiar with
that section Mr.. A. c.. VromaR, of Pasa-
dena, Cal, who acted as photographer of
the expedition; Mr.. II. G. Hoyt, of Chicago,
and two Laguna Indians. The mesa 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, 224 feet above the plain. The
climb was without any serious difficulty
until the party reached great sandstone.
The ladders were hauled section by section
to this point by means of the ropes, then
Mr.. Hodge assembled to the top, and, climb
ing over the slope Immediately above, sue
ceeded IN Iashlng the top OF the ladder 70 a
and lodged on the terrace some twenty feet
from the summit. The ladder was then
assembled by the remainder of the party and
the top easily reached. The ascent con-
sumeG exactly two hours and quarter.
The explorers had not been on the sum-
nit of the mesa five minutes before Major
Pradt picked up fragment OF ancient pot
terry, which indicated clearly that the mesa
had been visited at any rate, in former
times, and that Prof Libbey was mistaken
in his conclusions. During the afternoon
and the next day Mr.. Hodge examined the
ground critically while Major Pradt made
a survey of the mesa and Mr. Vroman Sc
cured q number of photographs. Several
potsherds, two stone axes (broken), frag-
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 ancient
trail ascending the talus and continued
thence to the summit by hand and foot
holes in the solid rock have been obliter-
ated; but some traces of the holes remain.
This notification of an Indian tradition,
notable for inherent evidence of accuracy,
anthropology. Prof. Libbeys ladder was
discovered still dashed in place above the
crevaSSe.
Mr.. Hodges researches will arouse great
interest among Ar erican ethnologists and
archaeologists, inasmuch as they are said to
show that Indian tradition should not be
dismissed merely mythical after only
casual exploration.