The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-11-06
WAS INHABITED.
The lnahauAod NnoA q New Aoo
1oo Again v1ol1oA

1ho lnahanAod AeoA oe New No
ioo Again viaatea
sessnA Rasev - 0xDleeess vaAA
Tsesss o9 1oR0es 1nAaAataA0
ea tAs DlsvaesA UouA~
taaA Faaan.
The top o& the EaeAanted Ma Of
New Mexico w1e q one time inhabited.
It has been proved thAt Ind1au tradi-
tiona shopN not b dlamissed - merely
mythical after only casual explora-
tion.
This has been dsuaeastrated a. the
result o62the trip Of F. W. Hodge, OF
the bureau Of sIAnology. Smithsonian
Institation, who has just returned
from aA expedition to the mesa. The
Enchanted Mesa Of New Mexico has ex-
cited the interest Of scientists and the
daring OF exploring partieA- 1t was
brought into prominence . few weeks
ago BY the expedition Of Prof. William
Libbey, Of Princeton university, who
took rope-throwfng morta1A huge
kites, balloons and tons Of apparatus
70 scale this hitherto inaccessible tobls-
land.
The purpose Of the investigations has
been to determine whether tho summit
Of the mesa was at one time Inhabited
BY the prehistoric Acoma Indiana. 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. srrows,
shell bracelets, stone axes. etc, estab-
fishing copclusively that the top OF the
mesa was, 1t one time the home Of hu-
mans.
Mr.. Hodge was sent BY the bureau Of
ethnology to examine . series Of
ruins in western New Mexico and to
attend the snake dance OF the 1oki
Indians. This done. he was directed
to proceed to tho Mesa Escanada and
scale its precipitous walls in any way
he saw at. 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 by Maj.
George 81. Prsdt, deputy United States
surveyor at LAguna. N. NJ, who IL IA
miliar with that section; A. c. Vroman,
Of Pasadena, Cal, who acted % photo9-
rapher of the expedition; II. 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 great sandstone. The
ladders were hauled section by Sec
tion to this point by means Of the
ropes, then fitted together. and raised
against the cli6.
Mr.. Hodge ascended to the top and
climbing over tho slope immeMetely
above, lashed the top Of the ladder
to huge bowlder that had fallen from
above and lodged ON the terrace some
20 feet from tho summit. The ladder
was then ascended by the remainder Of
the party and the top easily reached.
The ascent consumed exactly ~ hours.
The explorers had not been on the
summit Of the mesa i've 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.. Vno-
man secured . number Of photographs.
Several potsherda, two stone axee
/ (broken). . fragment Of . 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 en-
cient trail ascending the talus and
continued thence to thesum1ait By hand
and foot holes In tina solid rock, have
been oAliterated, but some traces OF
the hole remain. This veridcadon OF
an Indian tradition. Eoteble tor tn-
herent evidence Of accuracy. y peculiar
" gratifying to students OF anenrop-
ology.
Prof. Libbey's ladder WAS discovered
still laahed in place above the crevasse,
Mr.. Hodges resesrches win arouse
great interest among American ethnol-
oRis*s end archaeologista. = Chicago
Times-HesAh.
The CanA3s FlsA ~ alaska.
With the discovery Of the Klondiks
With al it, winter pTivationA comes alsc
che practical discovery Of fish found
along the Alaskan ahores which u Y
lid viii furnish food. light. heat and
medicine 70 the proecbore who lave
eone into the new Fl Dorado. Taaa
ga - Of the Amelt variety, but larger
and fatter. They are caught IN net.
easily and on being caught are found
% be Of rich green coaor on the boca
vsricested with blue and with gohsz
, rsaaptSona % the belly. On being hek
i up to Tie light they ars almost trans
I, persnA. On being caught theee hah an
dried and stored. When the Alaakan 4
i showed In and without : ighthe simply
Inserts the tail of one Of thess hsh n
crack Ii the table and touches . matca
70 it, nose. Il gives out e1eof three