The Worthington advance., 1899-07-07

bridge formed out of a petrifed tree
This tree was originally over 200 feet
high, and is now SO large in diameter
that I have friend who has ridden
horseback across it. This is one of the
most astonishing and wonderful
bridges in the world, and that trans
continental traveller who journeys from
the east to California is not wise who
fails to spend the one day that is nec-
essary to visit this wonderful bridge
and the equally wonderful forest by
which it is surrounded.
To the Indians of Arizona this for.
est has been an inexhaustible mine.
For, from here, from time immemorial,
they have secured pieces of agate, Jas
per and other petrified wood, of which
they have made some of the finest ar
row points, spear heads and stone
knives ever constructed. These abo-
riginal specimens have been found scat
tered all over the middle-western por-
ton of the United States, thus showing
that the Indians of this region made
quite a trade of petrifed wood ar
ticles. '... 80
The petmfied forest region is reallv
divided into three distinct sections;
the first section, which we have visited,
and two others. About two miles to
the southeast of the first deposit is
the second. This is about the same
size as the first, but there is much more
OF the petrified wood in the same
amount of space. The whole region
Is wild, barren, desolate, cut and
scanned. There are so many wild gorges
In 1T that now and again it presents an
appearance as if it had been taken in
some gigantic hands and twisted out
of shape. So
4onder the soil looks as if it must at
one time have been boiling mud, thrown
out from a vast volcano.
Six or seven miles further, going due
south, the third deposit is reached.
Ihere is an immense area of wood here.
all found on the southwest side of the
mesa. Immense trees, or split sections,
: nave Kept the mesa from washing away
as rapidly here as elsewhere, and many
OF these logs are still scattered over
the plateau.
1t is frightful desert region, and
mad an experience here that was as
novel as it was unpleasant. We had
come further than we had intended
and were not provided with a suf6.
cheney of water. The weather was in.
tensely hot, and soon our little stock
OF water was exhausted. The thought
OF waiting until we got back home
was maddening, but I saw no other
course. Adam, however, knew trick
tar better than waiting. Riding along
until we came to the dry bed of a
stream, that seemed as if not a drop
OF water had been in it for ten years,
ne quietly took the saddle and bride
from his horse, and, tying rope around
its neck, turned it loose. With an in
stinct as unerring as that of the bird
in its fight, the horse went to GER
tain spot in the wash and commenced
paving the sand with his feet. He
threw it out with almost as great ra-
p1dlty as a dog paws the earth from a
squirrel hole, but in far greater guam
titles. I stood and watched him in
amazement, while Adam said: '.Oh, he's
smart, he is. Did you never see boss
dig for wafer? That boss has saved
my life many \ time, for he can find
water if it's to be had, where you and
me would lie down and die. Now see
him!'' .+s sfs.
With intent gaze the horse drew back,
and ,steadfastly watched the hole he.
had made. In few minutes half
ucket of water had collected at the,
bottom Of the hole, and, though the
water was neither cool nor fresh, IL
was better than nothing. We quenched
our thirst and in the cool Of the even
ing returned to the ranch.
4. g. WHARTON JAMES. 4