The sun., 1900-12-23
sxrirroys on err Dwt,t,i,
Vssv Hundred ~ Them Iound In one ,r,r
ment In Arizona

From The IlfWffF IientHU I"H
strange story Of tho suro,1tIpr Of .r OBJ.
trs village II clin dWcl,fs about fuuf ....rl
years AGO Ia told by sergeant n'otr' lr.a
OF tho local recruiting station
In picturesque Arizona, among no 81 10
Mountains. not FAR from Port AtR,hc. t.r ...
culiar race of little nhus once f.p.,d
supreme Among the alUo't uH,u....I.r
Gins Of red sandstone they lived llkr nrtf.
IN natural fortfcssos The caverus they urps
inhabited hre to-day as they were cortur,r,
ago. and In many caso- have apparently mover
been trodden 10y human foot since th" d.a'l
of their ancient inhabitants. The u''urrd
remains OF 400 prehistoric little people v,ro
found BY ScrEt. Price In vast cave lie
Apache Indians. who now iuhabit that d.-.
thct regard tho cavern with supcr-tlH.,
dread. and cannot bc induced to ent'r b.,
gloomy portals. 40 white man had ever set
foot there before Scrgt. fncc, and he found Iu
During tho sprius of 1899. when he wa. W.T.
Troop q, seventh cavalry, and stat med ut
Fort Apache. In has researches about lhe cuu.-
try thu ,ouug soldier discovered the Er.
cave N"iAge, With iIs strange Legend i"a
some immense cliffs Of red sandstone ErH.
the Fli-teniug stream the cn- rise almrt.
porpendicularly 10 a sheer height OF 200 iv,;
treyices and little edges Of rock form Ia" %. 3D.,
footholdS for daring climbers. While ilshny
for trout one doy, Serl,t Price noticed hsh
Believing IL to be a cave, ho at once deter
mined 20 scale the cf, and several soldiers
was exceedingly hgsarduuS and difficult but
after Il long climb they reached the hole. Jut-
t,ng, out rom TIC laCr Of the EN- Ma. natural
Just back Of the ledge WIS the entrance to
the ancient cave. ndrr the sergeant lead
ership the uarty entered the cave with torches
and lanterns They explored over four and
Il half miles Of Passages and CorriCors Many
people had once Inhabited the winding Jas
ftf fuNH
tratcd into the furthcrmost rcC"sses and found
a bi! council chamber far back IN III" interior
Of the C.n, As the illcEering light "i tho
torches pierced the gloom of the large room
the grow w,OWe scene was revealed.
HUddled together on the cold, damp floor Of
stone, a. 4 for mutual sympathy and prctec-
ton. lay the gnastly skeletons Of over 400 little
clin dwellcr', pctrhed by their exposure dur
| ing ages past \ short distance auart from
| tho Others lay the frame of the cheftain, Lean
! ing AGAINST IN" wall opposite the entrance ~
| the room His skull was resting upon liza
| hreastbona. Just a. he had died II seemct
| iI.t of tlcm gll, and before lis -nri' ~ Nal
taken n final look NJ hi people Then li- chin
| sank unou his breast, End TIE peoulr Of White
River cliff were no more. scientific obs rva-
| ti1ns have shown that these people lived about
Sergt PriIe began a Systematic questioning
! q oId Indians and at length adroitly secured
/ dred years ago. he was t1ld by the rcd--Eiunod
| saCes-nnd to express their idea Of the number
/ at war witt other small men who lived ~ some
dlstTnce. Battles were frequent, and tho tribe
| which occupied tho White River ellis was
| wOr-tad
Many Of their best warriors were slain hv the
! clubs and arrows of the enemy. Retreat finally
! became necessary, and the defeated men hastily
scaled the heetlinC clif TO- their home near the
! summit. once within the great cave they
/ frlt themselves secure from further attacks
/ They carried with them such scanty supplies
ns they could quickly gather. and they hone!
/ That IN case Of s"re their corn would last until
/ the siege was raised
Sw1rmng up over the ledge TO the entrance
% tho cave came their enemies Several thcr
4 Killed. but were soon driven back from the
/ entrance WoHdcrnrlv, they Crouchoi within
it, portals. The H~sail1nt- brought up Cuu0-
/ tt"- of wood and piled IL hi up about the
/ hn!c in tho Gift Thou they kindled huge iirs
! and never suffered il n ahats in fury.
DAYS passed and the flames still cleaned
/ brightly ON the side OF the vast rock, For
| n fortnight the vigilance never slacfened.
/ At length the revcusful army retired. leaving
/ a great pile of ashes on the ledge. No one
! dared 20 enter the cavern and. having accom-
! rliShed their grim mission, they departed
. from the section What agonies the cllf dwell
! cr, must have Suffered as the pangs Of 'tarva-
/ tion grew koener and keener. and always at
! the only exit they saw the blazing pile