Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-12-16
WAS INHABITED.
Tho Mnchanted Mesa or New Mar
loo Again Visited
Second Party OF ExDlOReFS F1A0
Traces Of Former InhaSitaAts
OF the Elevated Noun.
tain Plain.

The top Of the Enchanted Mesa Of
New Mexico was at one time inhabited.
It has been proved that Indian tradi-
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 On expedition to the mesa. The
Enchanted Mesa of New Mexico has ex-
cited the interest Of scientists and the
daring of exploring parties. It 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 Investigations has
been to determine whether the summit
of the mesa was ut 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
some 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 hui
mans.
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 its precipitous walls in any way
he saw fit. He procured an extension
ladder, comprising six sections of six
feet each together, with an ample sup
ply OF rope, audprocceded to the mesa
September 3, accompanied by Maj.
George II. Prndt, deputy United States
surveyor at Laguna, n. NJ, who is ia
miliar with that section; A. e. Vroman,
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,
224 feet above the plain. The climb was
without any serious difficulty until the
party reached n 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 n 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 PA 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 con.
illusions. During the afternoon and the
next day Mr.. Hodge examined the
ground critically, while Maj. Pradt
made survey of the mesa, and Mr.. Vro-
man secured number of photographs
Several potsherds, two stone axes
(broken), fragment of a shell brace.
let and 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 verifcation o.
an Indian tradition, notable for in
herent evidence of accuracy, Is peculiar
" 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. - ChicaRS