Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-03-06
THREE MEMORABLE DAYS
Lost on the Desert Near Montezuma
Canyon.

and their mysterious predecessors, the
cliff dwellers, offer a very inviting
field for the Investigations of the arch
aeologist and the ethnologist, but one
which has not been very thoroughly
cultivated so far. Investigators who
have studied that field have obtained
most interesting results. One of them
c. D. Harrington, was in Kansas City
last week, says the Journal. preparing
for a new expedition, in the course
of which he will eXpore and eXcavate
the prehistoric mounds in Arkansas,
especially along the White river
Mr.. Harrington has travelled all over
the west and southwest with a pack
train, and has an intimate knowledge
of the Indian tribes OF the southwest,
as well as of the monuments Of ancient
history which are found among them.
He is one of the few men permitted to
visit a ceremonial meeting of the Nav
ajo medicine men, where he saw them
do their wonderful sand painting, and
heard their incantations to their Great
Spirit, for the healing of the sick, for
the sending OF rain, and for other
blessings which they desire. The hut
in which these ceremonies take place is
known as q "'hogond,'' and is shown in
the background of the accompanying
picture, which was taken on San Juah
river, in southwestern Utah.
In the course of his explorations and
travels, Mr.. Harrington has had some
very thrilling experiences.
Il think that one of the most men,
orable experiences I ever had" he said,
was on n trip q few years ago, when
I went over into the Blue mountains of
Utah, prospecting for copper. 1 was
accompanied by big siX-footer named
Ford who used to live out in western
Kansas somewhere. We QUILTED at
Cortez, in. southwest Colorado, and
went on the start for some forty or
| fifty miles up McElmo canyon ard
Wickiup canyon. Then we struck off
| across the mesa to Mortezuma canyon,
where we stayed several days, eXplor
ing the cliff dwellings, which are very
numerous all through that region.
Montezuma canyon curves around in
rather peculiar shape. There is an
arm of the desert comes out there, and
the canyon makes long curve around
| it II is ten miles shorter to cut across
this curve than to go around it, so
we decided to go across.
We left the canyon one morning,
and started across with our burros, not
carrying a very large supply Of water
as we did not expect it to be ve..'
| long journey. l thought that l knew
the trail. but it was not very well de-
fined, and we Travelled all day, and
made a camp at night. l didn't think
very much of that. as I thought we
couldn't be very far from the other
side of the curve of the canyon. That
night there was a sandstone, which
obliterated what traces there We're of a
trail. We started out again the next
morning, and about II o'clock our wa
ter supply ran out. During the after
noon we opened d few OF our tomato
cans and drank the juice, and that
night we again made a dry camp.
There was also another sandstone
that night.
The next morning We opened up the
rest of our tomato cans, and toward
the middle OF the day our burros bolt
ed and left us. There is no place on
earth hotter than that. and by after
noon our tongues were swelled and our
mouths parched so that it seemed al
most impossible to stand it. About
the middle of the afternoon Ford
dropped down, although he was much
bigger and stronger than l was, and
declared that he could go no further.
1 jollied him up and got him started
again. but it wasn't very long until he
dropped the second time, and told me
where to write to his folks in Kansas
and all that.
II tried to keep him from giving up,
but finally started on without him, al
though it seemed almost impossible for
me to move. 1 kept going mechani-
cally for long time, until 1 got out of
sight of Ford. I dropped down once
myself, but got up and tried it again.
About this time ! saw something in the
distance which seemed to be coming
toward me. l supposed that it was our
burros coming back, and L kept going
Tor Il While, but finally stopped to wait
for the approaching figures.
1t proved to be Mexican, who had
found our burros at a dripping spring.
and after taking off the packs and Sc
curing them. had come in search of US.
He would only let me have part of a
canteen full of water. l told him about
where Ford was, and he went on, re-
turning in q short time with Ford He
then went back and camped with us
for the night, and We certainly gave
him royal treatment, so far as was
within our power.
"Of course, after we got back to the
canyon we We're all right, and as we
got up a little higher, up into the
woods. everything was changed. We
camped in an old deserted cabin, built
half of it back into the hill, and had a
very enjoyable time OF it there, hunt
ing and prospecting. One day Ford
had killed about a yeafling fawn, and
we had it hung up in the shack in the
corner next to the door.
That night I woke up with start.
wasn't sure whether Gabriels trum-
pet had blown or what had happened.