The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-29
in the scientific aspect OF the case still
wonder who constructed and occupied
them; the homes OF the cliff jewellers,
THE CLIFF HOUSES

These houses were always built in
the face Of perpendicular cliffs and
were to be approached only by steep,
narrow paths cut deep in the solid
rock. These people had no metal of
any kind with which to make tools,
and as some of these paths are several
hundred feet long the work of cutting
them, by pecking with harder rock,
may be imagined. When possible The
houses we're under some natural pro.
lection which served to protect them
from the elements and their enemies
overhead, for | am certain our old
time people constructed their houses
in this way for safety as we'll as com
fort
When the natural cave was not large
enough they made it more roomy by
building walls on the sides and one
across the front. These they carried
to the rock overhead. or if that.was
beyond their reach they covered the
projecting walls with cedar poles or
logs over which was put a layer OF
grass and dirt. [ found one home,
which. porched upon 4 ledge not over
four feet wide and cemented to the
perpendicular cliff, hung over the
valley like a swallows nest. If the
natural cave was large enough they
simply built wall of rock across the
front With entrance in or near the top.
There was another class of d wellings,
however natural caves with small
openings. and in the few of this class
have seen never found indications
OF wall OF rock in front. They were
we'll enough protected as it was.
All the cliff dwellings l have ex-
|amined, with the exception of few
small ones, had built inside the living
rooms smaller apartments. These
we're 3x6 to 6x6 feet in size, made of
stones cut to size and laid up neatly
in cement. lido not know the compo-
sition of this, never yet having made
an analysis of it. but think it YVES an
impure gypsum burned, ground to
powder and mixed with water for use.
whatever its composition, however, it
is hard and firm to this day.
These rooms were always covered,
either with limbs of cedar or the
Hover stems OF the meseal or soto
cactus. and layer OF bear grass and
dirt put over the poles. These rooms
may have been used for store rooms or
sleepings apartments. 1t is hard at
this late day to guess which.
In some OF these cliff dwellings
paintings are found upon the stone
walls. More strictly speaking, etch.
lngs, for they were made by pecking
into the rock with sharp, hard stone.
The art is very, very rude, but we can
identify the deer bear, wolf, serpent
and rude drawings of human beings
and at irregular intervals, are strange
characters. | think this rude form
OF picture writing, such as is possessed
by most primitive people. 1t may have
| been the idle work of idle men but do
not think it was, for out upon the
desert, from Mexico to Colorado and
| from California to the eastern confines
| of New Mexico are to be found many
rock pictures and there is "a strange
and striking similarity in all Of them;
and we know that where the rock
pictures occur the old time people
camped long time, for near by IN the
desert sands, we find arrowheads and
knives OF flint, fragments of pottery,
! basket working tools of wood. bone and
deer horn, occasionally stone ak or a
grave.
Near Fit Apache, Arizona, found
and explored cave that was produc-
tive OF several strange discoveries.
We could see indications of the dwell
ing from the opposite side of the canon,
a thousand yards away, but it took a
long, tedious search to find the path
that led up to it, However, we finally
discovered it only to find that it came
to an apparent abrupt end near where
the cave should be. But upon close
examination we saw the projecting
rock was polished smooth as glass from
the contact OF moving bodies. In this
rock was hand-holds also worn smooth
from use. By grasping these depres'
sions and swinging around the obstacle
we found ourselves on the front porch
of the house. The lady of the house
was not at home.
j This house or dwelling was a con
tinuous series of caves in limestone
! cliff. They we're about 100 feet above
the river bed and faced south. The en-
trance was q passage about 30X4(
inches in size and five feet long, open
ing into the first chamber which was
approximately l5x20 feet in size, anc
upon the right hand side, going in
was couple of the small, inside rooms