The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-10-14
THE ENCHANTED MESA.
Again Visited and Traces of Former
Occupancy Found.


New Mexico was at one time inhabited.
1t has been proved that Indian tradi-
tions 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
Libbev. 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 at one time inhabited
/ bv the prehistoric Acoma Indians. Prof.
Libbey reported no evidences of early
occupancy. Mr.. Hodges explorations
/ have brought different results, however,
| for after sealing 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
ethuology to examine a series of
ruins in western New Mexico and to
attend the snake dance of the Mol<i
Indians. This done, he was directed
to proceed to the Mesa Escanada and
scale its PERCEPTIONS 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, and proceeded to the mesa
September 3, accompanied 10y Maj.
George H. Pradt, deputy United States
, surveyor at Laguna, n. NJ, who is IA
miIiar with that section; a. c. NrOman,
| of Pasadena, Cal, who acted as photog-
, | rapher of the expedition; 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,
4 O. feet above the plain. The climb was
4 without any serious difficulty until the
party reached great sandstone. The
I ladders were hauled section by sec
f ton to- this point by means of the
$ ropes, hen fitted together, and RAISED
L anst the cliff.
IN
n rIfm1.rg over the slope immediately
q .1oye. shed the top of the ladde
I to a huge bowlder that had fallen from
T. above and lodged on the terrace some
~ feet from the summit. The ladde
WAS then assembled by the remainder o
e parity and the top easily reached
r. Iu. ascent consumed exactly PA hours
e The explorers had not been on tn
e summit Of the mesa five minutes be
n fore Maj Pradt picked up fragmen
e, OF ancient pottery, which indicate
Is clearly that the mesa had been visitec
y. at any rate, in former times, and tina
n, Prof. Ltbbey was mistaken in his cor
q illusions. During the afternoon and tn
re- next day Mr.. Hodge examined tn
a ground critically, while Maj. Prad
ie made a survey of the mesa, and Mr.. Nrt
ma. secured a number of photograph
m Several potsherds, two stone axe
lbroken), a fragment of shell brace
10 let and a stone arrow point were tn
aV chief evidences of former occupanc
ST found on the narrow storm-swept cres
but abundant potsherds, etc, wei
found in the talus swept down fro
the lmmit All vestiges of the al
re cleut trail ascending the talus an
continued thence to the summit by haT
VI, md foot holes in the solid rock, ha'
j" apen obliterated, but some traces
Nc the hole remain. This veritication
IL an Indian tradition, notable for
Us herent evidence of accuracy, is peculla
Iy gratifying to students Of anthro
. ology.
eI Prof. Libbey's ladder was discover'
ny still ashed in place above the creVass
Mr.. Hodges researches will arou
great interest among American ethn'
'u ogists and archaeologists. - Chica|
T., Times-Herald.
y